Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CULLEN’S OK WITH THE HEAT
HEAT IS ON
LEO CULLEN has no fears of his Leinster side fading in the Marseille heat today.
The temperature is forecast to hit 29C in the Stade Velodrome when the Blues kick-off against Ronan O’gara’s La Rochelle.
But Cullen, who has named an unchanged side from the one that beat Toulouse in the semi-final, said: “It’s not too bad out there. If anything at 5.45pm (local kick-off time), the pitch is in the shade.
“When we turned up earlier on it was overcast. When the sun is there, it feels a lot warmer for sure. Conditions will be great, a massive occasion, two great teams going at it, I don’t see it as a major issue. It’s warm but on Thursday when we left it was lashing rain. I’d much rather a bit more warmth in the air. It should add to the occasion.”
Johnny Sexton declared that winning the tournament for a fifth time would be “the pinnacle” for the province, and confessed that lifting the trophy as captain would “maybe” mean a little more to him than the previous four final victories.
But he cautioned: “I also answered these questions in Newcastle before Saracens as well (in the 2019 final lost by Leinster). It would be very special. But it’s not something I thought too much about.”
O’gara is boosted by the return of Will Skelton (inset) to his second row but has lost Victor Vito to injury.
Cullen, meanwhile, is still not sure if La Rochelle scrum-half Tawera Kerr-barlow is really out of the contest with a broken hand, with young No.9 Thomas Berjon named in the side ahead of the Kiwi star.
He said: “If he’s not there
I’m sure he will be a loss but, again, we’ll see what team runs out.”