Leinster have used eye-watering 57 players to reach the PRO14 final
If the result goes Leinster’s way in Glasgow on Saturday night, Leo Cullen better hope that more than a single keg of the sponsor’s brew will be on tap for his squad otherwise it won’t be much of a party.
Such is the number of players Cullen has called on during his province’s PRO14 campaign, there wouldn’t be much Guinness to go around if all 57 players who have appeared this term lined up for a celebratory drink.
It’s quite the startling statistic underlining exactly the level of resources that go into repeatedly reaching these league finals.
This is Leinster’s eighth league decider in 10 seasons, their third in four seasons with Cullen at the helm, and the pity about what will unfold on Saturday at Celtic Park is that the XV the coach will start with will be very different from the XV of the players who have mostly filled the one to 15 shirts during their 22 matches before this latest final.
If selection for the showpiece was undertaken solely on the basis of rewarding the individuals who have most played their part in the club getting to the final, the contingent of star names would be few and far between.
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We’d have a front row of Jack McGrath, James Tracy and Michael Bent, a second row of Scott Fardy and Ross Molony and behind them a back row of Max Deegan, Caelan Doris and Josh Murphy.
The pattern would continue in the back line. Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne would be the half-backs, the midfield would consist of Rory O’Loughlin alongside Conor O’Brien, while Dave Kearney, James Lowe and Adam Byrne would head the queue for the back three jerseys.
Cullen is the sort of guy appreciatively conscious of the large-scale manpower that goes into ensuring the level of competitiveness remains high at the province which consistently provides the majority of players to Joe Schmidt’s Ireland squad.
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It’s no easy trick trying to maintain the consistency in team performance when using 44 first-team players bolstered by 13 from the academy. But somehow Leinster manage to keep churning out the results that keeps the supporters cheering along in their droves – over 12,000 season tickets are already sold for next season.
The contribution of his enormous squad was something that was on Cullen’s mind in the aftermath of their home semi-final win over Munster last Saturday, the coach highlighting: “Why are we here in the RDS? We are here because we have used a lot of players to get us in the situation where we actually have enough points to finish top of the conference, so all the work that goes in with all the players in the wider squad to get us here.”
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— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) May 22, 2019
It was a generous acknowledgement he soon reiterated when addressing supporters at a function elsewhere in the stadium some time later, and these contributions by their squad players have been further highlighted in the statistical information doing the rounds ahead of the Celtic Park final.
Of the eight categories listed by the PRO14, five are topped by players unlikely to be starting on Saturday. Doris is listed as Leinster’s main ball carrier in the league, doing so on 167 occasions. Dave Kearney has made 661 metres, Gibson-Park has had 15 clean breaks, Deegan has tackled 212 times and Porter has won nine turnovers.
Only in defenders beaten, topped by Jordan Larmour on 38, and lineouts won and lineouts steals, both headed by Fardy on 47 and six, do we come across names that will definitely be in the starting XV versus Warriors.
It’s all information that reinforces precisely how rugby has very much become a squad game, with Leinster nearly fielding four full teams of different players during this 2018/19 league.
LEINSTER’S 2018/19 PRO14 APPEARANCES
LOOSEHEAD (4) – Jack McGrath (7+1), Ed Byrne (6+10), Cian Healy (5+2), Peter Dooley (4+10);
HOOKER (4) – James Tracy (12+5), Sean Cronin (6+4), Bryan Byrne (3+12), Ronan Kelleher (1+1);
TIGHTHEAD (4) – Michael Bent (12+4), Andrew Porter (5+10), Tadhg Furlong (5+3), Vakh Abdaladze (0+5);
SECOND ROW (9) – Scott Fardy (12+2), Ross Molony (9+5), Mick Kearney (6+9), James Ryan (6), Devin Toner (6), Jack Dunne (1+4), Oisin Dowling (1+3), Ian Nagle (1), Ryan Baird (0+1);
BACK ROW (10) – Max Deegan (12+8), Caelan Doris 11+3), Josh Murphy (11+1), Rhys Ruddock (9+1), Jack Conan (6), Dan Leavy (5+1), Josh van der Flier (5+1), Scott Penny (5+1), Sean O’Brien (3+1), Will Connors (1+1);
SCRUM-HALF (5) – Jamison Gibson-Park (11+3), Luke McGrath (7+2), Hugh O’Sullivan (2+10), Nick McCarthy (2+3), Pat Paterson (0+3);
OUT-HALF (3) – Ross Byrne (12+2), Ciaran Frawley (4+7), Johnny Sexton (4+1);
MIDFIELD (8) – Rory O’Loughlin (11+2), Conor O’Brien (10+3), Noel Reid (9+7), Robbie Henshaw (7), Garry Ringrose (5), Jimmy O’Brien (3+4), Tom Daly (0+2), Gavin Mullin (0+1);
BACK THREE (10) – Dave Kearney (10+1), James Lowe (10), Adam Byrne (9+1), Joe Tomane (8+3), Fergus McFadden (8+1), Barry Daly (7+2), Rob Kearney (7), Jordan Larmour (7), Hugo Keenan (3), Jack Kelly (0+1).
WATCH: The RugbyPass behind the scenes documentary on the 2018 Guinness PRO14 final that was won by Leinster against Scarlets in Dublin
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
3 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
1 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
5 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
5 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
5 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
5 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
3 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to comments