Jordie Barrett insists that there are clear reasons why Leinster have managed to iron out their early-season flaws and it could spell danger for their remaining opponents.
The Irish province have once again been a dominant force in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and Champions Cup, but there have been questions marks over their attack.
It was a big strength under previous senior coach Stuart Lancaster but that changed following the arrival of double Rugby World Cup winner Jacques Nienaber.
The former Springboks head coach brought in the blitz defence, with their work on the other side of the ball perhaps taking a backseat.
Leinster attack fires
However, Leinster showed against Harlequins in the first knockout stage of the Investec Champions Cup that they can still be a lethal force in attack, thrashing the English outfit 62-0.
Leo Cullen’s men will now look to build on that good work when they face fellow URC outfit Glasgow Warriors in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Barrett credited the hard work of both the squad and the coaches for their improvement in that area, but the All Blacks star also believes that the better weather, which has created drier conditions and harder grounds, is a factor too.
“We squeezed them (Harlequins) defensively, our attack was fluid, a lot of things we’ve been working on through the season from an attacking point of view shone through and the weather assists in that sometimes too,” he told reporters.
“You’re playing through November, December, January, you’re trying to play a certain way, but you’re handcuffed, and you have to be patient in that space. Ultimately bring your best stuff at this time of the season.”
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Leinster’s title pressure
Barrett has added even more quality to an already star-studded squad and he will hope to play a part in ending Leinster’s search for silverware.
They have put themselves in a good position in both the URC and Champions Cup, but Cullen’s outfit will ultimately be judged on the number of trophies in the cabinet.
That pressure can become an issue for some players and teams, especially with the Irish province falling at the final hurdle on so many occasions, but the All Black takes a different view.
“You can do two things with it, you can let that become a burden and heavy but I have learned to try and embrace it and understand that it’s a privileged position I am in and the other boys and the opportunity that we have as well,” he said.
“That excites me and gets you out of bed every day. Nothing is certain and you don’t know what’s going to come at the end of the line, but the challenge is awesome.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/jordie-barrett-why-leinster-are-now-not-handcuffed-as-all-blacks-star-embracing-irish-sides-pressure
