'The job is done' - Cullen elated but insists no Sexton surprise in final
JUST THE JOB: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen shakes hands with Jack Conan after the Heineken Champions Cup Semi-Final match between Leinster and Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Speed wasn’t Leo Cullen’s thing as a second row but the Leinster head coach was quick to shut down the most tentative of queries when asked if Johnny Sexton might be fit enough to play in the Heineken Champions Cup final in three weeks’ time.
“No," was the rapid response. "I would be shocked so, no at this point in time.”
Sexton’s Leinster career effectively came to an end when he injured a groin in the course of Ireland’s Grand Slam clincher against England last month but he wasn’t the only gem the province had to do without when putting 41 points on Toulouse in Saturday’s semi.
Robbie Henshaw fell foul to a quad injury in training last Monday, James Lowe’s calf kept him sidelined and a shoulder issue is keeping Ronan Kelleher out of proceedings for the time being. That’s four Ireland starters up on blocks.
None of which mattered against the Top 14 leaders.
Maybe the most obvious demonstration of Leinster’s strength in depth was in the centre where Charlie Ngatai came in for Henshaw. A one-cap All Black with years of experience behind him, the 32-year old is no lemon but his season was soured by injury too.
This was his first appearance since mid-January and he nailed it with a handful of crucial interventions allied to an overall competence and ease alongside Garry Ringrose in the midfield. Cullen was suitably impressed.
“I thought he was excellent for the 50-odd minutes that he played," he said. "Some really big moments. That 50-22, that poach turnover, some big defensive plays as well. He was really strong in contact. Huge credit to him and to the rehab team to get him back in good shape.
“You go through the season, there's plenty we've had to deal with at different stages and different points,” Cullen added. “Relying on the group and working hard for each other: you saw plenty of that out there today.”
Ngatai got the nod ahead of Ciaran Frawley who replaced him off the bench late in the third quarter but maybe the main area of interest in terms of selection was in the back row where they were really spoiled for choice.
In the end they went for Jack Conan at No.8, which meant switching Caelan Doris on the blindside and Ryan Baird coming off the bench, and Conan scored twice in an individual effort that was somewhere back to his best.
A three-Test starter with the Lions two summers ago, his form dipped for a spell as he struggled with his health. That was until a cyst was discovered on his pituitary gland and he has been in exceptional form for club and country lately.
“Yeah, it was interesting to hear what he said recently,” said Cullen. “He had his challenges at the tail end of last season so he has been great through the Six Nations and he has timed his run really well.
“Big, physically carrying game from him. It’s great, glad Jack has come through it. There’s always little things going on in the background that not everyone is privy to and how you navigate some of that during the course of the season.”
Leinster will need the entire depth chart this next few weeks as the games and the stakes mount.
Next in line is a URC quarter-final in Dublin against the Cell C Sharks. Progress through all the rounds in both competitions and they will play five knockout games in as many weekends. So, not much time for back-slapping now, even with a win against Toulouse.
“The most pleasing thing is to be in a final because that's what it's all about,” said Cullen. “For us, it's: ‘Right, the job is done, that part of the job is done and let's turn our attention to what the next challenge is going to be’.”
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