Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XII (The Byrne Supremacy)

Rugby Weekly Extra have a French journalist that covers La Rochelle on today's podcast.

Interestingly he thinks they're playing quite poorly, relying on maybe 20 minutes of good play per game to get them through. He speculates that their mentality isn't what it was. They had poor patches across the last few seasons and won the Champions Cup anyway. But this season the issues are more pronounced.

Although, I disagree with their supposition that La Rochelle are underdogs for this game. They're double European Champions that have won 3 of the last 4 games between the sides.

Theres nothing wrong with that. He's an Irishman, from their home province, that has coached a team to successive Champions Cups.

They've been very even in their praise for both sides.

Leinster are 8 pts favourites. That makes LaRochelle underdogs. If you don't think that's the case bet on la rochelle. Easy money.

‘We’ll take any support we can!’ – La Rochelle enjoying Cork welcome as key trio fit for Leinster

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/champions-cup/well-take-any-support-we-can-la-rochelle-enjoying-cork-welcome-as-key-trio-fit-for-leinster/a753202471.html

Don't buy 'break the squad' or that it will 'devastate them' - if that was going to happen it would have been after losing the final at home last year after being so far ahead. Most of that team then went and got knocked out in the QF for so if those combined losses didn't break them then a QF loss in the CC, where there is far less pressure and focus, will not.

The very recent narrative was that Leinster couldn't beat LAR and now after they went to their home and did that in the rain and down key players a few months ago the goal posts have quickly been shifted to they 'can't beat them in a knockout' and 'cant beat them when it matters'.

If Leinster win at the weekend it will be just one of three steps they need to take to get to their main goal. The same media heads who are building LAR as potential to 'break the squad' will again move the goal posts and say the same thing when it comes to a loss in the semi or final.

It is part of the pressure of being the most successful Irish side, while the media will coddle other provinces and pat them on the head for even failing to do the bare minimum in Europe.

That is pretty much the point I was making.

Being expected to win and losing the odd game each season against good teams is also normal, especially when they are by the smallest margins.

It is those who are making it out that a loss would 'break the team' who have gone way into hyperbole.

wont be the end of the world but it will be a right gut punch.

lose this weekend and something has got to change.

Yeah I've never understood people moaning about the bookies market. If you think La Rochelle should be favourites then you should put your money where your mouth is and put on a bet.

I have similar feelings to 2009 as we were getting ready to play Munster in croke park.

Really feel we have to win this one.

4 years in a row exiting to the same side is just too much

If Leinster lose it will be an absolute kick in the bollox, but that can happen in sport (poor oul Mayo). I think we'll beat them, I'd have been more sure of it if James Ryan was playing, but I think we've good enough players and coaches to do it again. Hopefully it will put an end to this 'bottling' it nonsense that's spouted from some quarters. Sport is tough, especially when you're playing the best of the best.

We never should've lost last year. We were comfortably on top of them and smashing them physically. We won were dominant in the rucks, and turning over ball consistently. Some of the worst system failures with clearance kicks I've ever seen handed them the platform to score.

La Rochelle were always going to have dominant spells in the game. The thing that will always rankle is how easy Leinster made it for them. Those botched clearance kicks will always stay in the back of the mind of Lowe, Byrne and JGP.

You know the loss last year cut deep when JvdF aka The South African Bull aka The Seven Gates of Hell was down on his fecking knees crying into the dirt.

I don't understand how Leinster are 7-8 point favourites for this game considering previous and the set-piece issues.

It really depends how you're defining 'devastate', is it closer to your 'kick in the balls' or the previous 'break the squad'? Those two are worlds apart.

It would definitely be a kick in the balls but I believe it is hyperbolic that it'll devastate them to the point of breaking the squad.

Totally disagree with your opinion regarding the manner of a loss. If Leinster lost by double digits in the last two finals and were miles off the LAR pace it would be a completely different story regarding how they'd feel and the actions that would be required for the team. Looking at win vs loss and ignoring the context seems shortsighted and lazy.

To me there is little, if any, difference in the depth of pain Leinster will feel if they lose this weekend or lose in the final. Leinster's goal this season isn't to beat LAR, if it was that has already been checked off the list. The LAR boogeyman is a great narrative but matters little in the grand scheme of things - winning the trophy is where they are being judged and will judge themselves.