PRO14 final: Leinster back row take inspiration from Jack Conan as they underline the gap Munster have to bridge

Brendan Fanning

Leinster's Jack Conan tries to force his way past Munster's CJ Stander during yesterday's Guinness PRO14 final at the RDS Arena. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Luke McGrath of Leinster box kicks under pressure from Jean Kleyn of Munster during the Guinness PRO14 Final match between Leinster and Munster at the RDS Arena in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald

Leinster's Jack Conan tries to force his way past Munster's CJ Stander during yesterday's Guinness PRO14 final at the RDS Arena. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Luke McGrath of Leinster box kicks under pressure from Jean Kleyn of Munster during the Guinness PRO14 Final match between Leinster and Munster at the RDS Arena in Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald

Leinster's Jack Conan tries to force his way past Munster's CJ Stander during yesterday's Guinness PRO14 final at the RDS Arena. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

March 28 2021 02:30 AM

If the Six Nations that concluded in overtime, outside the international window, on Friday night was probably the last free-to-air version of that tournament then yesterday’s Old Firm game at the RDS was the final run of the PRO14 as we know it, before the South African heavyweights wade in. Appropriately enough it featured the anchor tenants.

It is unheard of to have a final without one or both of Leinster and Munster. Unthinkable that any of the representatives from Scotland, Italy or Wales would send forward a candidate to treat this piece of sporting property as their own. Leinster still have it.

Below the line of Leinster looking for their fourth title in a row was the almost equally attractive stat of six on the trot against this opposition. Which brings to mind Mick Galwey’s mantra when Munster were on the road in Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s: ‘Don’t panic.’

There were times when it seemed unavoidable, but when combined with a refusal to lie down it would come in handy. Like the first half here at a blustery RDS. Munster stuck to it, telling themselves they might be getting pummelled but they were still in the game.

“Who has the wind?” asked a texter from outside the bubble, a man who in his day could swing his left peg and put the ball on a wind-assisted journey to the stars. It wasn’t a question simply answered, but Johnny Sexton had given us a clue at the tail end of the warm-up.

Wandering down to the Munster half of the field, where their extras were doing a fitness hit, Sexton reeled off a few shots on goal into the Anglesea Road end. The first looked like it was heading for the black spot until taking a sharp right and wide.

Sure enough Joey Carbery would have a similar experience with a minute to play in the first half.

If he got it then the no-panic policy would have been beautifully endorsed, for we would have had a tied game. Never mind, he got another go a minute later, adjusted his bearings, and the teams were level going off at the break.

How the hell did that happen?

Leinster started at breakneck pace. If it was a challenge for Munster to keep up, it was a chore to keep track of the ratio between chances created and chances taken.

Normally when this is skewed it gives the defending team a sense someone somewhere is keeping them in the game. In fairness to Munster they weren’t passive observers, but everything around them was happening so quickly they seemed powerless to intervene.

CJ Stander was a classic example. A horse of a man, who understood what it meant for his squad to bridge the trophy gap, you had to check the teamsheet to make sure he started.

The Leinster pack seemed to be always going forward. Jack Conan was the man of the match, which was fitting. Having missed so much time last season through injury, his international and Leinster careers are again on the right path. He was excellent.

So were the men either side of him. Josh van der Flier got back into the Ireland side last weekend through injury to Will Connors, and made the most of it. He picked up here where he left off.

As for Rhys Ruddock, his importance to the side is reflected in his work rate: he’s always looking for something to do, whether it’s grunt or glamour, he’s up for it. Munster weren’t mapped.

Nevertheless the scoreboard was telling a story at odds with the flow on the field. Rory O’Loughlin might have got the first try of the game, in the opening minutes, if he backed himself instead of giving it to Jordan Larmour outside him.

On another day Scott Fardy would not have been held up when a power play off a five-metre scrum saw him charging for glory. Then they were done for crossing on another move a few minutes later, with the Munster defence stretched.

And still the neon readout in the corner of the field said it was only 6-3 to the home team.

Sure enough the only change by half-time was 6-6 when Carbery got his second chance. Leinster’s conversation at the break had to be strained. Every minute that passed without joining the dots between pressure and points was an invite to Munster to make a statement.

To their credit Leinster gagged the men in red when it mattered.

Robbie Henshaw was everywhere, doing everything. His season will take him to South Africa, where along with Tadhg Furlong and Andrew Porter he will be on Warren Gatland’s match-day squad for the Lions. Porter’s development as a rugby player is phenomenal.

And yet, by the protocol around contact to the head he should have been red-carded for a shoulder to the face of Jean Kleyn who carried into him. Referee Mike Adamson reckoned it was passive, but you suspect others would have seen it differently. Yes that would have made it a different game, but such was Leinster’s hunger it would hardly have been a massive swing.

They picked up early in the second half where they had left off in the first. The game needed Munster to score, but it was Conan getting over from close range.

The only shortcoming in Leinster’s game was at 10, where Ross Byrne simply didn’t have the gas to drive on with all the ball he was getting. Sexton wasn’t going to change that picture much, but when he came on he only lasted a short while, having to leave for a HIA from which he didn’t return.

On 52 minutes Munster changed their props, which raised expectations of Dave Kilcoyne making an impact if he could get to carry.

It left the man he replaced, James Cronin, wondering if his shift had impressed his masters. This was Cronin’s 12th start of 14 games this season, but he has no contract offer for next season. Darren Sweetnam meantime — uninvolved yesterday — is off to La Rochelle.

It was an aside for a team who, along with JJ Hanrahan heading to Clermont, could lose three local lads who have worked hard to bridge the gap between the glory days and what has followed.

No bridge in sight.