YOUNG GUNS GO FOR KELL

Ronan: The time is right to shoot for our place in Blues history

MORE than half of the Leinster matchday squad which played in Leicester have yet to win the Champions Cup.

Rónan Kelleher stresses there is a hunger among the Blues’ young guns to change that statistic.

Only five of Leinster’s starting lineup at Welford Road last Saturday also started in the province’s last triumph in the European final four years ago.

Eight players who started against the Tigers played a part in the Bilbao triumph over Racing in 2018 – while three men in blue who came on against Leicester were also involved in Leinster’s fourth final victory in the tournament.

For the likes of Kelleher, Hugo Keenan, Ross Byrne, Jimmy O’brien, Dan Sheehan and Caelan Doris, and even for older players such as James Lowe and Ross Molony, there is a desire to reach the level achieved by their more experienced team-mates.

Kelleher summed up the feeling in the Leinster dressing-room ahead of tomorrow’s semi-final clash with reigning champions Toulouse.

“Growing up, looking at the teams from ‘09, ‘11, 2012, and only being in the academy when they won in Bilbao, that’s obviously a massive driver for me and a driver for a lot of the other younger lads in the squad who know we haven’t reached the mountain top,” said the hooker.

“We haven’t done that yet, so it’s just about making sure we’re putting our best foot forward.

“Obviously we can rely on all the older heads that have been there and done it before like Johnny (Sexton) and Church (Cian Healy) and all the boys.

“We’re relying on them to share those experiences and what it takes to win those big games.

“We need them driving us and driving those messages and those experiences of having been there.

“Everyone is trying to get back to that. And everyone wants to know what it takes to win at the highest level.”

Kelleher come off the bench in the 2020 quarter-final loss to Saracens and started in last year’s semi-final defeat at La Rochelle.

So Leinster have come close in his time without getting over the line. However, the 24-year-old believes Leo Cullen’s side are a different proposition this year.

“I feel like we’ve gone to another level, really, in terms of our attacking system,” stated Kelleher.

“A lot of it is now player-led, it is being driven from inside the group.

“They’re obviously a quality side, They’ve won all five of their last five games in Ireland.”

He added: “For us it’s just about making sure we’re nailed on with our detail and ready to go on Saturday.”