Cullen predicts bright future for O’Sullivan at Biarritz

Leinster skipper Leo Cullen yesterday expressed surprise it has taken so long for Eddie O’Sullivan to find a top coaching job following his departure from Ireland in 2008 and his tenure with USA three years ago.

With O’Sullivan bound for Biarritz, Cullen suggested the side from France’s south-west had made an inspired choice to carry them forward after their recent demotion from the Top 14.

“I only heard the news this morning, Eddie is a very, very, good coach and I’m incredibly surprised he hasn’t been picked up by a team earlier than this, although obviously he had that (recent) stint with Garryowen,” said Cullen.

“Eddie is a very organised guy and he’ll get a very good set-up around him. I don’t know what his French is like. They’re a very big club so you’d have to find out what resources they’ll have, which players will stay on and all that. I know Pro D2 is very competitive so it depends on the resources and players he can gather around him.

“I worked with Eddie first when I was in school at U13 days in Willow Park, then senior rugby, Ireland U21s and the senior team, so I know how organised he is and in many ways he will be a loss to the game here, to the professional set-up. Ultimately, he’s too good a coach not to be involved in the game.”

O’Sullivan had, in recent weeks, been linked to a return to Munster as backs coach and also was apparently in the mix for jobs in Gloucester and Cardiff Blues.

But while endorsing O’Sullivan’s appointment in France, Cullen has more to think about this weekend as his Leinster team go head to head with Ulster in a RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final.

The mindset, says Cullen, has to be very different from that experienced at the RDS last week, when Leinster struggled to overcome Edinburgh in the last of the normal league games.

Cullen said: “There is always the fear players might treat it as just another game, but, if you really think about it, this season really hangs on this one.”