Leinster's defence, redesigned by new coach Nienaber, proved crucial in their victory over La Rochelle. James Ryan highlights the team's discipline and mentality, noting their effectiveness in pushing up hard, tackling aggressively, and contesting every inch of the field. The victory provides Leinster with significant belief going into their next challenge against Premiership leaders Bath.
Nienaber’s redesigned Leinster defence key to victory over La Rochelle , says James Ryan flew off the line to charge down Antoine Hastoy’s drop goal attempt, Leinster kept pushing up hard and tackling with such effectiveness that it felt increasingly likely they’d hold out.
What’s more, although they rode their luck a little and the post-match narrative could have been very different, Leinster can take even more belief from that last play stand. It’s as much a mindset as well as the increasing focus on line speed, pushing up hard on the outside, making double tackle, counter-rucking and contesting everything, while also scrambling and defending their own line with their lives.“That’s what defence is, it’s all mentality. I thought we had it today,” added Ryan, who credited Nienaber for providing “very good clarity around the defensive system.
“Exactly. Six-day turnarounds are always tricky,” admitted Ryan, adding: “They’ve been going very well. We talked about this block of La Rochelle and Bath as being a big one for us, Bath are one of the form teams in Europe.”
LEINSTER LA ROCHELLE DEFENSE NIENABER JAMES RYAN
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