Will is joined by Ian Madigan and Ruaidhri O'Connor to break down Leinster's Champions Cup final defeat to Bordeaux. Leinster's error count, Leo Cullen's future, Ciaran Frawley's move to Connacht and the team's identity under Jacques Nienaber are all up for discussion. The lads also go over Ulster's heavy defeat to Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final. Rugby on the Indo Sport podcast is sponsored by Energia. Read and watch more of the Indo Sport: https://www.independent.ie/sport
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No one is saying Frawley would be a top 10. They are saying he didn’t get the same opportunities there as the Byrne brothers and Prendergast have the last 5 years.
Leo Cullen has to go. Sorry to compare this to football but he would’ve been fired after blowing 17 point lead at home in 2023 final. The fact we have another 3 years of failure is unbelievable. Bordeaux are 6th in top 14, it is not like they are flying or some unbeatable team. The way they hammered Leinster on the weekend was eye opening. JN defence also found wanting again. That sort of defense just doesn’t work with Irish players I am sorry. The changes have to come now. Leo can’t survive this at all.
I think this was Leinster's last chance for a good few years to win the champions Cup
The Rush Defence is completely ineffective if you rush up and lose the collision the team that made that defence famous also coincidentally is known for being extremely physical yeah that’s not a coincidence at all and it clearly does not suit Irish players
Leo laughing away in the post match after our worst ever defeat in a final, and almost the worst ever for anyone in a Champions Cup final stung as a fan. Thousands of us spent thousands of Euro going to that match and he comes across like he's there on a jolly. And that's even before you realise that our, arguably, best player on the day is out the door because we chose to play and extend Harry who had a stinker. Harry who also had a stinker in the semi final, and the week prior against Treviso.
The window closed after 2024.
Toulouse has Dupont, Ntamack, and Ramos. Bordeaux has Lucu, Jalibert, and LBB. We are currently blessed by the gods.
Farrell and Cullen are not good coaches now. Cullen never was. The whole clusterf*ck around 10 and the insanely conservative lack of blooding of new players (especially in the centres and wings, until forced) show these two are just not great. They got lucky with a stellar crop of players that were moulded and developed by Lancaster and Joe Schmidt.
ROC claiming that "the word was that Ireland were losing confidence in Jack Crowley" is such a weak misrepresentation of what happened in Autumn 2024....I wonder did that "word" come from Irish management??...because ROC was the main cheer leader clamouring for a 20 Leinster cap Prendergast to start ahead of Crowley....ROC was responsible for the hype & unfair expectations due to constant repeating of "his ceiling is so high"...."Sexton 2.0" & "the things he's doing in training are unbelievable".....also, how could Ireland be "losing confidence" in Crowley given he had just led Ireland to 6N title & 1-1 series draw away to revenge seeking Springboks....while Crowley had a 6 or 7/10 v NZ, he then responded with an 8 or 9/10 v Argentina...yet got dropped for Prendergast who had no top tier experience....ROC now trying this weak revisionism....yet he continues to undermine & question Crowley every chance he gets while giving minimal credit..... 2 attempts...100% success in 6N....delivered a 6N title(only 2mins from GS) & a Triple Crown.....robbed of the opportunity to defend the 6N in 2025....robbed of a central contract....yet no mention of this aspect of the last 2yrs
I've been waiting for this all day! Both Luke and Ian Madigan were wrong!
So you will not convince me otherwise that The leinster team right before Nienaber came (Lancaster leinster) Could have won that game in Bilbao. And Even if they had lost it, it would have been a game for the AGES because UBB did nothing more then play the same Rugby leinster were playing 3 or 4 years ago. Right before Nienaber came. I want it to be clear i do not blame Nienaber. He was hired to implement that defensive system and that's what he's done. Hiring Nienaber was a spectacular over correction by management and a reaction to losing directly to ROG's LaRochelle. It has also been a spectacular failure that should result in Leo getting fired. With a thank you for services rendered but it's time for new thinking.
11 seasons of cullen. Come on lads, call it out, he has to go. Break thr bank, swallow pride and get O Gara in. A new voice and proven wonner is needed. Im a munster man, but was gutted leinster and ulster lost. First nad foremost im iriah, a massivw rugby fan and want all irosh teams to win. Nothing personal, but cullens time is up.
Why can’t RoC admit the role he had to play as a media specialist in promoting Pendergast consistently and critiquing Crowley and Frawley? It had a big impact on fans and was ill thought. On the other hand, LF promoted the others.
The whole 'stacked with B&I lions talk' is nauseating. I wouldn't pick one Leinster back over the BB backline. Most of their forwards were/are better than Leinsters as well.
100% agree with the comments on standards. Cullen's post-match press conference, seemingly satisfied with a participation medal and Byrne laughing off a botched kick so easily, shows a tolerance for errors that shouldn't exist for a team judging itself on Champions Cup titles. Tolerating Prendergast's defense for 90% of the season is another sign, as was Andy Farrell's 'intent' criticism during the 6N, which is entirely tied to standards. I'm worried this is a slow regression to pre-Schmidt Irish rugby: not truly expecting to be the best and content with an honourable effort or "fighting spirit", the only quality the French used to credit us with, and a phrase they had finally stopped using.
A rush defence with Byrne, Henshaw and Ringrose leading the way lol They're too slow to be trying to implement a rush defence.
There are about 6 teams in that Top 14 who could beat Leinster good night and good luck
In Ireland we celebrate 15-20 phase tries are things of beauty and brilliance. Teams like Bordeaux and Toulouse have no interest in playing that way, as was very obvious on Saturday.
To be down 35 - 7 at half time is unacceptable, it just depends if Leinster are happy with being the second best team in Europe. Leo Cullen attitude reminds me of Stephen Kenny during his spell ad Ireland manager, but to loose 5 European Cup finals should not be acceptable to anyone including Leinster and the IRFU!
I've been saying this for three years, Cullen needed to go. He's a mediocre coach with generational talent that hid his flaws. If he was foreign, he would've been sacked 3 years ago. Nienaber was never a good fit for Leinster. The best 10 since the SA tour is Frawley and he's off to Connaught. Only the Irish could mismanage their resources this badly. Cullen completely mismanaged a generation of talented players who underperformed and couldn't get them over the line. This level of talent is gone now. the opportunity was wasted on a mediocre coach who was lucky that he had such a system, organisation and talent under him. It hid how poor a decision maker and he clearly enjoyed the smell of his own farts. If Leinster mgt don't get rid of both Cullen and Nienaber, like, NOW. I have no sympathy for them. A wasted generation. Lancaster was the perfect fit for Leinster, so go at spotting talent and cultivating a culture of attacking play. Another missed opportunity. Solution: Sack Cullen & Nienaber, bring in Joe Schmit for a year. When Lancanster's contract is up at Connaught bring him back to run everything. Keep Schmit on the coaching ticket. Unfortunately for Leinster, some of the best talent they ever had, will be past their best. Tragic.