Leo Cullen cautions Leinster are still ‘a mile off’

Leinster 22 Ulster 7: Hardly a chastening festive period for Leinster. but a haul of just four points from their two Guinness Pro12 derbies has served to portray their progress in a more realistic light than the afterglow of two facile victories over Northampton Saints.

The St Stephen’s Day defeat to Munster in Limerick with a weakened hand demonstrated clearly that the reserves so lauded in Dublin still have a way to go.

Cullen understandably opted for a much stronger selection two days ago for the visit of an Ulster side shorn of key players, but the failure to claim a bonus point despite a 22-0 lead built on the back of three tries inside 43 minutes again exposed a work in progress.