Caelan Doris reflects on match-deciding moment of magic at Croke Park

As the clock slowly ticked towards the red, and with Northampton piling on the pressure, Leinster were in desperate need of one more big defensive play to get them over the line.

Step forward Caelan Doris and Jack Conan.

Knowing that any sort of penalty would almost certainly result in Fin Smith, who had kicked very well all game, sending the game to extra-time, the Leinster players knew they had to be squeaky clean at every breakdown.

To go for a poach that late on required skill, execution and courage of the highest order, but Leinster had it in spades, as Doris and Conan combined brilliantly to secure the match-winning turnover.

“One hand each,” Doris smiled after his side’s enthralling 20-17 win.

“In the context of the game, it felt like we needed a moment like that but you don’t want to go overly hunting for them.

“If it shows up, I was actually on the outside and that’s against our ‘D’ (defence) system coming in like that, but I’d the security of Jack on the inside.”

It was a high class moment from two outstanding back-rows, as Leinster won the penalty, which allowed them to see off a remarkable late rally from a gutsy Saints side at a sold-out Croke Park.

“It’s more instinct, you don’t really have time to weigh it up too much,” Doris said of that pivotal moment late on.

“It’s learning as captain, trying to be a little bit more aware of the clock, what’s going on on the scoreboard etc. Generally, with me it would be instincts.”

Doris’ instincts certainly stood to him, just as they had done throughout what was an excellent display from the stand-in skipper.

The Mayo man was to the fore in everything good about Leinster’s performance, and while he will reflect on how his side almost managed to let a healthy lead slip from the grasp, it was a case of job done.

A third consecutive Champions Cup final beckons at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in three weeks, with Doris mightily relieved to have gotten the job done on what was a special day for the province.

“We came together and acknowledged that there was a bit of a lull, that they were going through a bit of a purple patch,” Doris added.

“Some of that was through our discipline, giving away back to back penalties which gave them entry into our half, but I think it’s credit to them as well.

“They’re top of the Premiership for a reason, when we were scouting them we saw their attack as one of the best we’re going to face this season and you saw some of that in the second half as well.

“As much as we back our ‘D’, their attack probably got on top of us at times there. It was just pleasing to just about do enough in the last few minutes.”

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