Leinster hope the United Rugby Championship (URC) final on Saturday in Croke Park will be a positive send-off for All Black Jordie Barrett, who returns to New Zealand, and Ross Byrne, who leaves for Premiership side Gloucester after five seasons.
Barrett starts at inside centre beside a recharged and healthy Garry Ringrose with Byrne poised to make an appearance from the bench.
“Ross has been unbelievable, he’s been involved in some great days for Leinster,” said Leinster coach Leo Cullen. “Hopefully he will play a part, he’s been a key member of the group.”
Josh van der Flier also makes a timely return to openside flanker and along with Ringrose adds to the collective experience of the group as they face South Africa’s Bulls.
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Cullen also spoke highly about having the playing ability and influence of Barrett around the Leinster camp.
“Listen, we’re very lucky to have Jordie,” said Cullen. “He has added in lots of different ways to the group because at the end of the day we’re a tiny country in terms of playing population, and we’re up against a juggernaut team who we would have watched play Super Rugby and dismantle teams over the years, so we know we’re in for a serious bloody challenge.
“When we get the opportunity to bring in a player, it’s fantastic to be able to do that.”
With Sam Prendergast again partnering Jamison Gibson-Park, Cullen has stuck with players who brought the team to this point.
Captain Jack Conan and Ryan Baird, who probably had his best game of the season against Glasgow in the semi-final, make up the backrow.
[ Bulls will look to use raw power to take down Leinster in URC finalOpens in new window ]
In a broad conversation, Cullen was drawn on whether the players Leinster brought in such as All Black Barrett, Springbok World Cup winner RG Snyman and French prop Rabah Slimani have added to the group, and whether they were worth the wrangling.
The issue arose that if Leinster do not win on Saturday and again end the season with no trophy can they be deemed failures, and can the bringing in of big name players be legitimately questioned?
“What’s deemed as success or failure off the back of this?” asked Cullen rhetorically.
“So, there are two good teams going at it. If you lose in a final are you classified as a failure? They are classified as losers because they have lost, but are they failures?”
More than their performances, Cullen explained the non-Irish players were also influencers and standard drivers within the squad,
“We know we’ve a serious challenge on our hands and it’s been great to add a few of these guys into the mix because we want them to really add to the group, over the course of a career for academy players,” said Cullen.
“You mention Hugh Cooney and Charlie Tector, Jordie has played with both of those guys at different stages, over the course of the season.
“But you’d have to ask those guys what did they really learn? It’s the day-to-day habits. Look, they’re here in the first place because I strongly believe they do add. But maybe that’s just justifying the position we’re in.”
Those talking points may naturally iron themselves out on the day. What is occupying Cullen’s mind is what the conditions will be like at Croke Park on Saturday, after an afternoon session on Thursday at Jones’s Road when the rain didn’t stop falling.
That will determine how Leinster set up and whether they play their game or adjust for the Bull’s strengths.
Leinster scored more tries than anyone across the season, while the Bulls have won more scrum penalties on their own feed than anyone. Leinster have the best gainline success, while the Bulls have averaged more metres per carry than any other team.
“The conditions are very front and centre of my mind because it’s been lashing rain here all morning,” Cullen said.
“So, look I don’t think the weather is meant to be as bad on Saturday so yes, we will try and play with a positive mentality. I think you saw the group last week against Glasgow. There was a mix. There was a positive effort to play and then okay there is a heavy downpour at half time so then you’ve got that.
“There is a certain amount of feel and understanding of the conditions on the day.”
And perhaps the key to failure or success.
Leinster: J O’Brien; T O’Brien, G Ringrose, J Barrett, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Clarkson, J McCarthy, J Ryan, R Baird, J van der Flier, J Conan (Capt). Replacements: R Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Slimani, RG Snyman, M Deegan, L McGrath, R Ross Byrne, J Osborne.
Bulls: W le Roux; C Moodie, D Kriel, H Vorster, S de Klerk; J Goosen, E Papier, J-hendrik Wessels, J Grobbelaar, W Louw, C Wiese, JF van Heerden, M van Staden, R Nortje (CAPT), M Coetzee.
Replacements: A van der Merwe, A Tshakweni, M Smith, J Kirsten, N Carr, Z Burger, K Johannes, D Williams.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR).
