Leinster star Garry Ringrose insists Champions Cup semi vs Toulouse impossible to call as they look to book Dublin final
THEIR Cup clash opposition are named the Red and Blacks due to their distinctive colours.
But Leinster star Garry Ringrose reckons only a mug would try to call this afternoon’s Champions Cup semi-final.
Toulouse have five European titles to Leinster’s four — but in each case most of the success is of a historic nature.
The province have won the three most recent meetings — the last a 40-17 thumping at the very same stage of the competition just 12 months ago — but Ringrose suggests that is no reason to bet on a fourth success.
The centre said: “I wouldn’t necessarily reflect on last year in terms of drawing experiences. It’s a clean slate again and I operate week-to-week.
“I don’t think about last year too much. Maybe it’s just that a roulette wheel doesn’t have a memory.
“They’ve five stars on their jersey. They’re an unbelievably talented group, a group that’s strong in identity and culture and I’ve no doubt they’re coming here to win.
“I’d say the same things about us, minus the star, looking to do the same. It’s as big an occasion as I’ve played in and no doubt it will be as tough a challenge. That’s what everyone’s gearing up for.”
For Leinster, the motivation is massive. Dublin will host the final of this competition for the fourth time this year. Leinster have not made any of the three previous Lansdowne deciders, in 1999, 2003 and 2013. They have been in six of the 24 finals held elsewhere.
The fact that this year also ends in a three might make some apprehensive of a pattern developing.
In 2013, under Joe Schmidt, the Blues missed out on the top-tier knockouts entirely, beating Stade Francais in the Challenge Cup final at the RDS while Toulon edged Clermont in the Aviva.
Boss Leo Cullen — who keeps a programme of the semi-final defeat to Perpignan two decades ago on his desk as a painful reminder of what it is like to miss out — is not the superstitious type.
But he is anxious Leinster do not once more fail to make the guestlist when the biggest day in European club rugby takes place in his hometown.
Cullen said: “It doesn’t guarantee you anything, does it? That’s the point. You’ve got to go do the work, you’ve got to be able to perform on the day and that’s what we’ve tried to focus on, players and staff.
“You think of 2013, we don’t even qualify for the knockout stages — we were in the Amlin as it was called back then. We were playing the final up the road, and weren’t down here. It was two French teams.
“I’ve been around, we’ve had tough old days. You take them for granted. It goes back to preparation.
“Some of the things that stand out about that 2003 game was we probably over-trained that week, so it’s just trying to make sure this week is sharp.
“Some guys got to do some decent work last week. Toulouse are pretty similar. They rested up their group for Stade Francais at the weekend.
“It’s on the day, two good teams. Wind the clock back and at the start of the week, how do you prepare? Get through the physical reps, but it’s the mental part as well. The guys have prepared well, and should be fresh.”
INJURY NEWS
Leinster will go into battle without three heavy-hitters in Robbie Henshaw (quad), captain Johnny Sexton (groin) and James Lowe (calf).
But Josh van der Flier (ankle) is fit enough to start and Ryan Baird (shoulder) is a replacement.
Ringrose revealed that Sexton has continued to have a role, saying: “Johnny’s in on our backs meetings and surprisingly he’d still be humble enough to not speak sometimes because he’d maybe feel it’s not his place.
“But we’d always ask if there’s anything he’s seen that we’re missing and usually there is with how he reads the game.
“He sees stuff other lads don’t, so he’s still in there in the mornings helping us out and he’s there for us to pick his brain.
“He’s a big-game player and he’s a good person to ask about what it takes to win. He’s seen it all and done that.”
Cullen and Ringrose described Henshaw’s replacement, Charlie Ngatai, as a big-game player too. The once-capped All Black makes his first appearance since January and is well-known to Toulouse from four years in Lyon prior to joining Leinster last year.
An injury list that might have derailed Ireland’s ambitions in the past did not deny a Grand Slam to Andy Farrell’s side this year and Leinster, too, will hope to prevail.
Ringrose said: “Big names can be missing but, no matter who it is, when you’re part of the group, if your name is picked by Leo there’s a standard you have to uphold.
“Depth has always been a strength of Leinster’s and there’s an expectation of each other but then also as an individual there’s a want to deliver for the wider group that I think is still there.”
They have already overcome adversity with Leinster enduring a nightmarish trip to beat Racing 92 42-10 in the first pool game in December.
Cullen recalled: “Why did we have anxiety travelling to Le Havre trying to get everything we could?
“Because we want to be here in front of friends and family. It’s an amazing privilege to be here again. We’ve had three games already in this tournament here and it’s a massive clash, isn’t it?”
That was echoed by James Ryan but with a crowd of around 45,000 expected, the lock was quick to blame €75 tickets for it not being a full house.
Undeterred that he was speaking at a Press conference hosted by the competition organisers, Ryan said: “I’m not sure it’ll be quite a sell-out. It probably would be if the EPCR lowered the ticket prices.”
LEINSTER: Keenan, Larmour, Ringrose, Ngatai, O’Brien, R Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Molony, Ryan, Doris, van der Flier, Conan. Reps: McKee, Healy, Ala’alatoa, Jenkins, Baird, McGrath, H Byrne, Frawley.
TOULOUSE: Ramos, Cruz Mallía, Barassi, Ahki, Lebel, Ntamack, Dupont; Naile, Mauvaka, Aldegheri, Arnold, Meafou, Willis, Flament, Cros. Reps: Marchand, Neti, Ainu’u, Roumat, Elstadt, Placines, Graou, Retiere.
