At times, Leo Cullen will peruse his mobile device for a specific picture to exemplify a point he’s attempting to discuss. These include an image of his mother, Paula, in her prime showjumping days, soaring over a barrier at the RDS stadium in 1966 and others of his offspring, Con. The young lad features in one alongside Brian O’Driscoll’s boy, Billy, and in another partnered with Eoin Reddan’s youngster, Tom, happily sipping a milkshake post a victory by Railway Union against Cambridge FC.
Additionally, there is a captured moment from behind in a room, displaying Rabah Slimani in a dialogue with Alan Spicer. They keenly observe some scrum recordings from a training session. Slimani, the seasoned French international tight head prop, has just transferred from Clermont Auvergne, and alongside him is the budding 19-year-old tight head lock, Alan Spicer. Observing from behind is another secondrow whippersnapper, Conor O’Tighearnaigh. A clear image of a master artisan passing down his skills to his mentees.
These visual markers are not conventional fragments in their dialogue but act as signposts along the path of their elongated discussion that spans a decent part of the day in a café housed in the RDS. The choice of location is far from accidental.
Cullen has deep-rooted affection for the RDS given its significance in his childhood days, where he thoroughly familiarised himself with its every inch. His mother, Paula was not only an accomplished rider herself but also bred horses including the victor of the 2014 Badminton Horse trials, Paulank Brockagh. From time to time, Cullen would play the groom for his sibling, Sarah, at horse events.
To grasp Cullen’s will and dynamism – a man willing to commit to a demanding 6am to 10pm schedule should his domestic situation allow – you need to understand his upbringing in Newtownmountkennedy.
In his words: “I come from a lineage where my parents exert a considerable amount of effort in their craft. This value naturally transfers to one’s work ethic. However, one doesn’t realise the significance of this effort during their formative years, taking it for granted because they know of no other way.”
His upbringing was very much the emblem of rural life – always busy with chores and tasks around the farm. Besides farming, his family also operated a butcher shop. His earliest memories are filled with work – from cleaning the stables to preparing meals for the animals. He jestingly recalls their mother’s methods as akin to a ‘children’s labour camp’. Born into this dynamic environment, he was soon accustomed to tending to the livestock, even before he was competent enough to handle a pitchfork in a stable.
He cherished the moments spent on daily commutes with his father to and from Williamstown between the age of eight and 18. His father, Frank, was the founder of Cullen Communications, a venture now led by his sibling, Owen.
His career in rugby had its fair share of coincidences. When in his fifth year, he obtained the autograph of his then idol – Leicester Tigers’ Dean Richards on an England School’s international jersey, which he had previously exchanged when he was playing for Ireland. Richards later became infamous as the coach during the ‘Bloodgate’ scandal, a match, ironically, that led to Leinster’s victory to their initial Heineken Cup title in 2009. This was the maiden win of three triumphant spells over four seasons, all under Cullen’s captaincy.
In 1995, Cullen was a part of the victorious Blackrock’s School Cup team that overcame Newbridge College. Two of his opponents in that match, Geordan Murphy and Jim Ferris, later joined the Leicester Tigers. Cullen was presented with the same opportunity in 1997 and finally, after eight years, he made that leap. He remembered, “Numerous unusual circumstances were beckoning me towards Leicester; unfortunately, there weren’t many elements keeping me tied to Leinster.”
During the early stages of professional rugby, public sentiment towards Leinster was not particularly favourable, a fact Cullen cites as everyone’s responsibility, including himself. The Irish team was undergoing a chaotic period, without much anchoring his loyalty.
Quite a few regions in Leinster aren’t exactly the nation’s favourite, which has always been a subject of banter. We’ve been through a rough period where this sentiment was quite strong, and we were constantly labelled and categorised.
The many triumphs Leinster had enjoyed once helped us shrug off the label of inconsistent underperformers. However, lack of silverware in the last three seasons including no European glory since 2018, coupled with three consecutive final losses, has once again boosted our detractors’ morale. There is also a sense of dissatisfaction amongst Leinster’s 12-county loyal base, which is intensified owing to the continued trophy drought.
Cullen stands up for Leinster, an ardent spokesperson for what the team stands for in the realm of rugby. “My main drive is getting all Leinster supporters to feel a sense of pride by showing them traits they admire and appreciate.
“My concern lies with the people we are representing. We need to give them something to take pride in, to be proud of our achievements. We put in a lot of effort to equip our incoming players for success, to help them become international stars.
“We aspire to forge a strong bond between our players and the club, and Leinster. Players transition at various phases, but the desire to remain part of Leinster lives on, which is significant.”
As he concludes, he directs his gaze towards the ageing Anglesea Stand, soon to face demolition. He brings out a picture of his mother, the Anglesea Stand in its present state serving as the backdrop, unchanged since the last 58 years. The original photograph has a special place in the Cullen family home’s hallway. “I have a profound bond with this place and it surprises me that I used to attend shows here with my mum, even when I had no real interest in horses.”
The stadium boasts an impressive architecture, and its forthcoming modernisation is highly anticipated. With green paddocks open for children, it creates a unique experience for our players who have journeyed through Leinster. Several of them started as mascots or attended games with their families, quickly leaving their seats to explore the grounds or even play near the stands. The sight of the paddocks triggers memories of our current player group, there’s something magical about that.
Children who attended games, from families with season passes, have turned into Leinster players a decade or more later. This is inspiring. Suddenly, he retrieves his mobile device for the second instance, and displays a snapshot of Con Cullen and Billy O’Driscoll, youthful peers displaying cheeky smiles. Their fathers, Leo and Brian, long-standing friends and past team-mates had wound down their journey with Leinster on the same day at the RDS, back in May 2014.
