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22

2019 Leinster Defeat Munster At The RDS And

22nd,

May Advance To Guinness PRO14 Final

| By Barry Coughlan
EXAMINER Stance to go before suc-
o now we know –
Munster have a dis-

IRISH ceeding in playing catch-up
with Leinster, and Ulster
have an even longer road to
travel in order to dine at the
top table of Celtic, never
mind European, rugby.
After Saracens proved
themselves the worthy win-
ners of the Heineken
European Championship by
strangling the life out of
Leinster, the Irish province
last weekend bounced back
quickly to reach another final
of the Guinness PRO14 with a
deserved victory at the RDS
Arena.
This wasn’t about a missed
opportunity for Munster but
more about being beaten by a
better side and Saturday’s
final against Glasgow Hooker Sean Cronin runs in the opening try at the RDS (©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo)
Warriors at Celtic Park has all rugby that was never more in It seems fitting that the same as Ireland will face in had the better of possession
the ingredients to be a evidence than in the 38-38 PRO14 final is between the September – finding the and position, but from a
thriller. draw with England at two most consistent teams in resources to cope with Munster point of view, it
Glasgow, through their 50- Twickenham on the last day the tournament. Glasgow Glasgow’s ability to score makes horrendous reading
20 rout of Ulster, finished top of the season. topped Conference away with tries from broken play. that in the entire match they
of their PRO14 conference Schmidt will surely look 81 points, four better than Throughout the league had only one miserable gain-
ahead of Munster, and a place back at video footage of that runners-up Munster. Both campaign, the teams pro- line break, while Leinster had
in the decider is fitting reward remarkable game. Scotland teams won 16 and lost five of duced similar records. While ten.
for their displays through the were 24 points down at half- their 21 league-section match- Leinster finished top with 76 In the event, Leinster
campaign and, in particular, time and 31 points adrift after es, but Glasgow earned them- points, less than Glasgow scored the only and crucial
their brilliance in the semi- 50 minutes before launching selves a home semi-final by enjoyed in Conference A, the tries of the game and Van
final. an amazing comeback. virtue of securing more bonus Irish side still had 13 points to Graan is now, over the sum-
So, there is to be no fairy- Gregor Townsend’s point victories. spare over runners-up Ulster. mer, left to figure out where
tale ending to the season for charges slaughtered England That left Munster to face a Glasgow scored 83 tries to go from here.
Irish skipper Rory Best, who for the remaining 30 minutes rejuvenated Benetton Treviso and conceded 48, while He is also left without a
will hang up his boots for of the game and four minutes in a quarter-final clash at Leinster scored 95 tries and substantial coaching team fol-
good following Ireland’s into injury time led 38-31 Thomond Park and to say conceded 49. lowing the decision of both
World Cup campaign in Japan before George Ford came to Johann Van Graan’s team Glasgow’s thumping victo- Jerry Flannery and Felix Jones
later this year. England’s rescue with a last struggled would be an under- ry over Ulster, who defeated to refuse an extension of con-
Best’s Ulster were given a gasp try and conversion. statement. It took a magnifi- fellow Irish side Connacht in tract offer. Worse still, one of
lesson in the basics by a side Notwithstanding that dis- cent late long-range penalty the quarter-final, will certain- Munster’s best ever player-
that played typical free-flow- appointing end, Scotland from substitute JJ Hanrahan ly have given Leinster coach- signings from abroad, Doug
ing Scottish rugby. One feels retained the Calcutta Cup for to rescue an out-of-sorts ing director Leo Cullen plenty Howlett, has also decided to
sure that Irish coach Joe the first time since 1984 and Munster and give them a for- food for thought and will jump ship from his current
Schmidt will have been able outscored England 6-5 on the tuitous victory. have cut the odds against position of Commercial
to see for himself, but Best try count in a game that was That win merely extended them with the bookmakers. Manager and return to New
may be able to give him some the highest scoring draw in the season a week for them Leinster still go into the tie Zealand for family reasons.
further insight what Scotland, rugby history. and Leinster, following their as 8-13 favorites and that New signings of substance
which will include many So Schmidt and Best won’t European final loss, clearly reflects properly on what they and a change of playing style
Glasgow players, will bring to dwell as much on the 22-13 put the disappointment have achieved in all competi- must be the order of the day
the party when the two coun- win they secured in behind them to take control tions throughout the season. to satisfy a growing band of
tries meet in a Pool A World Murrayfield, but more on of the PRO14 semi in the sec- However, the coaching team frustrated supporters.
Cup opener on September 22. what Scotland, at their best, ond half and coast to a 26-9 will be wary of what Glasgow Of all the Irish provinces,
Yes, Scotland finished sec- will be capable of in victory. are capable of and that may player and coaching invest-
ond from bottom of the Six September based on the bril- In similar fashion to the require some adjustment to ment in the future of Munster
Nations table and the sole vic- liance they displayed in European campaign, the two the normal free-flowing is urgently required.
tory was over the hapless Twickenham and on what best sides have now reached Leinster approach. Irish rugby needs more
Italians. But statistics don’t half the national team the big finals. Facts and figures from the than just Leinster out there
quite show that Scotland (Glasgow) did to Ulster last The big challenge for Leinster-Munster game are winning titles on a regular
played some enterprising weekend. Leinster will probably be the interesting. Munster actually basis. C