“Those guys” have come back from November with very positive experiences. That was the view of coach Leo Cullen after Leinster’s bonus point win over the Dragons in the RDS.
Everyone knew who Cullen was talking about. Those guys. Players like Garry Ringrose. Players like Tadgh Furlong, Josh van der Flier and Joey Carbery, who was called ashore just after half-time in the RDS, when Leinster had their Guinness Pro12 match won to draw level with Munster on points at the top of the table.
The home side did invite the Welsh lads back into the game in the second half but steadied enough to keep them to just two tries to Leinster’s four.
Carbery’s elevation – in a way similar to that of Ringrose, but more spectacular – is now looking towards becoming a likely pick for next weekend against Northampton in the European Champions Cup.
With Johnny Sexton’s immediate future uncertain and depending on medical assessments, Cullen believes the younger outhalf has broken the mould.
“Ah definitely, a lot of people are taking credit,” said Cullen, unwilling to commit to any player for Friday’s match in Franklin’s Gardens. “Athy, where he started, Blackrock the year that he had in there, they are taking credit as well. He did a year in UCD before he went to ‘Tarf so he’s come through the system.
"Playing in a pre-season game I thought he . . . we'd three young 10s battling it out pre-season, Joey just stole the march. Making his first start in the Pro12 to making his first start in Europe here against Castres, where I thought he played really, really well. Then he played the second half against Montpellier and making his debut the following week for Ireland against New Zealand. So it's pretty incredible really."
Old-school
Leinster’s win, where Carbery scored one of the tries, was the fourth for the Irish provinces over the weekend, setting them up in positive mood for next weekend’s resumption of European competition.
Leinster face a Northampton side that lost 19-11 to Leicester Tigers, a match in which a tackle on George North from Adam Thompstone appeared to knock him unconscious. But after an assessment the Welsh international was permitted to return to the game.
Ian Keatley scored a Munster old-school drop goal with a controlled forwards drive and pass back to the pocket to secure a dramatic 16-15 victory for the league leaders away at Glasgow on Friday night.
The good thing for Munster is that they won it even with eight internationals returning to the Glasgow team. That augurs well for Leicester’s visit to Thomond Park on Saturday.
Connacht ran in seven tries against Treviso to win 47-8 with six different players touching down. They will take credit and momentum for beating them well, as they should do before facing Premiership side Wasps on Sunday in the Ricoh Arena.
Ulster also joined the winning Irish group by ending their three-game Pro12 losing run in some style with Ruan Pienaar starring in a bonus-point 35-22 victory against Cardiff Blues.
Charles Piutau, Stuart McCloskey and loosehead Kyle McCall all touched down in a breathless first-half in Cardiff Arms Park. Timely then for Les Kiss and his side, who face Clermont Auvergne at home on Saturday. The French side arrive in Belfast having lost to Pau 40-35 over the weekend.
‘He’s ambitious’
All four provinces will review their team selection over the coming days with the Irish players streaming back after a demanding November. Cullen, respecting his younger players for their effort against Newport and facing into Europe again, sees Carbery as someone who can show the others how to aspire and succeed.
“I think he is really mature, yeah. He loves going out and enjoys playing the game. I think that is the most exciting part,” said Cullen. “He wants to get better, he’s ambitious. I remember watching him for Clontarf a good few games last year where you see the level of ambition he has. It’s a very, very positive thing for Leinster rugby.
“We take so much pride. It’s great to see. It’s great for all the other guys to aspire to as well. All those young guys put a smile on my face, yeah. They’re pushing hard and making life uncomfortable for some of the more experienced players, which is really positive for the club.”
Cullen and Leinster look at the next block as seven games, four of them European games, the first two over the coming weeks in rounds three and four, which are the back-to-back matches against Northampton. There are three Pro12 games sandwiched in between those, and then Six Nations commitments begin.
“It’s fair to say we were very disappointed about how Europe went last year so it’s a huge focus for us,” said Cullen. “You are constantly making calls on guys on their form but also what they’ve done and how fresh they are.”
A common theme this week in all four provinces.
