WE'RE RIGHT AT HOME SAYS ELLIS
Confident Genge ready for Leinster
ELLIS GENGE listened to all the reasons Leinster are a European superpower then calmly declared: “Yeah, but they have to come to our backyard”.
Four Champions Cups, bookies’ favourites to make it five later this month and wins on their past seven visits to England by an average margin of 23 points.
They top the United Rugby Championship, which they have won every year since 2017, and supplied 11 of the Ireland team that enjoyed a record Twickenham win against England.
Standing between them and a place in the semi-finals are Leicester, who last reached the final in 2009 and the lasteight six years ago.
But this is not a home tie for Leinster, as has been the case in 11 of their 16 previous European quarter-finals – they must storm the Tigers’ lair.
“This is our gaff, it’s not theirs,” warned Leicester captain Genge. “I’m not going to let people build the manifestation of Leinster being the European giants that they are.
“This is the best stadium I have played in, in terms of atmosphere, hands down. Our fans are a 16th man or woman for us.” Tigers have won every game this season at Welford Road, all 16 of
them. But Genge concedes this is a step up.
“They say home advantage is worth a few points,” said the prop. “It depends where people’s heads are at, if you turn up or not.
“Sometimes people can get complacent being at home, or it can give someone playing away another leg up.”
Genge knows he has a key role to play in setting the tone for the game with his pre-match address. He knows also how challenging that could be given the one he is following.
Last weekend Tom Youngs delivered a highly emotional team talk just days after announcing his immediate retirement to support his seriously ill wife.
“I have just come off the back of probably one of the most emotional games I have ever been a part of, with Tommy talking to us in the changing room beforehand,” Genge admitted.
“It is a challenge for myself to build a sort of emotional energy for the boys this week.” In the only change from last time, lock Ollie Chessum returns from a ban. James Ryan, playing in his first match since being concussed on Ireland duty in the collision that led to the red card for England’s Charlie Ewels, is Leinster’s only change. ❑DEAN RICHARDS will step down as director of rugby at Newcastle Falcons at the end of this season, ending a 10-year stint at Kingston Park.
Richards will be succeeded by Dave Walder.