MATT O’CONNOR SAYS Leinster may have to look at tactical tweaks as their Champions Cup campaign looms.
The province have lost their two premier ball carriers in Cian Healy and Sean O’Brien to long-term injuries, while they have also been shorn of some quality in their back three at the outset of this season.
With the power of Healy and O’Brien having been such a focal point for Leinster’s attack in recent years, their absence is a clear blow ahead of European action, which begins in two weekends’ time at home to Wasps.
While Zane Kirchner is expected to be return against Zebre in the Pro12 on Saturday, Dave Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald remain sidelined, denying O’Connor international cutting edge out wide.
Does the injury list change Leinster’s attacking approach?
It certainly has the potential to,” says O’Connor. “You need to look at what your competitive advantage is against the opposition and we have to make those assessments and weigh up the parameters every week.
“You lose the ball carrying of a Cian Healy and Sean O’Brien and the finishing ability of Kirchner, Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald, you need to make some adjustments. It certainly doesn’t take away from the squad and our position to win games, it might just have a different slant to it.
“You have to work out a different way to win. That’s a job for the coaches to work out, what our competitive advantage is against the opposition.
“That puts a different slant on what you do, a different emphasis on other individuals and selections that need to fill those voids and provide the things that might be missing. That’s all part of the crystal ball that is coaching.”
It is quite the conundrum for O’Connor and his assistants Leo Cullen, Marco Caputo and Richie Murphy. A win away to Zebre this weekend would be a pre-Europe boost, although the province are taking nothing for granted against the Italians.
Thereafter, a Champions Cup pool featuring Wasps, Harlequins and Castres may not be all plain sailing, even if it perhaps compares favourably to the Munster and Leinster’s groups.
I think the reality is that when the groups came out, we looked at it as incredibly challenging,” says O’Connor. “I think what we did last year in Europe gave the guys a lot of confidence that you can go to tough places and get a result.
“From that end, we were brilliant on the road. We’ll be trying to keep up the fortress that is the RDS, and back it up on the road.”
Surely Matt O’Connor has been in this job long enough now to have a plan for playing without Sean O’Brien (who has been out injured for almost a year) and Cian Healy (who has had a few intermittent absences in the last 18 months alone)? I’ll give him a hint, getting Gopperth to launch the ball 40 yards down the field every time he gets his hands on it isn’t the way forward.
Mc Grath and Madigan as starting halfbacks, Kirchner and Fanning on wings, Reid and D’Arcy 12 and 13. Bob FB.
F knows with front row. Toner and Douglas locks (where has Mc Carthy’s weapony clearing out gone?)
Ruddock, Ryan, Heaslip. Nothing’ll work if we don’t start rucking though
Sorry did he really say “what we did in Europe last year will give us confidence” he got one of the best ever European squads and made them look very ordinary, the team that played the 1/4 final looked like they were to try and hang in and nick it rather then. Maybe he should have a look at the stars on the jersey just to remind himself of the team he is coaching.
Rather then win.
We’ve had a plan?
MOC says “from that end…” quite a lot
Maybe get the academy players more involved, been hearing great things about gary ringrose one for the latter stages of the season
If dan carter moved to sandymount and said he’d play for free m’oc would still play gopperth.