Cheika concedes lesssons to be learned

GERRY THORNLEYgets the views from both camps after Ulster's victory on Saturday night at a wet and windy Ravenhill

ALTHOUGH THEY did many things well, and the spirit was willing in a game which couldn’t defy the conditions but certainly gave those watching more entertainment than they had a right to expect, Leinster coach Michael Cheika bemoaned one that got away in Belfast on Saturday night.

“We were just a little too patchy. We did some really good things with the conditions but other times we opened ourselves up, our bodyline was too high in patches. We let them into the game in the first half by not being clinical enough. You have got to be so disciplined in those conditions and unfortunately we had too many times where we had them under pressure and took our foot off. In the second half it even translates to keeping the ball in hand on their line but if you’ve got the ball, time’s ticking away from them, you keep it. But we gave them too many opportunities for them to breathe.”

Acknowledging Ulster are “a good team” with “lots of talented players”, Cheika added: “They’re getting their stuff together, they have a good coaching team now, they have a good feeling. But we’d be disappointed because it’s a fixture we’ve either drawn or won over four years.”

The defeat had, he said, “dented” a good start to the season. Lamenting the way they conceded a scrum at the outset by over-stepping the kick-off, and then conceding a penalty, Cheika also admitted: “In certain parts of the game we were very good and in certain parts we lacked discipline required to win that fixture, especially away from home.”

As for Leinster’s odd persistence with a running game in the first half, and tapping four penalties, Cheika pointed to Ulster keeping players back. “We didn’t manage the game brilliantly in the first half but I don’t think it came from choices, I think it came from the mistakes we made which maybe put us in situations where we made the decision to run it because we kicked it out on the full.”

Looking ahead to next week’s visit of Cardiff, and with those pivotal back-to-back December meetings with the Scarlets in mind, the old truism you learn more from your defeats could yet prove significant. “We’ve gotta learn those lessons and there was a couple of really important ones that came out of tonight because we’ve got some big home and away games coming up. Make sure we learn the lesson of not releasing the pressure for periods of time so the opposition get a foothold.”

Admitting there were plenty of tired and bruised bodies in the visiting dressingroom, tighthead Mike Ross admitted: “I think Ulster peaked a little better than us and took their chances when on offer and made us work really, really hard for any points that we got. Conditions weren’t favourable for either side but Ulster played them a little better.”

While noting “even though the wind was strong, at times it wasn’t deviating the ball at all”, Ulster backs coach Neil Doak cited Ian Humphreys’ kicking game as “key” to the win, adding: “I thought we kept the ball really well and we probably had a bit more territory into the wind. But at the end of the day it’s always nice to beat Leinster, no matter where it is. We’re over the moon. It’s just a pity we didn’t do it last week but . . . we’ve just got to keep building. We’re away to Munster next week and we’ve got to have another committed performance next week and hopefully we’ll come out on top again.”

Asked whether this was a good or bad time to be playing the out-of-touch Munster, Doak smiled and said: “At the end of the day they are not firing on all cylinders, but you have to look at that Northampton game when they were struggling but almost came back and won it. They know how to play rugby, they know how to grind scores out and Munster are dangerous when they have their backs against the wall. Edinburgh beat them on Friday night in the league so there is a bit of pressure on a few players and on them.”

Agreeing this was his biggest win as Ulster captain, Chris Henry was mindful Munster will be smarting from the 37-11 defeat Ulster inflicted on the league champions at Thomond Park last January. “I’m sure they will be thinking about that and using that, but we talked about it at the start of the year and we’re fed up not being up among the big boys. If we want to be there we’re going to have to go to these places and put in performances. We’ve talked a lot as well about playing poorly and we haven’t got the wins when Leinster and Munster have ground out the wins. It’s something we’re still working on and I think everyone will think great win tonight, but we’re getting ready for next week.”