Leinster coach Robin McBryde wary of Scarlets: ‘They’re tight as a unit. It’s a test that we failed a couple of weeks ago’
Daire Walsh
While they are considered heavy favourites for the game, this Saturday’s quarter-final clash at the Aviva Stadium (3pm) will see Leinster renew acquaintances with one of the two teams that have managed to turn them over in this season’s United Rugby Championship.
Having previously lost just one game from 15 in the URC – a last-gasp defeat against the Bulls in Pretoria – the eastern province suffered a 35-22 reversal at the hands of Scarlets in Llanelli on April 26.
It should be noted that a number of Leinster’s key players were rested for the game ahead of their shock European Champions Cup semi-final exit to Northampton Saints seven days later. Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde is nevertheless anticipating another tough battle when the Blues face Scarlets in the last eight of the URC at Irish Rugby HQ this weekend.
“In fairness to them they’re a cohesive bunch. They’re obviously tight as a unit, tight as a team. It’s a test that we failed a couple of weeks ago. First against the Scarlets and against Northampton. It will be a good test for us on Saturday,” McBryde remarked at a Leinster media briefing in UCD yesterday.
“It is great from a Welsh perspective to see a Welsh team making it through to the quarter-final. It’s been a tough season for everybody in Wales. From their perspective, it’s great.”
Although Wales finishing bottom with no wins to their name for a second successive Six Nations Championship forms a significant part of the ‘tough season’ that McBryde alludes to, the issues around Welsh rugby aren’t merely confined to the field of play.
After deciding against joining Cardiff and Dragons in signing up to the new Professional Rugby Agreement by the deadline of May 8 until they received further clarity from the Welsh Rugby Union, Scarlets and Ospreys subsequently accused the WRU of a u-turn when the governing body announced it was to move away from a model of four evenly funded professional sides.
This is something that will undoubtedly concern former Wales hooker and assistant coach McBryde, though he admitted being based in Ireland meant he was somewhat out of the loop when it comes to the running of Welsh rugby on a grander scale.
“I pretty much live under a rock, to be honest with you. I don’t read anything, it’s only the odd conversation I might have with a couple of people involved at various levels. That’s about it. I wouldn’t have enough knowledge or enough of anything to give you an informed opinion.”
While Scarlets will be hoping to boost the spirits of Welsh rugby this weekend, McBryde is aiming to do all he can to ensure Leinster finish the current season as the URC’s undisputed top team.
The eastern province will take to the field on Saturday without the services of Tadhg Furlong and Robbie Henshaw – who are currently sidelined with respective calf and knee issues.
Yet Furlong’s injury is only a minor one and while Henshaw will miss out on the remainder of their campaign, McBryde acknowledged this opens the door for other players to leave their mark on the business end of the URC.
“To lose someone like Robbie is not ideal, but it gives someone else an opportunity to step up. It is not just the playing, but the training against quality opposition as well,” McBryde added.