WE’LL GLADLY TAKE
Cullen says Blues always want to test themselves against the best
LEINSTER demolished Leicester at the weekend, ransacking them at their own home to advance to the Heineken Cup semi-final.
The reward for Saturday’s win is stellar; an Aviva matchup with Toulouse.
Leinster, with four wins, trail the French giants by one in terms of European crowns.
Moreover, the Top 14 side supplied 10 players, including Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, to France’s 2022 Grand Slam winning squad.
“It is an unbelievably exciting challenge, Toulouse are a formidable Top 14 side, five times European champions who supplied a lot of players for France’s Grand Slam,” says Leinster boss Leo Cullen (inset).
“But that’s what our guys want, to be tested against the best. And this is probably it, isn’t it, in terms of where Toulouse have come from, they are a big club with big resources, history, titles, all things we have talked about.
“Remember, if we were having this conversation, what, seven, eight years ago it would be ‘do we have a chance against them at all!’.
“We have a chance here to show what we can do because we’ve tried to do everything we can in the last X amount of years to close the gap.”
In front the
19,066 at Welford
Road, the Blues lorded it, supreme in defence initially as they repelled a first furious Leicester opening before going on the attack, making the break 20-0 ahead.
They weathered an equally furious opening to the second half and, although they would concede two second-half tries, they were never in serious danger of losing out.
Josh van der Flier and Jimmy O’brien provided converted tries in the 17th and 21st minutes respectively, while Johnny Sexton bookended the first-half with penalties.
The Tigers didn’t appreciate being run over in their back yard.
Asked about having come a poor second to a classy Leinster team, skipper Ellis Genge retorted: “Look mate, I am not trying to be a pr**k here but I don’t want you saying that.
“We came out there and we fought as hard as we could. They have 13 internationals but don’t put us in that bracket of ‘we gave it a good crack’.
“We could have won that game. I think you know that as well. If anyone is going to say that to me, please don’t because it is going to wind me right up.
“Our boys fought all game so I am not going to come here for someone to say we’re plucky losers. I am not having a pop but I am just saying please don’t say that to me.”