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'A big shout out to them' - Leo Cullen hails Leinster's departed and squad depth after winning Guinness PRO14 title
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen praised the strength-in-depth of his squad following their convincing 27-5 Guinness PRO14 final win over Ulster at the Aviva Stadium.
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Cullen’s table-topping side rattled off 17 unanswered second-half points as Robbie Henshaw’s 45th-minute intercept try and a clinching late score from Caelan Doris added to an earlier James Lowe touchdown, which had cancelled out James Hume’s third-minute opener.
The Leinster management used a total of 53 players across their unbeaten 17-match PRO14 season.
This included the soon-to-be departing duo of Rob Kearney and Fergus McFadden who were given the honour of lifting the trophy together as Leinster became the first ever team to win three successive PRO14 titles.
“I know some players have moved on to other teams and are obviously not with the club, but a big shout out to them,” said Cullen afterwards.
“The contributions that they’ve made. The guys that are currently training with us have been exceptional really over the course of the year.
“If you think back to when the season started, which was during the middle of the World Cup. We were already down a good chunk of players at that stage.
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“The World Cup season is notoriously tricky to manage. Huge credit to the wider squad, in terms of keeping the show on the road – winning those games during that period.”
The last team to beat Leinster was Saracens in last season’s Heineken Champions Cup final 16 months ago.
The two sides renew their rivalry in a crunch Dublin quarter-final next Saturday and Cullen knows the celebrations with be cut short with another massive game to prepare for.
“The big focus is enjoying the moment and then turn the page,” he explained. “It’s important to savour the moment and not look too far ahead now.
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“In terms of a plan for next week, we’ve already discussed it as coaches.
“We had a previous plan for Saracens and the personnel has changed over the course of five, six months, but we’ll put a plan together.
“But at the moment it’s about enjoying each other’s company in the dressing room.”
Meanwhile, despite being bitterly disappointed with the result, Ulster boss Dan McFarland was proud of his charges as they had reached their first PRO14 final since 2013 and will undoubtedly give it their all away to Toulouse in Europe’s last eight next week.
“Everything has got to be put into the context of the opposition you’re playing against,” he said.
“It is really disappointing, but the more I sit here, the more proud I am of the people that I work with and the amount of effort that they put in.
“The disappointment comes from the realisation this evening that we’re a fair bit away from where we wanted to be and the goals that we have.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to comments