Champions Cup preview: Leinster must be hard-nosed, unrelenting and ruthless to ensure they prevail over a formidable Northampton side
Luke McGrath with Micheal Ala'Alatoa and Jamison Gibson-Park during Leinster's Gaelic football game during the Leinster Captain's Run at Croke Park. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inphowill offer a novel sense of place for many of the 82,300 rugby supporters, a capacity congregation in an iconic Irish sporting cathedral, that will commandeer every nook and cranny from the terraced steps of Hill 16 to the steepling Hogan, Cusack and Davin stands.
Courtney Lawes tries his hand at hurling during Northampton Saints' Captain's Run at Croke Park. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho The Saints sit atop of the Gallagher Premiership, playing a cracking brand of attacking rugby, possessing oodles of pace, a sound set piece, a young outhalf in Fin Smith who leads the team in tackles, points and is mature in his game management, and a canny, box-kicking scrumhalf in Alex Mitchell.
In contrast to the Saints, the majority of the Leinster players are well rested. Over the last few weeks they have had a chance to decompress after the emotionally charged win over La Rochelle, and in the last fortnight fine-tune a game plan at their UCD base, while other squad members travelled to fulfil URC commitments in South Africa.
Leinster have managed more kick metres than any other team in the tournament, a policy from which they are unlikely to deviate, while also conceding the fewest turnovers. There are a few key tenets in the Irish province’s patterns, the ability to retain possession, to slow down opposition breakdown ball and to ruthlessly exploit opportunity.
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