Cullen pride after youthful Leinster pull off Sharks kill
GOING TO THE MAX: Max Deegan, captain of Leinster, is tackled by James Venter of the Hollywoodbets Shark. Pic: ©INPHO/Steve Haag
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen was full of pride after his vastly understrength side, taught a harsh lesson at Loftus Versfeld the previous week, ground out a hard-earned win in the Durban heat to ensure they took five points home from this two-match sojourn to South Africa.
It was real backs-to-the-wall stuff at Kings Park but Leinster were up for the battle and dug in for a fine victory.
“We had a good plan, we saw the opportunity to beat the Sharks and we worked out a way to do it. It required good intent, and that was plentiful, and we ground it out. We have no regret that it was not the prettiest of contests.
“We came to a difficult place to win and we are so pleased to get the result. I have seen how these guys have worked in the two months before the tour and they kept at it in South Africa,” said Cullen.
It is only a second win in South Africa for Leinster who usually send youthful squads there because so many are caught up on Irish duty.
“The Six Nations window allows us to bring guys through the system, and the more of our guys who played for Ireland, the more opportunities we had at club level,” added Cullen.
“That is how we look at it and the timing of this tour to South Africa gave us opportunities at the right time to grow our squad.
“I am so impressed with this squad. The young guys understood the pride in playing for Leinster. This game was nail-biting, as it was last week in Pretoria, but so many guys were working hard and scrambling.
“To take five points home from South Africa is outstanding. We were here three seasons ago in Durban and were camped on the Sharks line only to turn the ball over, and it went their way.”
Leinster, having lost at the death against the Bulls last weekend, this time closed out the win. Unlike last week they cleared a ball off their own scrum in the final minute and then in the final play, with the misfiring Sharks opting for the corner with a penalty from 30 metres, defended the lineout to secure the win.
The fact that it was achieved against a side led by double World Cup winning skipper Siya Kolisi adds considerably to the value of the victory, not least after losing for the first time this season last weekend.
Whether any of these have played their way into Leinster’s Champions Cup squad for the Harlequins game next weekend remains to be seen but Max Deegan led from the front and veteran Cian Healy grafted for over an hour in 28 degrees South African heat before being called ashore.
The Sharks, who won all six home URC matches this season, pounded the Leinster line early on but could not find a way through.
That set the tone for the game, with Leinster disciplined in their defence and the Sharks, despite all the talent on board, lacking ambition and struggling for a game plan.
They lost scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse to the bin for cynical play when Leinster pressed for the first time.
His opposite number Fintan Gunne, starting his first match for Leinster, flew a superb pass wide for academy winger Henry McErlean to score in the right corner for his first try for Leinster.
That turned out to be the only score of the opening half but Leinster struck a telling blow aftrb 48 minutes when Ciaran Frawley put Scott Penny away to make it 10-0.
Sharks finally got in for a try off hooker Bongi Mbonambi after doing the simple things well in the build-up and Jordan Hendrikse converted to cut the gap to 10-7 after 52 minutes.
Frawley did well to deny centre Ethan Hooker but the Sharks were poor all round.
Tries: B Mbonambi. Con: Jordan Hendrikse
Tries: H McErlean, S Penny.
Y Penxe (S Masuku 64); E Hooker, J Julius (F Venter 58), A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse (B Davids 70); O Nche (N Mchunu 66), B Mbonambi, V Koch (R Dreyer 66); J Jenkins, E van Heerden (C Rahl 66); J Venter (M Tshituka 62), V Tshituka, S Kolisi (capt).
J O’Brien; T O’Brien (H McErlean 12-26), L Turner (R Byrne 51), C Tector, A Osborne (McErlean 75); C Frawley, F Gunne (O Coffey 78); C Healy (M Milne 62), J McKee (L Barron 62), T Clarkson (R McGuire 76); D Mangan, B Deeny; A Soroka (A Spicer 78), W Connors (S Penny 29), M Deegan.
: B Breakspear (Wales).
