Wriggle room at a minimum for Leinster after Harlequins inflict sobering defeat

Maybe it's part of the masterplan to sell more tickets for next Saturday's marquee December return meeting in the Aviva, but in any event Leinster lost a tad limply by 24-18 to Harlequins yesterday to complete a decidedly ho-hum weekend for the Irish in Europe. If the three-time winners are to reach the quarter-finals, and certainly if they are to ascertain any hopes of a home quarter-final in the European Champions Cup, they have to avenge this loss next weekend.

Asked if Leinster have to win next Saturday, when they will also be seeking to atone for losses in the December home games at the Aviva against Clermont and Northampton last season, Matt O’Connor smiled and admitted: “We most definitely do.”

In truth, although Leinster at least managed to extract a losing bonus point thanks to the boot of Ian Madigan, who landed six from six on another try-less afternoon for Leinster, by dint of Harlequins holding a two-try advantage in the head-to-head, Leinster probably have to win by more than seven points in the Aviva.

Motivated side

“I thought we came back into it very well against a very motivated side, they can get away from you pretty quick,” said O’Connor, after tries in a five minute spell approaching the hour by Nick Easter and Asaeli Tikoirotuma approaching the hour left Leinster 21-12 down approaching the hour. “The (bonus) point is important. There’s no question. At the end of the day, at the end of the group stages, that point could be the difference. We’ll take that lick our wounds and make sure we will be better next week.”

Mike Ross and co had a torrid enough day at scrum time and while O’Connor hinted he was unhappy with some of the angles Joe Marler scrummed, Leinster’s lack of “control” in the set-pieces was particularly costly,

“The discipline in and around the set-piece, the ball control, there is a lot of growth in us there. We’ll have to make sure we deliver on those things because they are a very committed side and they have some very good players,” said O’Connor, who lamented Leinster’s penchant to lose possession.

“I just think we didn’t look after it, we threw it into touch and were a little bit sloppy in the first-half and that took the pressure off and gave them a leg up. They grew every time we did that.”

Asked if another tryless 80 minute return was a concern, the Leinster coach said: “Yeah definitely, but you look at Quins and they’ve as good a defensive record as there is in the Premiership, so from that aspect when you don’t have set-piece dominance it’s going to be hard to score tries.

“That wasn’t surprising. We knew that they would go incredibly hard at the ball and make it difficult to go multi-phase at them, knowing that’s one of our strengths. We’ve got to make sure we’re better.”

The Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea said it was too early to estimate the extent of the groin/back strain which forced Nick Evans off and leaves them relying on 21-year-old on-loan signing Tim Swiel at outhalf.

Re-entered the equation

O’Shea maintained his team had not obtained any advantage and that Wasps had also re-entered the equation after a bonus point win away to an under-strength Castres yesterday. “It’s going to be unbelievable,” said O’Shea of next week’s showdown. “It will be a nice place to work tomorrow but it’s half-time.”

Munster are facing a proverbial mountain in the Stade Marcel Michelin next Sunday when another defeat will leave them on the brink, after Clermont usurped Leinster and Saracens to stop their error-prone hosts in the narrow channels and become the first side from France to win at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

"We've got to congratulate them and they did a big physical number on us," admitted Anthony Foley. "They're coming out of Thomond Park with four points and not many teams do that. And you got to credit that. We need to rack up again next week, make sure we're properly prepared, see where we can improve and ensure that we give a good showing."

“We lost the physical battle, we didn’t score enough points, that is true as well. And we never got ourselves in a position to put pressure on them, make it sustained pressure. That’s down to good defence from them and they turned us over a hell of a lot of times when we had momentum.

“Clermont were the better team and we need to rectify that next week, we need to get one back on them.”

Ulster maintained their decidedly faint hopes of advancing with a bonus point win against the Scarlets at Ravenhill on Saturday night.

"It keeps us in the mix for next week," said Neil Doak afterwards, "and if we can pick something up next week similar to tonight, it puts the last two games in a little bit better reach than the first two."

However Doak also admitted that “the physio room looked like a war zone” and he will be particularly grateful for the eight-day turnaround before Sunday’s return meeting, given Franco van der Merwe and Stuart Olding went off with possible concussion, while Nick Williams (leg, possible hamstring/knee), Wiehahn Herbst (hamstring) and Stuart McCloskey (arm/shoulder) were also helped off. “Unless there are breaks in arms, it’s hard to tell on the night,” said Doak.

The Scarlets’ fullback Liam Williams (sent off for two yellow card offences in the sides’ 32-all draw on the opening weekend of the Pro12) may yet be cited for the tip tackle on Louis Ludik which earned him a yellow card.

Atmospheric

Connacht

stayed within a point of Exeter in Pool 2 of the

Challenge Cup

with a bonus point, 42-19 win over Bayonne at an inclement Sportsground on Saturday evening against the severely under-strength Basques.

Pat Lam

forecast a stronger Bayonne selection for next Saturday night’s rematch (televised in France) in the atmospheric Stade Jean-Dauger.

“You just look at their website and the number of players they have and the quality and size. But that is something we face every time. We have the smallest squad in Europe. Mick Kearney (ankle) is the main concern from tonight. The rest are just bumps and bruises.”

There will be a lot more of them about again next weekend.