Champions Cup
Brian O’Driscoll Confirms Main Man Behind Leinster’s Success
Leinster legend Brian O’Driscoll has had his say on how Leinster have become a European powerhouse and puts it down to one man in particular
Leinster and Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll has revealed that former Leinster head coach Michael Cheika was the game-changer for the province and made them the team they are today.
Cheika, who arrived from Randwick in 2005, lead the team to their first European Cup in 2009 and changed the team from underachievers to winners.
“We undoubtedly had the talent in the early 2000s and just didn’t understand the work-ethic side of things, the sacrifice part. And then it was the flip of that in 2006. We weren’t as talented, but we worked hard and Michael Cheika was absolutely enormous to the shaping of the province. He was the one who brought in the change in mentality and cut out the cancer,” he said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph.
O’Driscoll continued to say that the ‘cancer’ at the club were the players who failed to live up to expectation and were happy to just be at the province.
“There were individuals that just were on easy-street and just happy to be professional rugby players, rather than professional players who wanted to win. The senior players rule the roost and I don’t want to talk negatively about them because there were some great players, but I don’t think we had the mentality of that team that came through from 2006 through to now,” he said.
Earlier in the interview O’Driscoll admitted that Leinster’s 30-6 home Champions Cup semi-final loss to Munster in 2006 pushed them on further.
“The semi-final in 2006 was big for us. We weren’t as nearly as talented a Leinster team as previous years, but yet we managed to get there and it gave us hope,” he said.
Although Cheika was the catalyst for their transformation, Joe Schmidt brought a new philosophy to the club when he arrived that lead to Leinster winning two more Champions Cups. However, O’Driscoll believes that current head coach and former team-mate Leo Cullen has developed the side even further and discussed Cullen’s vision from the start.
“I met Leo before the start of his second year and he had a very clear vision of how he wanted to play and we are seeing that now. I thought to myself, ‘This is a ballsy call’, considering the year he had and because Leinster had gone back a step or two in the two previous years,” he added.
O’Driscoll confirmed that the style of play Cullen wanted to implement was that of the All Blacks, whereby the number on your shirt is irrelevant and that you are willing to do everything for your team.
“It was three years ago and just the start of the ’15-man game’. The All Blacks were playing it, but no one else really was. Leo wanted to do it. It was about everyone being a ball-player and no numbers on backs after first phase. It was about everyone being comfortable in their role and a possession-based game and only kicking on their own terms,” he said.
He finished by looking ahead to this weekend’s clash of the titans between Leinster and Saracens and believes that his old side have no limitations to where the current side can go.
“I hope the final lives up to its potential because they are far and away the two best teams in Europe, consistently for the last five years. Who knows where this group of Leinster players can go? There are no limitations. You feel as though this group will be in the mix for the next couple of years. The same as Saracens,” he finished.
Leinster face Saracens on Saturday and are looking to become the first side to win the tournament five times, a fantasy thought for many when they won their first European Cup 10 years ago, but it is now very close to becoming a reality and it all started with Cheika.
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to announce that Academy trio Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan and Mark Donnelly will be promoted to the senior squad in the summer.
We can also confirm that hooker Scott Buckley, who graduated from the Academy to the senior squad in 2022, has signed a contract extension.
Out-half Butler, scrum-half Coughlan (both 21) and 22-year-old prop Donnelly have all signed on for the next two seasons after impressing over their three years in the Academy.
Butler and Coughlan become the first Ennis RFC players to earn senior Munster contracts.
As previously confirmed, Academy lock Edwin Edogbo (21), who also came up through the Munster Youths system with Cobh Pirates, will graduate from the Academy to the senior squad on a two-year deal next season.
Buckley, Butler, Coughlan and Donnelly all made their Munster debuts in the famous Champions Cup win over Wasps in December 2021.
Tony Butler in action against Dragons.
Ennis out-half Tony Butler has earned his first senior contract after a very productive three years in the Academy.
He has made six senior appearances to date, including two starts so far this season against Dragons and Connacht.
A Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s in 2022, Butler now plays his AIL rugby with Young Munster having previously lined out for Garryowen.
He captained Ennis at underage level, teaming up with Coughlan in the half-backs as they enjoyed success in the Munster U16 and U18 Clubs competitions.
Scrum-half Ethan Coughlan is enjoying an excellent campaign with three starts so far this year and eight senior appearances in total since joining the Academy.
He enjoyed great success alongside Butler with Ennis RFC at underage level before captaining the Ireland U18 Clubs team.
He also won a Grand Slam with the Ireland U20s in 2022 and plays his AIL rugby with Shannon.
Prop Mark Donnelly has already made nine senior appearances for Munster after coming up through the ranks at Midleton RFC, Midleton College and CBC.
