No French follies for Hines
“The last time I played there, we won,” he said, referring to an 18-15 victory last January. “It was quite narrow, Dan Carter helped us out but Andy Goode had a kick to win and missed it.
“I played there the year before as well. I think we won that one and then the year before, we just lost. It’s always tough to go there. If you do win, it’s not by much.”
For all his experience there, Hines doesn’t believe it will count for much. Every player knows the fundamentals of playing in France. Stand up to the physical challenge early and be prepared for a bollocking from the stands.
“If we’re onside, they’re going to call for offside; if we knock a ball back, they’re going to call for a knock-on. As long as everyone’s prepared for that, and I think everyone is, then we’ll be fine.”
As he knows only too well, French teams are fiercely protective of their home records. Brive’s is a 15,000-capacity stadium with two imposing grandstands and it can generate quite an atmosphere.
That said, there were suggestions the French outfit would be more concerned with domestic duties and they started off last week with a 12-point defeat away to the Scarlets.
But the scoreline disguises the fact that there were just five points separating the sides until a 78th minute converted try and Hines believes Brive will be fully stoked on Saturday.
“They went pretty well against Llanelli. If they were going to give a game away it would have been the first game away, so I’m pretty sure they’ll be targeting this game, as we are, to win.”
Similar accusations have been levelled at a number of French sides down through the tournament’s 15-year history but, again, Hines is well qualified to run the rule over that theory.
“When I played with Perpignan there was never any suggestion that we weren’t focusing on the game ahead. I don’t think there’s an attitude where (French teams) say that the Heineken Cup is less important than the Top 14. Maybe it’s a bit of an out to say ‘we lost again but we’re not too bothered about it’.”
Leinster alone can point to a 92-point haul against Bourgoin at Lansdowne Road back in the 2005/06 season as evidence of a sometimes less than 100% commitment, however.
Whatever Brive’s approach, they are hardly a traditional French side. Nine nationalities were represented in the side which tackled the Scarlets and Englishmen provide the core of that foreign legion.
Hines has a very simple answer when asked why the French clubs are opening their doors so often.
“To try and win I’d say. Toulon had a bit of a problem with it last year. All the players were bigger than the club and the club sort of lost its identity. As long as Brive can keep its identity with the players moulding into the club instead of the other way around, then that’s okay.
“It’s just about trying to win support from the locals. If they’re behind the club then everything should be okay.”
Another defeat would almost certainly put paid to Brive’s ambitions of qualifying from pool six and the same applies to Leinster after last Friday’s loss to London Irish at the RDS.
Leinster have recovered from an opening home defeat before, in Michael Cheika’s first year as coach. Then too, they made up for a three-point home loss to English opposition – Bath on that occasion – to make the knockout stages.
Nevertheless, it is an unenviable position for the reigning champions just two weeks into the new campaign. Predictably, the players are dismissive of the suggestion pressure is mounting.
“No, it hasn’t really changed anything,” said Hines. “We’ve just got to go and win the game. Forget about Munster, forget about London Irish and just try and get the win.
“That’s all we’re worried about. If you start worrying about all the points you need then you’ve half-beaten yourself already so just go to Brive with a mindset to win.”
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