Andrew Porter has revealed that he feels Leinster were unlucky in their heavy Champions Cup defeat to Bordeaux Begles. He insists the “ball just didn’t go our way.”
The question was raised as the strength of Top 14 sides continues to cause problems for teams in the URC and PREM in Europe.
French teams’ domination of European finals
It was a good weekend for Top 14 sides as both Montpellier and Bordeaux Begles won their respective ties against Irish opposition.
That made it six Champions Cup wins in a row for French sides, with Bordeaux Begles, Toulouse and La Rochelle all winning two finals each. Leinster have lost four of these six finals, while La Rochelle and Northampton Saints lost the others.
In the last 11 years, the Challenge Cup has been won by Top 14 sides on seven occasions. This domination in Europe comes in a period where the Top 14 has also been at its most competitive, and therefore French sides tend to focus on their domestic competition more rigorously until the closing stages of the tournament.
The question raised after another final defeat is how Leinster can turn things around in the future against the French?
Leinster and the rest of their season
Porter spoke in this interview as part of the build-up to the URC quarterfinal against the Lions on Saturday night. After a disappointing spell early in the season, Leinster bounced back and finished second in the URC table, just two points behind Glasgow.
They started the season losing three of the first four in a slow start to the season after a majority of their best 15 had been on tour with the Lions.
Leinster have a team dropping with international experience, and it is baffling at times as to how they can’t get over the line in the big games. Building for next season will be crucial for Leo Cullen’s men, who will once again aim for that fifth European title. In the meantime, they will be pushing for the URC title, starting with a major performance over the Lions this weekend.
