Ruaidhri O’Connor believes that Bath might have come across a tactical setup that will prove problematic for Leinster.
Leinster ultimately triumphed at The Rec, beating the English side 17-10, but the Irish Independent’s O’Connor believes that this may prove a Pyrrhic victory.
“Bath really did put a template in place for other teams to go at Leinster. It is not too different from what Racing did in the final as well.
“If you can slow down their ball, if you can get turnovers and get over their ball, win the collisions and stop them getting front-foot ball then they become a very ordinary team.
“Leinster are very much human, but they are not that far ahead of the pack that a good team [can undo them]. Bath are not that good a team - a better team than Bath would have won that game because they did everything in their power to put themselves in a position to win, but threw the ball away on key occasions.”
Ruaidhri gave us insights into the changes that he feels will likely come to the Blues’ line-ups – some forced, others otherwise.
“Leinster have gone away twice in Europe and struggled both times. Both times they have been beaten at the breakdown. They got an intercept against them in Toulouse, and one for them in Bath so they are in a decent position.
“But there is definitely going to be work done this week – there is going to be plenty to sift through and improve on. I imagine [Jack] Conan comes into the number 8 jersey this week.
“There is not much wiggle room at centre. Robbie Henshaw is out until after the first two games of the Six Nations.
“There is no ready-made solution. There is Conor O’Brien […] who is really good and big, but they have been reluctant to put him in for these games.”
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