NOT A LOT TO RIVAL THIS
Cullen excited to face familiar foe in latest instalment of their Champions Cup saga
THIS rivalry is now very personal for Leo Cullen and his players after two Champions Cup final losses to La Rochelle.
Ronan O’gara returning to the bosom of his home city Cork with his back-to-back defending champions ahead of today’s quarter-final was well noted by Leinster’s head coach.
“There seems to be a bit of a Cork bandwagon,” said Cullen yesterday. “The mafia have jumped on the bandwagon along with La Rochelle.
“It’s great, isn’t it? That’s what sport needs and I’m glad that we’re a part of it.”
O’gara spoke this week of La Rochelle’s practical need to travel directly to Cork, via
Paris, after the last 16 victory over Stormers and how it allowed his players to have two full training sessions ahead of this fifth meeting with Leinster in four years.
He has also referenced the craic that the travelling party have had while on Leeside.
It has all fed into the notion that, by thinking outside the box, O’gara has come up with a masterplan to win in Dublin for the second year running.
You also wonder how much of the Rebel county love-in has needled Leinster. “We’re the only Irish team in the competition and you’d love it if all of Ireland got behind you,” Cullen said.
“That’s not the way it works as we know. But we’re the last man standing of the provinces. Bulls and ourselves are the last two teams from the URC involved so we’re representing that competition.
“The Top 14 teams are always going to be there because they’re playing in a league where they have billionaires involved.”
Clearly the edge is there and it should translate into another close game between Europe’s current big two. “We’ve this
LEINSTER REPS: R Kelleher, M Milne, M Ala’alatoa, R Molony, J Conan, L Mcgrath, C Frawley, J van der Flier.
LA ROCHELLE: Q Lespiaucq-brettes, A Kaddouri, J Sclavi, T Lavault, P Boudehent, Y Tanga, T Iribaren, I West. TV TIMES: Live on RTE2 &
TNT Sports 3 from 5pm rivalry because we’ve played in two finals,” said Cullen. “In previous years we weren’t even at the table. That’s the beauty of the tournament, it’s what makes it so special, some of the rivalries there.
“New teams come forward all the time – and why do they?”
Cullen says that money is the answer. Bags of it.
He added: “We’re delighted to be part of the rivalry because we’ve to fight to make sure we are there.
“That’s off the back of the supporters that turn up because they fund the team to an extent. We don’t have a billionaire backer.
“That’s the beauty of sport here. Our guys are trying to fight the fight for Irish provincial rugby at the top table but it’s tough work.
“Our guys are desperate to be successful which brings a certain pressure but it’s a positive pressure. It’s a great show to be part of.”