What really went wrong with Leinster? by Frank Quinn

Leinster 34 Northampton 37 Semi Final Investec Cup at Aviva Stadium.
Northampton beat almost the full Irish team (Leinster) to qualify for the final in Cardiff on 24th May. Outsider Snyman started and Barrett / Slimani slipped in later from the replacements bench but Northampton still won. It was controversial in the very closing stages Northampton had a three point lead as Ireland decided to run the penalty ball with an option of going for the goal kick points to level the game or alternatively run the ball and hold on to it to get a winning try. It was all very exciting and entertaining
In the end the attempted ploy did not work and both opportunities failed and Leinster lost, after the ball was booted into touch and the final blast on the whistle sounded. It was a very empty feeling for the Leinster supporters to be let down again. In the published Player rankings only two or three Leinster players made it above a fifty per cent rating in the Sunday papers. They turned down opportunities to put points on the board – and all the supporters know this is shallow thinking and every other team takes the points – why should Leinster be different
Who are Northampton, – they are 7th in the Premiership, winning half of their games but were in the semi finals. and they showed us they deserved it and they had talent at the Aviva Stadium by running in scores and they beat the Irish international team. They enjoyed the lead from the start and the massive celebrations at the finish – in beating Leinster.
Comparisons were made in the previous week about what the Leinster squad was worth compared to Northampton and it turns out that the estimate of earnings for Tadhg Furlong alone is about €650,000 per annum and Alex Mitchell – the Northampton and England scrum half is on half of this, In addition Furlong only played for just about 50 minutes of the game – planned or otherwise I don’t know . Hardly value for money or in commitment in the most important game of the year, – The Investec Cup.
We must have run out of coincidences by now after losing three finals and the last win in the cup was in 2018. There is no leadership on the park where the action is and even less leadership in the coaches box when they cannot see what is going down in front of them. The team selection is for the coaching team with the replacements. The tactical use of replacements is the option of the Coaches, the taking up of points from penalties is a pre determined strategy. In most games / Clubs we have seen – the kicker grabs the ball and gets on with it – there is no committee meeting needed on the pitch to taking the points and get on with the game. It is an international strategy except when it comes to Leinster.
So why do Leinster do this to us in the big games each year – semi Finals and Finals. The whole team falls asunder with all the individual players in the match squad getting low player ratings. How can this happen for so many years in view of the amount of coaching which goes into every game. We hear of all the video replays and the detailed analysis of every move and we have coaches for every play in the book. Yet mistakes are made , errors occur, scrums are lost – line outs are lost, and then where is the real will to win – The want to win – The must win attitude – Where is it ?, It’s needed in every game and in every sport
The T V watchers and the attendance are entitled to their individual opinions and must just wonder what is going on with a team who can win all those games (up to +20 ) up to the Big event and then lose. If you think of the displays against Glasgow and Harlequins a month ago with a bucketful of points and they will inevitable think of the match squad selections. What or who is making the difference in this Jeckyl and Hyde squad.
The Leinster Head coach made the point after the Investec semi final loss, about putting it behind them, getting on with the next game in the URC, are we absorbed ? by this – a familiar Friday night fixture home or away – a win – a fistful of points and tries and top of the table position with a number One ranking in a five country competition of Ireland, Italy, Wales, Scotland and South Africa. This is while two teams from the 6N winners and runners up – France and England prepare for the Investec Cup final . (Bordeaux V Northampton). on the 24th May in Cardiff
We can relish the final rounds of the URC and the knock out stages with Leinster in pole position at number One, followed by Munster at 9, Ulster at 12 and Connacht at 14 and all yet to qualify – at our leisure during May.
URC and Lions – extra
In the meantime the Lions Tour will keep us engaged while they announce with a fanfare – the squad of players to go on tour with the Irish Coaching staff under Andy Farrell, and we are promised a money game at the Aviva, before they leave for Australia.
One more Irish addition to the staff is David O’Siochain former PRO for the IRFU and the irish team, A welcome addition from the Irish journalists experience with him. No doubt from the recent results of the Irish Clubs in the Investic Cup and the URC.
There will be plenty of changes and surprises to Farrell’s list before the announcement. Irish players should be in for a few surprises. It will be slow to get started for Irish Fans after the recent Irish Club results.
Down in Australia, Les Kiss has been announced as the next Australian coach when Schmidt moves on. Joe has agreed an extra years contract into 2026 while Kiss settles in. Kiss is currently with an Australian franchise and they worked together here when Schmidt was Irish Head Coach with Kiss as his assistant. Its a bit of a merry go round these days with coaches and transfer time with the players. But it will settle and the dust will clear in time for the new season. In the meantime Schmidt is trying to assemble a squad in the middle of the playing season – for super rugby Clubs and merge them into a cohesive team squad. A daunting objective considering where they are coming from after the RWC failure, and the home side hosting the Lions. The Australian finances are dependent on a very successful tour and good entertainment for the fans.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login