He was a Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup winner with CBC in 2019 and featured for the Ireland U20s in the 2021 Six Nations.
He joined the Academy that summer before making his Munster debut along with Buckley, Butler and Coughlan against Wasps in December 2021
Along with his nine senior Munster appearances, Donnelly has also played regularly for Garryowen in the AIL over the past three years.
Mark Donnelly at Munster training.
Hooker Scott Buckley (23) has signed a one-year contract having made 25 appearances for Munster to date.
A product of the Munster Rugby Academy, Buckley started out with Kinsale RFC before captaining CBC to the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup in 2019.
He was Player of the Match against Wasps on his Munster debut and made nine appearances last season as Munster won the URC title.
A UCC clubman, he scored the match-winning try against Crusaders at Páirc Ui Chaoimh earlier this month.
Scott Buckley scores a try against Leinster in pre-season.
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Munster Rugby are pleased to confirm the signing of 23-year-old winger Diarmuid Kilgallen on a two-year deal ahead of the 2024/25 season.
In further contract news, hooker Eoghan Clarke has signed a one-year deal for next season after rejoining Munster in November.
Prop Keynan Knox has completed his time at the province after scoring three tries in 33 appearances and we wish him all the best for the future.
Diarmuid Kilgallen in action against Ulster in November.
Kilgallen hails from Eadestown in Kildare and has scored 12 tries in 22 appearances for Connacht to date.
He started out at Naas RFC before playing schools rugby for Cistercian College Roscrea on the Tipperary-Offaly border.
He joined the Connacht Academy in 2019 and made his debut against Munster in 2020.
A tall, athletic winger, he scored five tries in eight appearances last season and has five tries in six appearances so far this year.
Eoghan Clarke made his first start for Munster against Crusaders earlier this month.
25-year-old hooker Clarke has signed on for next year after impressing since returning to the province in November.
Clarke spent three years in the Munster Academy before departing for Jersey Reds in 2021. He won the English Championship with Jersey last season but the club went into liquidation in October.
He has made five appearances for Munster since returning, including a debut against Bayonne in December and a first start against Crusaders at Páirc Uí Chaoimh earlier this month.
24-year-old tighthead prop Knox departs after over seven years at Munster Rugby.
He joined the Academy midway through the 2017/18 season after completing his second level education with Michaelhouse in South Africa.
The Young Munster clubman made his senior debut against Dragons in September 2019 and moved up to the senior squad in 2020.
Knox featured in eight games last season as Munster clinched the URC title. In total, he scored three tries in 33 Munster appearances.
We wish Keynan all the best with his next move.
Keynan Knox at training last month.
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The Munster squad started preparations on Monday ahead of Saturday’s vital Investec Champions Cup clash against Northampton at Thomond Park (5.30pm).
There are a limited number of tickets remaining here.
Find out all you need to know ahead of the match here.
There were no new injuries to report after the win over Toulon on Saturday.
Following a consultation last week, Jack O’Donoghue will not require surgery on his knee injury and will be managed conservatively by the medical department. He is unavailable for three to four months.
Oli Jager is continuing to follow the return to play protocols and his availability for the Northampton game will be determined later this week.
There is good news for Jack Daly (ankle) as he returns to training this week.
Cian Hurley (ankle/achilles) and Mike Haley (hip) are increasing their training demands and will target a return to play in the coming weeks.
Continuing to rehab: Jack O’Donoghue (knee), Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Diarmuid Barron (foot), Jean Kleyn (eye/knee), Liam Coombes (shoulder), RG Snyman (chest/shoulder), Roman Salanoa (knee), Mike Haley (hip), Cian Hurley (ankle/achilles).
There were eight Munster players in AIL action at the weekend.
Academy out-half Tony Butler kicked two penalties and a conversion for Young Munster as they were beaten 23-13 by Cork Constitution at Temple Hill. Chris Moore started at hooker for the Cookies.
Academy scrum-half Jack Oliver kicked two penalties and a conversion for Garryowen in their 23-10 win over UCC at the Mardyke. Colm Hogan scored a try for Garryowen with Academy prop George Hadden also featuring.
Jack O’Sullivan started at no.8 for College.
Evan O’Connell was in action for UL Bohs as they were beaten 34-7 by Old Crescent.
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Tickets
Champions Cup Round 4: Saturday, January 20
Munster Rugby v Northampton Saints, Thomond Park, 5.30pm; Buy tickets here
Saturday, February 3
Munster Rugby v Crusaders, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 5pm; SOLD OUT
URC Round 11: Friday, March 1
Munster v Zebre Parma, Musgrave Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 13: Saturday, March 30
Munster v Cardiff Rugby, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 16: Saturday, May 11
Munster v Connacht, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Saturday, June 1
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
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Munster Rugby Announce Contract Deals For Murray, Daly & Gleeson
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