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James Ryan issues warning to Leinster despite 25-game winning streak

By PA
(Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside via Getty Images)

James Ryan has told his Leinster teammates only their best will do against a potentially galvanised Saracens in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup on Saturday. The clash is a repeat of last year’s final in Newcastle, but the circumstances are very different for the holders after a dreadful campaign.

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Saracens were hit with a £5.36million fine and 35-point deduction in November for repeated salary cap breaches before they were automatically relegated in January. It means all Mark McCall’s side have had to play for is the Champions Cup and even though they will be without the suspended captain Owen Farrell in Dublin, Leinster’s lock is not about to take anything for granted.

“They are the defending champions for a reason, so we know this week we have to bring the best version of ourselves and I don’t think anything less will be enough to get a result,” Ryan said. “They have had some blows in the past and you have seen it has brought them closer. If anything, it could galvanise them as a group.

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Ireland 7s player and Love Island contestant Greg O’Shea guests on All Access, the Rugby Pass interview series hosted by Jim Hamilton

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Ireland 7s player and Love Island contestant Greg O’Shea guests on All Access, the Rugby Pass interview series hosted by Jim Hamilton

“They have targeted this game, I would imagine, from a long way back and because of the relegation, they have had months to fine-tune and plan for this game. It’s their last chance of silverware this season, so they have a huge amount to play for and they will be a very motivated outfit.”

Since Leinster’s 20-10 defeat to Saracens in May last year, the Irish club have put together a run of 25 wins in a row. The latest occurred on Saturday in the Guinness PRO14 final against Ulster, to crown them the champions of the competition for a third consecutive year.

It was Ryan’s first game back after a shoulder injury and while happy to get his hands on more silverware, he knows where they can improve. “The last few weeks have been positive,” the 26-cap Ireland international added. “Looking at the weekend, it was a slow start but we got into the game. This week we can’t afford to start slow, we have to come out the blocks quick so we will need to improve – but we are all aware of that.”

Saturday will see Ryan renew his duel with England’s Maro Itoje with the pair going head-to-head several times over the last few years. The most recent was back in February during the Six Nations, but the Leinster forward was keen not to only focus on his rival, who he described as the “overall package”.

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Ryan said: “It’s great. You look across the Saracens pack and they have some serious players there, whether it be Itoje or the Vunipolas (Mako and Billy). You look at the backline and yes they won’t have Owen Farrell, but they still have a huge amount of experience.

“Manu Vunipola has gone in there at ten and done a good job so across the park they are stacked with quality. They might have lost a few guys but they have the backbone of the team committed to the club and it is great to be coming up against some of the best players in Europe. We are massively looking forward to it.”

While Farrell will not be influential on the pitch, due to being issued with a five-match ban for a dangerous tackle against Wasps earlier this month, the fly-half has still been eager to play his part. Saracens director of rugby McCall revealed: “He’s running the opposition against us, running some of Leinster’s plays etc, so he’ll be a huge help to us this week.

“He just wants to help. He regrets the situation he finds himself in but now he just wants to help the team as much as he can.” On Ryan, McCall added: “He epitomises the hard working team they are. That’s his number one strength.”

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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