Cullen pleased with Leinster total but injuries a big worry for both province and country

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen, left, and Sam Prendergast of Leinster celebrate after their side's victory. Pic:  Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Leinster boss Leo Cullen was happy enough to leave Bayonne and head back to Dublin with four more Champions Cup points but admitted to ‘mixed feelings’ after watching his side labour to a 22-13 win at a rain-soaked Stade Jean Dauger.

“To get 18 points, you’d love to get 20, but listen, we’ve got 18. Take it, move on,” he said. “[There has been] lots of good stuff within that and let’s see where we end up.” 

But the injury toll from Leinster’s trip to the Basque Country will be a concern not just for Leinster, but for Ireland coach Andy Farrell.

“There were a good few [injuries] — even Jimmy [O’Brien] hobbled off there as well,” Cullen said.

Tighthead Tadhg Furlong was first off the pitch, in the 16th minute. “He just felt [his calf] was tightening up early,” Cullen explained. “Then it was like, ‘Okay, he’s feeling this’, let’s make the call now.” 

Robbie Henshaw hobbled off shortly after the half-hour, and left the ground wearing a knee brace, while Tommy O’Brien suffered a calf injury early in the second half.

Cullen was pleased with how his players handled the disruption caused by the injuries, and the pressure put on by a Bayonne playing for nothing more than pride, but admitted to ‘mixed feeling’ in the dressing room.

“Pleased, but… there’s probably a big ‘but’ there as well,” he said.

“Bayonne is a very tough place to come. The conditions made it even harder and when we conceded the try at the start of the game, they had a lead, so it was perfect for them.

“We had some chances in the first half. I’m thinking there was a cross-field kick to JJ where he has the ball and just loses the ball. Then there’s Tom Clarkson, where he looks like it’s a double movement, essentially, and it’s another opportunity not taken.

“They were a team that played with unbelievable pride today. They fired into everything. You couldn’t say they were lacking in any contacts in the game, could you? So they were fully into the game.” 

Bayonne captain Arthur Iturria, meanwhile, saw enough to forecast an improved second half of the season in the Top 14 for a side that has suffered a dip in form in recent weeks. 

“Despite the defeat, I think we rediscovered something we hadn't had, or had lost for some time,” he said. “There was the fighting spirit, the will to battle for each other. It's a common theme, but lately, we haven’t been able to do it.

“Now that we’ve set the bar here, we have to do the same next weekend. If we put in this kind of performance, at least defensively, I think we’ll be hard to beat.

“We owe it to ourselves to do it again.”