Rhys Ruddock: 'We hope that performance will send a statement'

Rhys Ruddock believes Leinster’s victory over Toulouse at the weekend was a statement win as they prepare to wrap up the loose ends in Pool One of the Heineken Champions Cup.

The champions had to make do without 10 senior internationals and James Lowe for Saturday’s clash at the RDS, but the flanker believes it is the pedigree which the French brought to the arena that makes the 29-13 victory such a standout.

Toulouse arrived in Dublin unbeaten in a dozen games domestically and on the continent, a run stretching back to late September, and playing a brand of rugby combining power and panache that echoed the club’s great sides of the past.

“We hope that performance will send a statement because of how good Toulouse are and how well they showed up. They gave us nothing cheap. We were battering away for phase after phase, thinking something had to give.

“They dug in for everything,” said Ruddock, who was Leinster captain on the day.

We ended up having to throw the ball over the top and find the space that way. It was pretty relentless from them, they were not letting us get over the line.

Toulouse were indeed combative in defence, but they hardly fired a shot all day with ball in hand. Their only try arrived in injury-time, when wing Cheslin Kolbe scooped up a loose ball in midfield and scampered home.

It was a stunning act of dominance from the home side, who were missing the likes of Jonathan Sexton, Rob Kearney, Dan Leavy, Devin Toner and the suspended Lowe, but no one in the camp has focused on the absentees either before, during, or after this game.

“When you look at the guys who are in there instead, they are also top-class international players.

“If you look at missing Johnny — that was a big one — there is the quality that Ross [Byrne] brings. He was awesome. At times, it felt like we were wondering how we were going to break down this team.

“Ross seemed to always have a plan and the half-backs really directed us around. It was just a case of listening to them and digging in. I thought everyone played really well and the bench came on to do a good job as well.”

Ross Byrne

There was a point just after the hour when the men in red attempted to lay siege to the Leinster line, but 25-plus phases resulted only in frustration and, in the end, a turnover for the province and Ruddock admits that spell was a particular source of satisfaction.

“Those sort of moments are right up there. I do remember other European games, a bit like Exeter away in Sandy Park (last season), where they are really strong in that area too. When you’ve got teams who are good at that type of game, it’s just a case of everyone staying alive, because one metre leads to two metres on the next one, three metres on the next one, so it’s just [about] staying mentally switched on.”

Much the same can be said for this week.

Wasps have nothing to motivate them this Sunday. Bottom of the table with just the one draw and four defeats from their five outings, they are mid-table in the Gallagher Premiership and a month away from their next domestic league game. This should be a gimme and certainly a much more straightforward assignment than this time three years ago when the roles were reversed and a Leinster side down and out in Europe took a 51-10 thumping at the hands of the high-flying hosts.

Ruddock,remembers it too well.

“That’s my lasting memory of going over there so that was a pretty dark day at the office. They were quality that day and we probably played within ourselves a bit so, yeah, there is definitely lessons to be learned from that. I’m sure it would be no harm to review that game and have a look at what we can expect going to their home patch. Yeah, plenty of lessons and hopefully a few from (the Toulouse win). It is good to reflect on a win and take some lessons from it.”