In the never-ending discourse on Leinster’s style of play under Jacques Nienaber, one element can slip under the radar. In two of their three European games this season, the province has been less than stellar at securing their own lineout ball.
Against Clermont last month, the success rate of that particular set piece plummeted to just 56 per cent. While the festive interpro against Munster saw a flawless lineout performance, in La Rochelle it dipped again to 86 per cent. For all the talk of Leinster focusing more on their defence, it’s difficult to attack with diminishing lineout returns.
How fitting that, ahead of the clash with Bath this weekend, we heard from Ross Molony, the former Leinster lineout guru now plying his trade with the Premiership table-toppers. Set-piece expert is a tag he embraces.
“I first got the responsibility when I was playing Senior Cup rugby with St Michael’s,” explains Molony. “It’s a bit of a chess game within the game. And when I went into the Leinster academy, Leo [Cullen] was there. When I was playing [Ireland] 20s, John Fogarty was the forwards coach at the time. And then I had players at Leinster like Dev Toner, Scott Fardy, who paved the way in terms of how things are done and how decisions are made in the lineout.
“I enjoy doing it. I enjoy the rewards you get from planning and executing on the day. It’s hopefully something that’s seen as a big part of my game. I’ve tried my best since joining Bath to give as much knowledge as I have to this team.”
Johann van Graan, the former Munster head coach now in charge at Bath, is keen to point to Molony’s other qualities away from the set-piece. “One of the bits is around his attack, not a lot of people see,” says Van Graan.
“There was a semi-final against Toulouse in the Aviva [in 2022] when he had lovely hands, put the ball in behind another player into Johnny’s [Sexton’s] hands [who broke clear and put Josh van der Flier in for a try]. He’s got lovely hands and his decision making is so good.”
Perhaps understandably, Molony is keen to highlight his focus on his current employers rather than his former schoolmates, let alone Leinster team-mates. He insists he won’t know Leinster’s lineout calls. “They’re gonna be aware that I have a bit of intel there. The way they package whatever lineout plan they come with is gonna be something completely different.”
When presented with the prospect of staring down fellow Michael’s alumnus Rónan Kelleher at a lineout come Saturday evening, though, Molony jokingly indulges himself. “Might be a few words.”
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