Leo Cullen played down concerns over Tadhg Furlong and James Ryan but admitted Cian Healy is a concern after the experienced prop walked off gingerly toward the end of Leinster’s 35-5 URC quarter-final win over the Sharks at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Healy had replaced Furlong at half-time, the reasons for which were not divulged, but Cullen said of the latter: “He’s okay. It was nothing major. But Cian is the one, he had to come off at the end, not 100 per cent sure with him but we’ll get him checked out. He’s probably more the worry, but hopefully not too bad.”
Ryan could be seen in a protective boot, but Cullen quipped: “Yeah, I was just told he is wearing a protective boot. I think he’s just looking for attention. He’s fine, James. He had a minor issue with his foot but it’s nothing major.”
While pleased to have advanced to the semi-finals, Cullen said it had been “a tricky week” after the build-up and emotional pitch of their Champions Cup semi-final win over Toulouse a week ago.
“You’re trying to get through another week then, and with a team that have a two-week lead into the game essentially. Credit to the players, I thought they were excellent this week with how they applied themselves. Some of the guys coming in to freshen things up, they opportunity that they had, they were generally excellent, I have to say.
“We’re pleased to get through. I don’t think the score really reflected the game. Obviously the Sharks start well, they have a try chalked off at the end, miss a penalty and turn a couple of shots at goal down before half-time.
“It was a little bit of a scrappy affair. We always feared it was going to be a tricky week, so we’re pleased to be through it.”
Akin to the Toulouse game, when twice scoring 14 unanswered points each time the French side incurred a yellow card, Leinster did the same after Makazole Mapimpi was yellow carded for a high hit on Caelan Doris as the latter scored Leinster’s first try.
They added another, their fifth of the game, after James Venter’s 72nd-minute yellow card which ruled out a second Sharks try and perhaps helped distort the scoreline, as Cullen admitted.
“Credit to the players, they’re seeing the space. At one stage Du Toit is getting treated in the backfield so they’re able to exploit some of the space that’s there. So that’s been good.
“Obviously Caelan does well to score the try but it’s a double whammy for them when they lose Mapimpi to the bin as well.
“But even again, at the end it gets a bit of gloss because it goes 28-12 but gets chalked off and they lose another man to the bin, so we’re able to clear our lines and score.
“As I said, I don’t think the score was really reflective of the game, but we’ll take it and move on, and watch tonight’s game with great interest,” added Cullen of the Glasgow-Munster quarter-final, mindful that Leinster will face the winners at the Aviva Stadium next Saturday at 5.30pm.
“Big thanks to the support and everyone who turns out and creates the interest in these games,” said Cullen in genuine appreciation, “because everyone goes ‘Okay, we’re back to the Aviva again’. There’s a challenge within that. And for us it’s just trying to keep it fresh.”
Constricted to the lower terrace, the 14,642 attendance was a little lost in the Aviva’s vast expanse.
“We talked about that potential for the subdued atmosphere because you’re going off last week which was what 46,000 and you’re in around 15,000 there today, maybe less, which is still a decent attendance.
“The challenge is the sequence of games. I don’t know how you get that exactly spot on, to suit the supporters. When you’ve a South African team up here, or vice versa, there’s going to be next to no travelling support realistically. There are still some challenges with that.
“We’re coming to the end of the second season of this competition and the nature of the teams, they’re beasts of teams, the South African teams, and I think it’s hugely exciting but there’s definitely some challenges for the future to get that sweet spot, isn’t there?
