'We are driving our attack standards and looking to play the Leinster way'
IT IS AN area of their game that has come under the microscope, but Leinster assistant coach Andrew Goodman insists he hasn’t seen any glaring issues with the province’s attack in recent times.
Despite having numerous entries into the opposition’s ‘22’ over the course of a contest that ran for 100 plus minutes, Leinster only managed to claim a single try – an extra-time effort by Josh van der Flier – in their Champions Cup final defeat to Toulouse at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month.
While the arrival of Jacques Nienaber as senior coach was always going to lead to an increased emphasis on defence, it has been suggested in some quarters that Leinster’s attacking play may have suffered as a result.
Yet speaking in his capacity as the man who is in charge of this side of the game for the eastern province – and is set to begin a similar role within the Irish national team set-up later this year – Goodman is adamant their approach to attack hasn’t changed from what had gone before.
“I did see that after the game [talk about Leinster's attack]. When you look back at the game in terms of how much play we created and opportunities we created compared to Toulouse, it was massive. I think if we had executed a couple of those opportunities in the first half, that takes a bit of the wind out of their sails and it gives you a little bit more,” Goodman explained at a Leinster media briefing in UCD yesterday.
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“You can’t underestimate the momentum that can give a team when you execute one or two of those opportunities. As I think has been said, there’s definitely not a change, in terms of the boys are still driving the same as what they have been doing.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the execution [right] in that game on the biggest stage. Which was a shame, but we are driving our attack standards and looking to play the Leinster way as much and as often as we ever have.
“I don’t think we would ever be talking about it if one or two of those passes had stuck and it was a different result. Yes, we have got to try and get the Leinster way. It needs to be a way where we can be a great, great team with the ball and without the ball. That’s the challenge.”
From this regard, Leinster are aiming to strike the right balance this weekend in what they hope will be the first of three knockout games in the current edition of the United Rugby Championship. The Aviva Stadium is the venue this Saturday as the Blues take on Ulster at the quarter-final stage of the competition.
Should they come out on top at Irish Rugby HQ, Leinster could find themselves in Pretoria the following weekend – provided The Bulls come through their own last-eight duel with Benetton on Saturday. There is also just 18 days to go until the final takes place, but given Ulster enjoyed home and away wins over Leinster during the regular URC season, Goodman is trying not to look too far ahead.
Andrew Goodman at Leinster training yesterday.
“It’s a great challenge. All we are focusing on this week is a fired-up Ulster who have beaten us twice. We have just come off the final defeat, so there is plenty of motivation around this building as well. There is no complacency or anything.
“We are full throttle, looking to make sure we get a great performance, which is going to lead to an outcome. If we get off to South Africa, we get off to South Africa. We just get into it and what a way to finish the season if we can get it done.”
Meanwhile, after not being able to call on his services since a Champions Cup pool stage victory against Leicester Tigers on 20 January, it seems Leinster will finally have a fully-fit Garry Ringrose to choose from for Saturday’s game in the Aviva.
Troubled by a shoulder injury for several months, Ringrose was earmarked as being available for selection in a squad bulletin that was released yesterday. Although Robbie Henshaw and Jamie Osborne have been forming a strong midfield partnership in his absence, Goodman admitted it was a huge boost for the Leinster joint-captain to be back in the frame.
“He has been training for a number of weeks now and the contact levels have been slightly going up and up. It’s great to see him take more steps in the right direction over the last week. There are still a couple of things he needs to tick off through this week,” Goodman added.
“We have a midfield partnership that has been going pretty well at the same time, so we just have to assess what’s best for the 23-man squad. We would have no problem bringing him back in terms of not playing because of what he has been doing in training.”