Schmidt hails ‘super’ Saints

WITH everyone short of Queen Elizabeth tipping Leinster to claim a second Heineken Cuptitle tomorrow, it was interesting to note just how much attention was paid to Northampton at the Irish province’s press briefing yesterday.

It wasn’t as if Joe Schmidt and Leo Cullen were bombarded with questions about the Saints. All it took was a pair of polite and perfunctory enquiries regarding the English side to elicit a stream of gushing praise from the Leinster coach.

Talking up an opponent is not exactly a break from sporting traditions but Schmidt’s marathon 400-word response to one general query included a glowing player-by-player appraisal and an equally positive thumbs-up for the coaching ticket at Franklin’s Gardens.