Geordan Murphy is the latest to praise the impact of Jacques Nienaber on Leinster following their demolition of Harlequins and Glasgow Warriors over successive weekends.

The Irish giants head back into United Rugby Championship action on Saturday but their biggest target over the next few weeks will no doubt be that Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Northampton Saints.

In their victories in the round-of-16 and quarter-final, Leinster defeated Quins and Glasgow by scoring a combined total of 114 points and conceding zero.

It has been a remarkable couple of weeks for both the province and former Springboks head coach Nienaber, who has bolted on a defensive steel to go with the attacking verve seen under previous senior coach Stuart Lancaster.

‘Hugely respected’

“He’s kind of brought that next level. Obviously, he’s got huge experience and will be hugely respected on the back of the World Cup wins,” the 72-times capped ex-Ireland full-back Murphy told The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast.

“That defence – very, very impressive. To go 62-0 and then 52-0 on a six-day turnaround at the knockout stages is massive.”

The attack has been the main concern since Nienaber joined but, judging by their recent wins, that appears to have been rectified by Tyler Bleyendaal, making them all the more imposing.

It therefore makes Leinster heavy favourites for the clash with Northampton in the Champions Cup last-four, with Murphy claiming that the Saints need torrential conditions to even up matters.

While rain would logically help the better defensive unit, which is the Dublin-based side, it could prevent the Irishmen from getting too far ahead on the scoreboard, which may put pressure on Leo Cullen’s outfit later in the match.

“That’s (the defence) what Northampton are going to have to try and crack in a couple of weeks’ time in the semi-final. It’s going to be difficult to score points and they need to pray for rain in my opinion,” Murphy said.

‘I would give it to Leinster now’ – Ireland great claims the Champions Cup is already done and dusted

Leinster’s one potential issue

Perhaps the biggest risk for Leinster is complacency but they have certainly shown none of that in their Champions Cup successes so far.

“Jordie Barrett post-game said that there is a risk of complacency and that’s what Leo Cullen had talked about on the week of the game,” Murphy added.

“He was saying: ‘We’ve done it once but we have to back it up, and we have to care and we have to be passionate’.

“I was hugely impressed by Barrett’s interview because it wasn’t, ‘we’ve done these amazing things, we’re going to go and win it’, it was very much next job, next task.

“I don’t expect them to be arrogant. I think Saints will come and throw some punches, and they will need to throw some punches, but I don’t think they will be able to live with the level of physicality that Leinster can bring.”

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Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/ex-ireland-star-jacques-nienaber-has-made-leinsters-opponents-pray-for-rain-after-next-level-impact