Leinster face their final hurdle… again Photo: Getty Images/Sam Barnes
Depending on your sources, the term “monkey” on your back” may be a mid-1930s reference to the burden of addiction. But from a rugby perspective, and a bit lazily in some quarters, the phrase was used in the more common definition of a burden you struggle to shed, when it was widely applied to Leinster's bid to avoid a third successive Champions Cup final defeat and a fourth defeat. losing finals in the last six seasons.
Oddly enough, the monkey remains there as Leinster narrowly missed out on beating Toulouse in a pulsating, if flawed, game that was only the third such match to require extra time. From a sports psychology perspective, it is difficult to find compelling evidence to support the ape parallel other than the recent and simple correlation of finals with defeats. Was it a masterful psychological move by Toulouse master Antoine Dupont, alluding to Leinster's two previous finals failures, or was he simply stating the facts? As you consider your position on this issue, pause and consider that Leinster beat Dupont's side twice en route to these final defeats, so which side would he observe have the psychological advantage?
As with almost every other psychological construct, there is no surefire way to prove the “monkey” claim. However, for the more keen-eyed observers, there were some aspects of Leinster's game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that did require close examination. Whether you ultimately attribute Leinster's failure to the concept of cumulative stress or, as I do, believe it was momentary and significant stress in that particular game, you can point to a few atypical moments of imprecision and questionable decision-making that proved fruitful . /p>
In the first half, Leinster were just winning for most of the game, but were still chasing the lead as several promising positions were wasted due to a simple inability to hold onto the ball. Dan Sheehan, who was otherwise outstanding, took the line from long range and as good as Blair Kinghorn's tackle and Dupont's disruption was, the fact is that Leinster were unable to create a clear enough support to convert this brilliant chance record your first attempt at the game. This used to be an opportunity that Leinster took with a readiness bordering on eagerness.
Dan Sheehan 🏃♂️💨
What a run from a hooker 👏#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/nTY3ZOpo5A
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) , May 25, 2024
Likewise, Leinster were one of the most adept at scoring mauls from their own lineout throws. In this game they failed to get past Toulouse's line when they had corners in the 9th, 43rd, 50th and 63rd minutes. These opportunities are now considered top chances rather than half chances, given the enormous difficulties in successfully defending them. Leinster's efforts last Saturday revealed two glaring shortcomings.
Firstly, their two hits resulted in the corridors being about 15 meters apart instead of the ideal five meters. That may not sound like much, but that 10-meter difference isn't just about having to drive further to score. If you have 15 meters to play with, you'll have a better chance of getting around the maul to prevent it from being played. You can flirt with dropping the maul if it looks like gaining momentum without conceding a penalty. These options are not available if you are defending from just five meters, where there is an additional deterrent because it is easier for the player to get a yellow card.
You'd have had a good chance of Leinster missing at least one of those shots, but the Toulouse defense held out and the chance came in the 50th minute with a brilliant miss. The biggest temptation in this situation is to move forward without properly securing the ball behind the maul, away from potential defenders. When attackers sense a slight weakening of the maul protection, they want to move forward before making sure the ball is properly positioned and protected. Leinster's disk initially appeared safe, but failed as it split and was eventually stopped.
🏆 @StadeToulousain won the 2024 Champions Cup in London!
👏👏👏#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/fBalz1xXXP
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 25, 2024
What inevitably arises from such a series of failures is the question of whether it was right not to execute penalty and continue to turn the scoreboard. I readily admit that this question is almost entirely outcome-based, and in hindsight it is much simpler to do. However, given that most finals are decided by margins of seven points or less, there must come a point when the natural tendency to go for the jugular must be tempered by caution – it's a matter of leadership.
It has become increasingly clear that it would be an even game (some would say it always was) and when Ciaran Frawley's last-gasp shot went wide, how much would Leinster give for one penalty that could have been kicked? were they in the bag? To avoid being matched by the Buffalo Bills, who have lost four Super Cups in a row, Leinster may need to be more pragmatic.
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