Leinster have ‘seriously evolved’ under Jacques Nienaber as ‘stars aligning’ for fifth Champions Cup title
Leinster were rampant against Harlequins in their Champions Cup round of 16 clash.
Fans will have spilled out of the San Mamés Stadium to the streets of Bilbao after Leinster lifted the Champions Cup, with many likely turning to Molly Malones and the Wicklow Arms to continue the celebrations long into the night.
Nobody could have expected 2018 would be the last time that Leinster would lift the trophy, with their search for a fifth star seemingly weighing heavy on the shoulders of the players.
However, their long wait to be reunited with the Champions Cup is set to end after seven years.
The four-time champions are comfortably the best side left in the competition, and the minimum expectation is they will make this season’s final, particularly due to the Irish province being in the ‘weaker’ of the two pathways to the Cardiff decider.
62-0 victory
Harlequins were brushed aside easily, with Leinster not needing to break a sweat in their 62-0 victory.
Their quarter-final tie this weekend will be considerably tougher as they face URC rivals Glasgow Warriors.
The Scottish side are considered underdogs coming into this match, due to how imposing Leinster have appeared throughout the season, losing on only one occasion this term across the URC and Champions Cup.
Glasgow are no pushovers as the current URC champions with some top-quality players, including Zander Fagerson, Huw Jones and Rory Darge, who play some fantastic attacking rugby under the stewardship of Franco Smith, which will make it a match worth watching.
Yet, Leinster have enough world-class talent to overcome this Scottish test, the toughest test left on this side of the draw, with either Northampton Saints or Castres in the semi-final.
As Leinster waltzes to the final, their opponents are a toss-up between three French clubs.
Sadly for those hoping to see an Irish provincial derby in Cardiff, Munster will have to do it the hard way first by beating Bordeaux-Begles in the south-west of France this weekend, before the winner of either Toulon or Toulouse.
Each of the three French clubs demonstrated weaknesses as they progressed past their opponents last weekend, particularly Toulon and Bordeaux, who had their defensive frailties exposed.
Leo Cullen and his Leinster coaching staff are a diligent and intelligent group that will utilise the examples set by Saracens and Ulster, respectively, in how to get across the try-line against both French clubs should they face off against either of them in Cardiff.
The only concern would be the attacking ability of both Toulon and Bordeaux, as they scored 72 and 43 points, respectively, last weekend.
However, Leinster have seriously evolved under Jacques Nienaber.
Stuart Lancaster had Leinster playing some of the most creative, beautiful attacking rugby in Europe, guiding them to that Champions Cup victory in Bilbao, but he would then come up short, losing three subsequent finals before eventually departing in 2023.
Focus on the approach shifted under the South African World Cup-winning coach, with the adoption of the rush defence so they can sew a fifth star above their badge.
In his second season as head coach, Leinster now looks like an impassable side, perfectly demonstrated in their defensive masterclass against Harlequins, their away win earlier in the competition in La Rochelle, and recently in South Africa against the Sharks.
Cullen and Nienaber are confident they can shut out any attack and have enough talent in attack with the likes of Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Lowe, as their attack seemed to click into gear in Croke Park.
While Leinster will not have been the frontrunner at the start of the competition, the favourites needle will be pointed squarely at them now after the Round of 16 weekend.
Toulouse may have been the favourites to hold their title before a ball was kicked in the Champions Cup, winning in the city they lifted the trophy in for the first time 30 years ago.
However, this has slowly changed.
Not because of performance, as they expertly dealt with an inspired Sale Sharks side who asked serious questions of the Top 14 champions in the first half and fought right to the end, making them work to progress.
Toulouse may believe they have enough to reach the final to defend their title, but injuries could be a major factor in deciding the eventual winners of the Champions Cup this year.
The six-time champions are without their ‘petit general’ Antoine Dupont and Italian magician Ange Capuozzo for the rest of the season.
Leinster have not suffered the same injury problems, and even if they were to do so, they may not be overly worried, as their squad depth is ridiculous.
Cullen went about strengthening the depth of his squad through world-class signings in Jordie Barrett, RG Snyman and Rabah Slimani while also blooding young players throughout the URC campaign in preparation for this possibility.
The stars seem to be aligning for Leinster, with May 24 in Cardiff set to be one to remember for fans.
Their squad is the strongest left in the competition, as they have avoided injuries to key players, and they can keep them fresh by rotating the squad in the final stretch of regular URC fixtures due to their comfortable opposition at the top of the table.
They should make the final of the competition easily should they play to the best of their ability, as they are better than Glasgow, Northampton and Castres.
Leinster got within a whisker of lifting the trophy last season as Ciaran Frawley dragged a last-minute drop goal wide as Leinster went on to lose to Toulouse in extra time in London.
Refreshed determination
After three consecutive Champions Cup final losses and three years without a domestic title, there appears to be a refreshed determination to silence their critics.
Leinster’s players look more comfortable in Nienaber’s system, confident they can beat every club in this competition due to their defensive strength and the talent they have in attack.
This is the year Leinster should lift their fifth Champions Cup trophy; however, that was said about 2023 as they played the final in the Aviva Stadium.
Yet, if they fail to do so this season, serious questions will be asked of everyone within the club and what they need to do to get that fifth star.
