Leinster are quite familiar with this path. Their fate now hangs in the balance; will it be victory or defeat? Their recent struggle against Northampton, which ended in a 20-17 win, reinstated them to their third consecutive Champions Cup final, this time against Toulouse. Leinster have both cherished and dreaded these moments of stiff competition, understanding that one cannot occur without the other.
Reflections from the team’s last few finals have taught us much, as Jordan Larmour voiced on Saturday night. The familiarity of chaotic situations not going as planned and the subsequent scramble, have reinforced our understanding to regain composure, re-align and progress.
“We are quite effective at discussing our standing mid-game, a practice which has fostered our group development considerably,” says Larmour. Understanding the chaos, huddling and realising the scenario, voicing it and getting in sync again. If an issue needs addressing, we are competent to do so. This is going to be our third consecutive final. We haven’t savoured victory in a while, so we intend to give it our all to claim it.”
While Leinster are commonly perceived as a seasoned force, rich with hardened veterans, it’s worth noting that Larmour is one of the mere three players who partook in Saturday night’s game and the 2018 final, with Robbie Henshaw and Tadhg Furlong being the other two. The nature of professional sports is constantly evolving, evident by the past contributions of Rob Kearney, Isa Nacewa and Sean Cronin. Joey Carbery was a substitute.
It is important to recognise for many current Leinster members, clinching a Champions Cup final would mark a novel experience in their careers. The feeling isn’t limited to just the fresh faces, it extends to Josh van der Flier, James Lowe, Caelan Doris, Ross Byrne as well, none of whom have ever partaken in a victorious Leinster final. They are, however, well acquainted with the sting of defeat. As are they all.
“The sensation of defeat propels you forward, but the fear of losing doesn’t really eat into your focus,” Larmour expressed. “My attention is primarily on the task I have in sight. The worst mistake to make is to suppress your efforts during a final. We, as a team, have discussed about not retreating into passivity, instead, trusting our training, preparations, and coaches’ guidance. Concentrating on these aspects ensures a favourable outcome.”
The upcoming match will mark Leinster’s grand eighth final. Their three-point edge against Northampton marks the smallest victory margin they’ve ever managed in a semi-final. Despite their sturdy dominance during the initial hour, they will be probing the reasons for such a narrow win in the build-up to the final clash.
“It was quite a struggle,” Rónan Kelleher, Leinster’s substitute for Dan Sheehan in the second half, admitted. “Northampton is a powerful and formidable team, and they proved that during the entire 80-minute game. Fending them off, especially during the last 20 minutes, was not an easy feat. But I’m relieved we managed to edge past them eventually.”
Kelleher has been part of the Leinster squad for six seasons and has played in the previous two finals where he had challenging experiences. Substituting for Sheehan during the last season’s final, he was issued a yellow card just three minutes into his performance. Preparing for the final set on May 25th can’t neglect these past encounters, but it also isn’t completely about settling scores.
“Our past challenges have been instrumental for us,” Kelleher added. “We gained valuable lessons from them, some of which were evident in our fight against La Rochelle in the quarterfinals. These experiences, despite their toughness, are now proving beneficial to us.”
“There’s been a tremendous amount of work put in, not just this year, but encompassing the past three years. Hence, our focus lies in promising a sterling performance in the final, with a determined approach to leave no aspects unexamined and create the prime probabilities of securing the victory of the end challenge.”
The conversation continued as Leo Cullen addressed the issue of Ciarán Frawley’s recent ailment, which had him collapsing on the field towards the finale. Downplaying the concerns, he clarified it was only a cramp and assured there is no threat to his availability for the season’s concluding weeks. Cullen brushed aside the speculative thoughts of them withdrawing their efforts from the URC in preparation for their forthcoming visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
“For the forthcoming fortnight, our primary focus is on the URC. Therefore, we will be presenting our strongest squads,” Cullen stated post-match. “We’ve achieved enough to progress. But there’s room for improvement – that’s our goal for the next few weeks.”