Attention turns to Europe this week as Leinster and Munster embrace Champions Cup fixtures against English opposition. At the same time, Connacht and Ulster take on their respective opening fixtures in the Challenge Cup.
Leinster, who host Harlequins at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (5.30pm), returned from Wales with a five-point haul from a hard-fought 24-10 victory over the Dragons at Rodney Parade. The headlines: for the second match in succession, JJ Kenny grabbed a brace of tries, 22-year-old Skerries native Josh Ericson made his debut, and flanker Scott Penny survived a TMO review.
Penny’s shoulder collided with the head of Dragons forward Levi Douglas while making a tackle in the 75th minute. The Leinster flanker did wrap. Douglas was dropping in height, but 11 times out of 10, it’s a card. Referee Morne Ferreira didn’t even award a penalty.
Asked about the incident, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said: “Both players were falling so it’s hard to say, but that’s the way the game is at the moment. It’s a little bit complicated. If you wind back the clock, that incident wouldn’t even have been looked at.
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“When every incident is blown up on the screen, and everything is freeze-framed, it’s a real challenge when you are dealing with poachers. You do want consistency from referees, but I’d like to see the game being more fluid and have less TMO interruptions. I understand the need around tries on the goal line, but we need more fluidity.”
Leinster conceded 17 penalties and had three players receive a yellow card, a frustration for Cullen, who added: “We started giving away silly penalties. There were about seven or eight for offside and I’ll have to have a look back at it on the review. We need to have a good look at ourselves in terms of decision making.”
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Munster head coach Clayton McMillan watched his side surrender a 21-6 lead and an unbeaten record this season at Thomond Park as the Stormers blew their hosts away on Saturday night, holding them scoreless in the second half while tagging on 21 points, for a 27-21 win.
The home side lost flanker Jack O’Donoghue to a head knock and he will follow the graduated return-to-play protocols. But Jean Kleyn, on duty for the Springboks in the 73-0 win over Wales, should be available for a Saturday night trip to the Rec (8pm) and a date with some familiar faces.
Former Munster coach Johann van Graan is enjoying a very successful tenure at the reigning English Premiership champions Bath, a squad that also contains Irish internationals Ross Molony and Quinn Roux.
Ulster will be the first of the Irish provinces in action when they host Racing 92 in the Challenge Cup at the Affidea Stadium on Friday night (8pm). Richie Murphy’s side thumped Benetton 47-13 at the weekend, despite one or two injury issues, before and during the game.
Iain Henderson pulled out after suffering a back problem in the warm-up, while replacement hooker Rob Herring was taken off soon after his introduction. Murphy explained: “He [Henderson] had got through the week training really well, and was feeling good, but he landed in a lineout just before the game and got a back spasm, so, hopefully not too serious.
“He [Herring] came on, he rolled his ankle a little bit, so rather than leave him out there limping around, in the front row you can replace him, so we got him out of there.” He explained that it was “precautionary”.
Ulster recovered from a 13-12 half-time deficit to romp home and Murphy paid tribute to his coaching team. “I think our skill work is allowing us to be more accurate in how we’re playing and I think Mark Sexton has done a really good job coming in, in that area, you know, we’re very much a coaching team and we work really hard together.
“Mark and Willie [Faloon] are the newest coaches in our team, I think they’ve had a big impact.”
New Zealander Sam Gilbert made his Connacht debut in a 44-17 victory over the Sharks at the Dexcom Stadium, with fullback Seán Naughton flawless off the tee with five conversions and three penalties.
Stuart Lancaster’s side begin their Challenge Cup campaign with a short trip to west Wales, where they take on the Ospreys at the Brewery Field on Sunday (3.15pm).
