CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW
All your fixtures and dates for the last 16
STUART LANCASTER is quick to draw on a painful memory from four years ago as a cautionary tale for Leinster. Lancaster only joined the province last year but Leinster’s back to back December 2013 meeting with Northampton Saints has remained with him. And it’s something he’s using to remind his players the job is only half done against Exeter. Inspired in attack by Brian O’driscoll, Leinster romped to a 40-7 victory at Franklin’s Gardens – only to be undone 18-9 at the Aviva Stadium. After an impressive 18-8 win at Sandy Park on Sunday against the Premiership champions, Lancaster puts a lot of currency on the hurt and disappointment Exeter will bring to the Aviva this week.
“Oh yeah, 100%,” said the senior coach.
“There’s a huge value on these games in that regard because your motivation... your desire to improve your performance on the back of a loss, it gives you huge motivation as a team.
“And equally our motivation to improve on our performance in front our home crowd at the Aviva should be equally as strong.
“I draw back to the Northampton game in 2013, an unbelievable Leinster performance away from home and they lost in the Aviva and suddenly they were back in the mix.
“Looking back on it, Leinster got out of the pool but that one result probably gave them the away game against Toulon (a quarter-final defeat).
“And even our draw against Castres last year away from home, it effectively meant we ended up being away to Clermont in the semi-final.
“So every point counts and we need to be ready for what I know Exeter will bring because I know the team and the coaches well.”
Leinster shook off two disallowed tries in the first-half to clinch an important victory, the vital moment coming after 44 phases with Jack Conan’s touchdown.
For Lancaster, and for head coach Leo Cullen and forwards coach John Fogarty, it was a moment to enjoy as it was the consequence of a lot of work on the training pitch.
Lancaster and co had recognised the
Blues weren’t ruthless enough in opposition 22s last year and Sunday’s multi-phase score was a good response.
“You’ve got to narrow their defence somehow and the way to do it was to play tight around the fringes, which is what we did,” explained the ex-england supremo, who was speaking at last night’s Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Cup draw.
“You’ve got to ask the All Blacks. In the first Test against the Lions, how did they beat the Lions’ line speed?
“They attacked around the first five defenders each side or the ruck consistently and they won the game.
“They’re not a bad role model to follow. Sometimes you play what’s in front of you to win. I think we played well.”
Rhys Ruddock is out with a hamstring injury “for a while,” according to Lancaster, but the province are hopeful Johnny Sexton will be fit despite a calf problem.