Leinster 35 Sharks 5
Leinster’s remorseless pursuit of another double remains on track, not least because the memory of reaching the same point last season and coming up empty-handed is so vivid.
While the scoreline may have slightly flattered Leinster, as Leo Cullen admitted afterwards, it’s funny how often this seems to happen. A week on from their best performance of the season to date, reaching the same pitch of emotion and intensity was never a given, especially with nine changes to the starting line-up, and they did not come close to the same level of accuracy they had shown against Toulouse.
Yet the reshuffling probably adds to the emotion and intensity, while it never seems to unduly affect the well-oiled blue machine, thanks to their unrivalled strength in-depth and detailed coaching.
Leinster suffered all manner of difficulties at scrum time, where the mammoth Sharks’ starting front-row and replacement tight head Carlu Sadie gave the home front-row a serious workout until being replaced.
Yet it scarcely mattered, such was the quality of their lineout and their starter plays, and the accuracy with which the first two men applied their shoulders at the breakdown. With those foundations, their shape, cohesion and superior skills made them look a better coached side than an injury-bedevilled and travel-weary Sharks.
Caelan Doris, back at his favoured number 8 post to begin with, brought his full ball-carrying game to bear, although he also worked in harmony with Jack Conan after the latter replaced Scott Penny in the first half following Penny’s departure for an HIA.
Even the backup midfield pairing of Charlie Ngatai and Ciarán Frawley had a productive balance to it, but underpinning all of this was the pain of last season, not just losing to La Rochelle (who had a big win away to Toulon on Saturday night) but also having their season ended at home by the Bulls in the semi-final in this competition.
That stung badly too.
“The end of last season was like a sick feeling and when you go through these sequence of games you have to be prepared to give your all on the day,” Cullen said afterwards. “But the real challenge is then trying to do it again.
“So you’ve seen the Sharks, they’ve been through Europe this year, that sequence, and they gave the Leinster frontrow a serious workout, despite the travel that they’ve had to go through. They’ve a ton of injuries at the moment, just talking to their coaches. Some of the Springbok guys have been well documented but they have other key players for them that have been missing as well.
“Again, just that management of a group fighting on two fronts, it’s so bloody important now. The dynamic at the end of the season it’s incredible really. But that’s the challenge on both fronts. Munster are solely focused on one competition.”
Leinster also know how to go for the jugular, three tries during the Sharks’ two yellow cards meaning they’ve scored 49 unanswered points over the last two weekends in 38 minutes against 14 men. Although, as Cullen also reminded us, it was 7-0 to Leinster in the 10 minutes for which Doris was sinbinned in the win over Leicester.
Cullen expressed genuine sympathy for the Sharks, for whom this was a fifth trip to Europe for eight matches this season, what with additional knockout away games in both competitions. “It’s not always business class as well,” noted their head coach Neil Powell wryly.
“We would love to get that playing ground more even, but we knew that coming into the competition. We’ve just got to make it work. I think that’s what South Africans are known for.”
Powell noted they’ve learned the lesson the hard way, namely the importance of earning home knock-out ties.
“Leinster are a quality side and any mistakes you make they punish you for it,” he added, noting how Leinster force the opposition to concede yellow cards.
Only their razor-sharp, rapidly quick winger-turned-scrum-half Grant Williams, who had been understudy to Jaden Hendikse until his injury in the Champions Cup win over Munster, continuously threatened Leinster.
He scored the opening try untouched from 40 metres, and appeared to have set up a consolation score late on for Rohan Janse van Rensburg, but it was ruled out for an illegal and dangerous clear-out by Henry Venter, who, as a result, became their second played shown a yellow card in the game.
With such acts coming on top of a lengthy injury list that features Siya Kolisi among others, it’s no wonder they’ve wilted in games lately.
Nor is their season over, for the Sharks now revert their attention to the Currie Cup, albeit without their Springboks, for what is effectively their off-season.
Yet Powell agrees with the uniform feeling in the provinces that the introduction of the South African franchises to both the URC and the European competitions – the Sharks’ defeat here means that they will compete in the Challenge Cup next season – is good for them too.
“It’s a different style we’re facing every weekend. Even getting into the Heineken Cup and playing some of the French teams is really good. You don’t just face the same brand or style of play, and paying in different conditions as well, which wouldn’t always happen in New Zealand or Australia.
“I do think it’s great for South African rugby but we’ll probably only get the real answer after the World Cup this year to see whether it has been good for South African rugby, but playing all the different teams and styles, I think we’re definitely better for it.”
Scoring sequence: 7 mins Williams try 0-5; 14 mins Doris try, H Byrne con 7-5; 21 Milne try, H Byrne con 14-5; 24 mins Larmour try, H Byrne con 21-5; (half-time 21-5); 51 mins Deegan try, H Byrne con 28-5; 75 mins Gibson-Park try, R Byrne con 35-5.
Leinster: Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour, Ciarán Frawley, Charlie Ngatai, Dave Kearney, Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath (CAPT), Michael Milne, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Ryan Baird, Jason Jenkins, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris. Replacements: Jack Conan for Penny (37 mins), Cian Healy for Furlong (half-time), Liam Turner for Larmour (55 mins), Andrew Porter for Milne, Ross Byrne for Ngatai (both 58 mins), John McKee for Sheehan (59 mins), Joe McCarthy for Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park for McGrath (both 69 mins), Milne for Healy (79 mins).
Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Marnus Potgieter, Lukhanyo Am (CAPT), Ben Tapuai, Makazole Mapimpi, Boeta Chamberlain, Grant Williams; Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit, Corne Rahl, Gerbrandt Grobler, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Sikhumbuzo Notshe. Replacements: Carlu Sadie for du Toit (26 mins), Rohan Janse van Rensburg for Tapuai (57 mins), Nevaldo Fleurs for Chamberflain, Phepsi Buthelezi for Notshe (both 58 mins), Fez Mbatha for Mbonambi, Ntuthuko Mchunu for Nche (both 60 mins), Jeandre Labuschagne for Grobler (69 mins), Cameron Wright for Potgieter (73 mins). Sinbinned: Mapimpi (15-25 mins), Venter (72 mins).
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU, 46th league game)
