Leinster steadying the ship but Leo Cullen still faces big challenges

It sounds simple enough. Leinster grind down their poorer relations and move up the Pro 12 table. For all their European woes, the deep fears for the future of the game on this island, they are just one point shy of league leaders the Scarlets after 10 matches.

Leinster have lost just twice in the Pro 12 and in direct contrast to Munster, who are up in Belfast this evening, they have six league wins in a row. Never mind the four defeats in Europe for now.

Next comes the same major challenge Leo Cullen faced when he took the reins this summer when over 20 internationals were in Carton House.

A familiar problem comes within a month. Last season Matt O’Connor’s innings as Leinster coach were mortally wounded by results during the Six Nations. With Cullen’s regenerating squad finally recovered from the heavy impact of the World Cup and focusing on salvaging the campaign by winning their domestic competition after a meek exit from the Champions Cup, the same problem O’Connor faced – the success of Leinster being rewarded by mass Ireland call-ups – is about to become Cullen’s most challenging obstacle.

In contention

Josh van der Flier and

Garry Ringrose

must now be in contention for first Ireland caps.

They have both been outstanding and such performances for Leinster only lead one way with Ireland.

“Time will tell,” Cullen calmly responded to this predicament. “It’s unusual that we have used 51 players already whereas the record we have ever had is 52 over the course of an entire season. That’s unusual as it’s only January 1st so it’s very early to use that many bodies.

“It is good that we went through that World Cup period without so many players. There are long term benefits but will it help, like, I don’t know. It’s hard to say yet.”

There can be no more challenging conditions in which to play any field sport.

Hammering rain amidst an unpredictable wind, Johnny Sexton eventually took the three points on offer after the Connacht defence spent 13 minutes halting the Leinster maul.

Looked uncomfortable

Sexton looked uncomfortable after shipping a few knocks in contact. He is not his usual self yet and after 71 minutes, with victory all but secured,

Ian Madigan

arrived.

The man bound for Bordeaux-Begles wasted no time making his usual impact, clearing the Leinster lines after more impressive play from van der Flier, before landing the insurance penalty to secure a 13-0 victory.

“Johnny just got a bang on his knee,” said Cullen. “I don’t think it was anything major.”

Pat Lam was unhappy with the van der Flier try but not on the scale we have previously seen him at post-match gatherings when Connacht have lost in tough-to-take circumstances.

“Leinster made 11 changes and still had 11 internationals in there who know how to play in these sort of conditions,” said Lam.

The try was not to his taste mainly because referee George Clancy, who did have a decent game, slipped so seemed to struggle to see the ball being grounded.

Clancy asked if there was any reason why he cannot award the try.

“What that is saying is he clearly saw the grounding. And if you go back and look at the video he is sliding along the ground. The protocol is if you see something you are just going back to see if there was anything beforehand.

“Our players were frustrated because they feel Vand Der Flier was short and they had hands under the ball.

“But that’s what we have to live with . . . that’s game done there.”

Any word on Robbie Henshaw’s supposed move from Connacht to Leinster?

“No, not yet,” said Lam.

Not much more to add. No night to be outdoors really and while the year starts under a dark downpour the season is looking brighter for Leinster than it has been for a while.

A hangover

“In the recent European games, against Toulon, we put everything in to them and we are gutted we didn’t get anything out of them,” Cullen added.

"There is still a hangover from that first game away. Cian Healy has got done for two weeks. It's just really disappointing. I thought at the time the yellow card was costly. The home game, we give away a penalty try. I still don't think it was a penalty try.

“We have to live with those things and move on.”

They are doing just that.

Moving on.