Practice far from perfect as Leinster seek training facilities

LEINSTER urgently need to find suitable training grounds in the short build-up to the hugely important Magners League clash with Ulster at Ravenhill on Monday (4pm).

Planned sessions for Belfield (UCD) early this week were cancelled because several squad members were unable to get to the venue and now, as extreme weather conditions hit virtually every corner of the capital, the search is on to find an alternative for sessions today and tomorrow.

Coach Joe Schmidt may be delighted with Leinster’s progress in Europe, but he’s anxious to see his side charge up the Celtic table as well, and knows victory over Ulster is key to that.

Ulster, in fifth, have two points and a game in hand over sixth-placed Leinster and last year’s finalists recognise they won’t get much change from their visit to Belfast.

On top of training difficulties, Schmidt also has to factor in that certain players must be rested as part of the IRFU Player Welfare Programme.

Additionally, a question mark remains over the availability of Eoin O’Malley (rib) who missed the 24-8 victory over Clermont Auvergne at the weekend and his progress will be monitored over the coming days.

Schmidt firmly believes his side will have to produce courage and accuracy to win in Belfast: “If I’m brutally honest, we know that we let ourselves down a bit in the last half hour at the weekend (against Clermont). We weren’t as accurate as we’d been in the first 50 or so minutes and our intensity dropped, allowing them back into the game.”

“With the weather turning again this week, this has meant that our on-field preparations have been affected somewhat, but we’ll work hard irrespective.

“There will be changes because a number of international players are missing, so that will present an opportunity for others and we’ll have to be right on the money against Ulster because they are a very good side brimming with confidence.

“I was interested to read Brian McLaughlin’s comments after their win over Bath last weekend when he said that he didn’t think they played that well. That’s a warning to us, and if they play better again they will definitely be a real handful.

“They have quality all over the park and the nature of these interprovincial derbies is special, because there’s competition for places in the Irish squad as well as having important league points up for grabs and provincial pride to play for. They have recruited smartly and you can see that they’re gelling from week to week.

“Tom Court has done really well and obviously has the confidence of the national coaching panel, and even though Rory Best may be missing, they have two good young hookers who have impressed me.

“BJ Botha is a quality performer, as is Johann Muller and I’m well aware of his qualities and those of Ruan Pienaar from their time with the Sharks when I was coaching in Auckland.

“Ian Humphreys has kicked really well and with Paddy Wallace’s deft touches and quick feet combining with Darren Cave in the midfield, we’ll have to be sound defensively.

“We want to start the New Year in as positive a fashion as possible and it kick-starts an important period because Connacht (five days later) will travel to the RDS with confidence based on the (results of) last few years.

“But, for us, it’s about Ulster this week. They’re a quality side and they’re coming into the game on a high; it will be a really tough contest.”