‘Ciaran fronted up really well, we are looking closely at him as a 12’
LEO CULLEN hailed the display of Ciaran Frawley against Ulster last night after the young back impressed at inside-centre.
Frawley, 22, is an out-half by trade but Leinster are looking to convert him into a playmaking midfielder this season and the Skerries man impressed against Ulster’s powerhouse centre Stuart McCloskey.
With a host of injuries in the outside backs, Leinster might be seeing a lot more of Frawley and head coach Cullen was delighted with his contribution in last night’s highly-impressive 28-10 victory in Dublin.
‘There was a great little kick at the start which obviously leads to the first try but I thought he was good and physical as well,’ said Cullen. ‘Stuart McCloskey is one of the biggest backs out there in the game.
He is a big, big man so I thought, overall, we dealt with him well.
‘He’s going to get the odd moment in the game for sure but I thought Ciaran fronted up well.
‘He’s got that second pair of hands as well, which you’re seeing more and more in the game and how important that is.
‘It takes a fair bit of pressure off of whoever is playing at 10. He’s a good kicking threat as well. It’s pleasing. We’ve looked at Ciaran quite a bit at 12 over the course of pre season.
‘He got a great poach over the ball as well. I thought he fronted up really well.’
Already assured of a home semi final, Cullen made 15 changes to his side, but Leinster’s supposed second-strong made light work of their provincial rivals with Ed Byrne, Scott Penny and Harry
Byrne all crossing for tries. It was Leinster’s 23rd consecutive win, in all competitions, as they now look forward to Friday night’s meeting with either Munster or the Scarlets in Dublin.
‘I thought that was a nice dogged performance,’ Cullen added.
‘Guys putting in good shifts physically and fronting up, particularly with some of the ball carriers that Ulster have, with (Marcel) Coetzee in the forwards and (Stuart) McCloskey in the back. They are a handful so you’ve got to be able to deal with them so that was pleasing.’
Meanwhile, Dan McFarland is hopeful that Ulster will have Jacob Stockdale and Jordi Murphy available for next weekend’s Pro14 semi-final encounter with
Edinburgh after the pair both left the action with knocks at the Aviva last night.