The farewell was sweet and sour. Leinster triumphed over the Glasgow Warriors in the Pro12 final, but sadly, injury to O’Driscoll’s calf finished his game within the initial 10 minutes. Cullen, who started on the side-lines, recollects the comments Ian Madigan shared in anticipation of his replacing O’Driscoll: “just wait for the cheer when I step onto the pitch.” It still brings a chuckle.
The conversation repeatedly returned to the essence of Leinster. Its identity? Its ambitions and representation? There was an observable excitement in his tone every time the subject came up.
Cullen argues that one crucial element in Leinster’s progression ought to be sustained diversification. While acknowledging the significant support from the schools in the talent development journey, the significant role played by the clubs must be celebrated.
Tadhg Furlong and Jamie Osborne stand as examples of a different path into professional rugby. They motivate the youth of New Ross and Naas and also charm the townsfolk and villagers.
The Leinster Rugby team has routinely been the object of envy across Ireland and beyond, largely due to misconceptions about its presumed unlimited finances. However, this view is dismissed by Cullen. He recalled a conversation with an individual hailing from a now defunct English team who harboured a belief that Leinster had affluent backers. Cullen discredited this idea, explaining that their financial model must be sustainable.
In terms of budgetary constraints, Cullen emphasised the necessity to be financially cautious and operate within strict fiscal boundaries. The team’s priority is to invest in domestic games, because increased investment would likely lead to better results.
Nonetheless, resentment from the other three provinces still exists, which Cullen is well aware of, having heard comments from various sources. Despite this, he’s in favour of having a rivalry, which he believes creates healthy competition. Leinster’s squad details reveal the team will consist of a total of 65 players, including 22 academy recruits and 43 senior team members. In addition, three non-Irish qualified players – Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman and Jordie Barrett – will join in late 2021.
Cullen realises fans may be dissatisfied with Leinster’s perceived lack of activity in recruiting high-profile foreign players, yet he insists there are limitations. The cost of such recruits is exorbitant. He points to the fact that many of the World Cup final players have found lucrative contracts in Japan, which goes beyond the financial reach of Leinster. Therefore, contrary to what many believe, Leinster is not financially dominant, despite the popular perception.
Snyman expressed his interest in remaining in Ireland, a desire that coincided with Leinster’s hunt for a second-row player. Their interest delighted him. The image of Slimani alongside two up-and-coming locks underlines the supplementary influence the French player will likely extend beyond his physical prowess. Barrett deviates from the province’s usual approach to business, according to Cullen.
Cullen shares, “We want star-quality individuals whose talent encourages spectators to attend and pay for matches, an approach that we have rarely taken recently. There is prevalence of pride and identification with the diverse backgrounds our players represent, especially when we have included three non-Irish players in this season. It’s important they comprehend this.”
Cullen adds, “Everyone must bring their unique abilities and authenticity to the fore, regardless of whether they are a player, coach, or another member of our support staff. We aspire to work with exceptional people and avoid inviting any disagreeable individuals into our establishment. The pressure I place on myself is tremendous. I’m less taken by external pressures.”
His coaching method encourages the establishment of a preparation-focused environment which grants a degree of freedom to fellow coaches and notably, the players. As an ex-captain, he comprehends the requirement for clear instruction and careful selection of the intermediary.
He gives a vague example, “I’ve been a water carrier, standing, listening to a coach’s instruction and deciding that I wouldn’t relay that information to the player.”
While coaches oversee preparation, players govern in-game actions to a large extent, necessitating a degree of adaptability in response to evolving game situations. Cullen concedes: “Ultimately the game belongs to players. They make the decisions. The importance of players standing up and performing effectively on high-stakes occasions is undeniable.”
He states it’s the preparation phase that determines who enters the field and “coaches merely complete the team sheet”. The greatest external point of contention has been choosing Sexton’s replacement since his retirement. This will remain a topic of discussion until Leinster regain their title-winning form.
Enjoying cherished moments with his spouse, Dairine, and his children Con and Aya, offers a fulfilling contrast with his career obligations. There’s simply no downside to relishing milkshakes from Scoop after a session at Sandymount Classico.
When inquired if he desires a tenure similar to “Guy Noves longevity” in his coaching career, he momentarily pauses, a hint of a grin comes to view. Dodging a question won’t let you escape accountability, he takes cognizance of the murmurs, comprehends the exasperation and letdown of the last triennial yet he has not been intimidated or ravaged by the close shaves.
“I’m open to ongoing dialogue. Eventually, the players will require to hear a different perspective. My priority is to consistently maintain their motivation in a positive manner.”
Throughout his career, he has stayed honest to this ethos by enticing accomplished coaches to be part of his team, from inviting World Cup Champion Coach from New Zealand, Graham Henry for consultation, to Stuart Lancaster, Felipe Contepomi, Robin McBryde, Denis Leamy, Sean O’Brien, Jacques Nienaber, Andrew Goodman, to this season’s addition Tyler Bleyendaal, to name a few.
Cullen has been relentlessly persevering, unceasingly progressing, and always facilitating the growth and upward trajectory of his dear Leinster. You can clearly see it in the players’ progression to Ireland, the scouting for fresh local and international talent and in bringing on board coaches who can add significance to the endeavour. His dedicated efforts are apparent.
His hope will be that John Quincy Adams was right in stating, “patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” It would indeed be timely and beneficial if this happens this season. As time without victories in professional sport is limited.
As he rises to depart he mentions, “We must strive to be the best we can with what we have,” highlighting his endless pursuit.