The Dan Sheehan verdict on playing No.8 for Leinster

Leinster Rugby skipper Dan Sheehan has revealed how it needed a half-time “reality check” to secure a “massive win” over arch rivals Munster Rugby at the Aviva Stadium.

Reigning champions Leinster were trailing 13-5 at the break, but turned the big Irish interpro derby around to secure a 24-18 bonus point victory in front of a 37,193 crowd in Dublin.

Ireland hooker Sheehan, who was selected at No 8, said: “Credit to Munster, they are a quality team, they are getting better every week.

“They put it up to us in that first half. Conditions were a little bit tricky, playing against that wind.

“I thought our intent was right up there. We were smacking lads in carries and in tackles, but our breakdown just needed a lot of work.

United Rugby Championship

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Edinburgh

4

4

0

0

19

2

Glasgow

4

3

0

1

18

3

Bulls

4

3

1

0

16

4

Stormers

4

3

1

0

16

5

Sharks

4

3

1

0

15

6

Leinster

4

2

2

0

13

7

Ospreys

4

2

2

0

11

8

Connacht

4

2

2

0

10

9

Munster

4

1

2

1

10

10

Cardiff Rugby

4

2

2

0

9

11

Lions

4

2

2

0

9

12

Dragons RFC

4

1

2

1

9

13

Ulster

4

0

2

2

9

14

Scarlets

4

1

3

0

8

15

Benetton

4

0

3

1

6

16

Zebre

4

0

4

0

2

“In fairness to Munster, they have got a lot of top class poachers.

“Tadhg Beirne was all over it there, so we needed a bit of a reality check at half-time to make sure we got rid of him.

“I think in the second half we played in the right areas of the pitch, we used the wind and we took our chances.

“It was a good turnaround at half-time.

“That’s a massive win for us. We’re happy with that performance.”

Reflecting on his outing at No 8, where he spent the full 80 minutes, Sheehan said: “It was a bit nerve-racking on the first re-start receive, but I was happy to be there.

“You feel like you get involved a lot more. I enjoyed every minute of it.”

The Player of the Match award went to Ireland scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park who hit the ground running on his first outing of the season.

“I am very happy to be back. It was awesome to be back here in front of our home fans,” he said.

“We didn’t start very well. Munster were the better team in the first half. I thought they were very good defensively and caused us a few issues.

“But we were able to turn it around in the second half and get the result, so we are happy with that.”

Munster coach Clayton McMillan commented: “We are disappointed to lose. We didn’t come here to lose.

“For a good portion of the game, we put ourselves in a position where we could win.

“But we conceded ten penalties in the first 20 minutes of the second half and against a quality team like that they are eventually going to make you pay and that’s what happened. There are some good lessons for us there.

“Look, at the end of the day, we pushed an international quality side right to the wire, so there are things to be happy about.

“But our aspirations lie a little bit higher than just being gallant losers.”