Head coach Leo Cullen has hit back at those who have claimed that Leinster enjoy a distinct advantage over most other European teams.
The province effectively boast most of the Ireland team and are currently unbeaten in all competitions this season.
They swept into the Champions Cup semi-finals with a 55-24 triumph over current Premiership champions Leicester Tigers.
Leicester head coach Richard Wigglesworth praised the ability of the Irishmen post-match but also bemoaned his side’s inability to compete financially with the Dubliners.
Gulf in finances
“They are an outstanding team with quality internationals and quality coaches that have been together a long time,” he said.
“None of that is in question but the gulf is in what you have available to spend. I’m not saying that’s right or wrong. I’m not asking to spend more money. I’m just being clear.”
Ulster’s boss Dan McFarland also feels that Leinster enjoy an unfair advantage, this time within Ireland.
Just a few days prior, McFarland followed Wigglesworth in complaining about the budgetary aspect, but also stated that Cullen’s men were dominant because of the province’s population size.
“It is what it is, isn’t it?” he said. “I can’t change the demographics. They’ve just got way more rugby players, way more earning potential in terms of the money. Nothing changes that.”
Cullen’s response
Those comments were given a short shrift from Cullen, whose only focus is on improving Leinster and getting fans engaged in the project.
“Not long ago we were having the conversation about the gulf between us and other teams, French teams in particular,” he said.
“Obviously, English rugby is going through a tricky patch at the moment, so they’ve had to shrink their budgets off the back of what’s going on in the game and clubs going out of business. So, that’s probably called what, sensible business?
“I don’t know. We’re just focusing on what we can. I always think we’re only scratching the surface of the potential we have.
“One of the things leading into this season we were probable most conscious of, if you think back to the tail-end of last season, where we were struggling for crowds.
“If you remember we had 6,000 against Glasgow and whatever it was 9 or 10,000 against the Bulls, so we had to have a good look at ourselves because there’s some sort of disconnect there.
“So, are we not doing enough to get out and about, and really engage with supporters and in the 12-county part of Leinster, maybe we weren’t doing enough in that space, so we tried to push that.
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“So that’s what I am focussed on. I’m not really focussed on what other teams are doing or what other teams are saying. I’m focused on what we can do, what we can do better because that’s what’s in our control, so we’ll continue to do that.
“What other teams say is sort of wasted energy for me commenting on it even, isn’t it?”
Cyclical nature of sport
The head coach also believes that this type of dominance goes in cycles having watched Ulster and Munster enjoy success before their upturn began in 2009.
“I think we’re fortunate that we’ve got a great staff,” he said. “There’s a group of people there that are unbelievably passionate about the team.
“We’ve players that are unbelievably passionate about playing for Leinster which is what you want and that’s probably a legacy piece over time because it’s not that long ago, 20 years ago in 2003, we lost a semi-final here against Perpignan and I was involved in the game, but to the point where you were a little bit ashamed to walk our your front door because under-achieved.
“We were watching other provinces lift European Cups, Ulster in the late 90s, and that’s off the back of Ulster winning ten interpros in a row in the 1980s or ’90s, which is when I started watching rugby.
“So, that’s my formative years of watching rugby which was complete domination by Ulster. More recently, if you think about that period in 2003; Munster were the dominant province in Ireland, weren’t they?
“We got beaten by Perpignan that day 20 years ago. I have that programme somewhere, I can tell you exactly where it is; it’s on my desk. They stick in the memory. People have short memories, unfortunately I have a long one. It’s a moment in time, isn’t it?”
Quality of coaching
He added: “In terms of the coaching piece, the coaches are working with the players today and there was a group of coaches training this morning. There is a huge amount of work going into it and that’s not by accident either.
“There’s a number of young guys; academy and sub-academy players with Stuart, Robin, Andrew Goodman, all the academy coaches out there delivering a session on Friday morning, going through all of the things we want to deliver on over the next couple of weeks with that group.
“It’s hard work, there’s no secret to success. You’ve got to have guys who are willing to put in hard work and the minute you get complacent there’s somebody else waiting to take your spot.
“What would you say Ulster’s domination in the 1980s and ’90s was based on? Probably a really strong group of players who worked hard for each other and that’s what we’re trying to create here and have all the time, a strong group of players who want to work hard for each other.
“It’s not rocket science. Munster? What was that based on? A strong group of players who worked really hard for each other.
“We were hugely envious of that at the time, they had domination for 10-12 years. Yeah, people have funny memories haven’t they?”