Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
We were seen as a little team ..not any more
down. We were seen as the little team all week. In terms of families’ accommodation and the post match gigs, we’re over in Lansdowne
(rugby club), we can’t even get a room in here.
“We’re seen as a little team, but that’s about to change.”
However O’Gara was delighted with the nature of his side’s comeback from
17-0 down after only 12 minutes, after Leinster came out of the blocks in devastating fashion.
“Yeah, it was incredibly good because we were on the ropes obviously and being steamrolled by an incredible team,” said former Munster star.
“Leinster were possessed in that time.”
Meanwhile, Leinster boss Leo Cullen (below) insists Leinster can return to Europe’s summit despite their latest hammer blow Champions Cup final defeat but he admitted: “La Rochelle had our number”.
The Blues supremo has to pick his squad up after the summer break as, for the second year running, a season that promised so much has ended without a trophy.
Yesterday’s defeat means that Leinster have now lost three
Champions Cup finals in the last five seasons.
“It’s just maintaining the belief and get back to this stage. It’s so close, like,” said Cullen.
“We have a group of players who come through the academy for the most part.
“It’s understanding what it like on the biggest stage, coming up against these big teams, learning is painful but that’s why we all do the work during the year.
“Stay motivated and stay hungry and we’ll get there some day.”
Meanwhile, an EPCR statement last night revealed that they are looking into a half-time incident.
“EPCR is aware of reports of an incident at half-time during the Heineken Champions Cup final at the Aviva Stadium and the tournament organiser will be investigating this as soon as practicable. We have no further comment at this time.”