Leo Cullen has insisted he remains the right person to lead Leinster next season despite having his reputation as their head coach shredded on the back of the Irish province’s latest Champions Cup exit.

The beaten finalists in 2022, 2023 and 2024 decided last October to grant Cullen a two-year contract extension taking him through to summer 2027.

However, Saturday’s dramatic semi-final loss to Northampton has left numerous fans questioning Cullen’s head coaching ability and have called for him to be sacked with immediate effect.

The 47-year-old has been at the helm in Dublin since 2015 and he delivered European glory in 2018 with a win in the Bilbao final over Racing 92. However, they have since lost four Champions Cup finals – Saracens, La Rochelle (twice) and Toulouse.

Despite having the services of Springbok RG Snyman and All Black Jordie Barrett available to bolster their challenge this season along with a squad of leading Ireland internationals, they were blindsided by Phil Dowson’s Saints in a rip-roaring semi-final that ended 34-37 in favour of the visiting English club.

“It’s embarrassing how poor he is doing…”

At the post-match media briefing, Cullen was asked if he was confident he was still the right man to lead Leinster in their frustrating quest to win a fifth-ever European Cup. He insisted he was. “Yeah, I think I am. Yeah. I believe that I am, yes,” he replied.

“We have worked hard to try and improve the group year on year on year and the group is very strong right now. As I said, that’s not something that is just created last week, it’s year on year and I think we have a stronger group now.

“We have lost three finals over the last three years, yeah, but I believe we have a stronger group now than we have had and that’s the way I will continue to approach the day-to-day in terms of preparing the short-term, medium-term, long term. So, yes. And I’m very committed to that, as well.”

Cullen’s belief that he is still the right man to lead Leinster wasn’t backed up by the post-game commentary online. There was plenty of criticism of the head coach’s curious decision to only start Barrett on the bench and most of the tweets on X called for Cullen to step down or be fired.

Eamonn O’Connell wrote: “That was a horror show defensively. I’m sick listening to Leo Cullen’s excuses after big-game losses. If he’s still there at the start of next season I will never go to a Leinster game again.”

Odran O’Brien added: “I hope Leo Cullen stands down and is not pushed. Money will determine if he goes and I see a massive fall off of so-called ‘supporters’ not turning up at games, ‘the sunshine fans’, the guys who never played our game, will stop going to the RDS. Good thing.”

JJ Casey suggested: “The only question left is, Who will replace Leo Cullen?” Gaafan added: “Leo Cullen has to be the worst manager in Irish sport. For the talent at his disposal, it’s embarrassing how poor he is doing.”

Some other tweets were as follows:

Kieran O’Dwyer: “Leo Cullen has to answer for a lot of what happened against Northampton but we hear about all the great leaders in the squad and they have to take responsibility for what happened on the pitch.”

Stephen Forster: “Leo Cullen is in big trouble or should be based on that result and performance. Does winning the URC save Leinster’s season, or should he still walk?”

Mark Wayne: “Well done Leo Cullen for being a useless manager wasting talent. Deserves an Oscar for the biggest waster loser in a supporting role. Leinster are spineless with no fighting spirit. No team cohesion from too much squad rotation and stupid team selections. A case study in wasting talent.”

Aido Byrne: “Never seen anyone as Teflon as Leo Cullen. This is big boys sport. You pick your best team.”

Derek Goulding: “Leo Cullen is so lucky that Leinster attendees don’t really give two shits about them winning. Every single year they come up short as soon as they get a close game.”

Robert Burke: “There’s no way Leo Cullen should leave Lansdowne Road without being sacked. Not starting Barrett is unforgivable.”

Richie Allen: “Barrett on the bench was dumb. Healy on the pitch for 20 minutes is a joke. Byrne was waiting for those last 10/15 minutes, not the last three minutes. Northampton deserved the win. Freeman, Smith and Pollock on the plane to Australia. Leo Cullen should be fired. Nowhere near good enough.”

Jamie Flanagan: “A fantastic game of rugby but I am so heartbroken. But Leinster should have gone for the posts to put into extra time and Leo Cullen not starting Jordie Barrett was a scandalous decision but got to give it to Northampton Saints, they played brilliantly.”

Left hand on Top: “Leinster are the biggest crowd of chokers. The hype around them would sicken. Today was a new low. Leo Cullen should have been sacked before now.”

Conor Irwin: “Leinster, with all that talent and ability, not delivering. It’s a management problem. Not a player problem. Leo Cullen needs to go. Along with that very average attack coach. Bring back Stuart Lancaster as overall head coach.”

Conor Breen: “Leo Cullen should have been sacked two years ago. The whole board and Leo need to be sacked now for letting it go for four years. Unjustifiable leaving it to get this far with the squad Leinster have.”

Tom O’Donaghue: “Leo Cullen is incompetent and cannot get Leinster over the line yet again. But signed a new two-year deal this season. If he has any dignity left he will step down.”

Ben Smyth: “Quite simply, Leinster and Irish rugby should hold themselves to higher standards than those being delivered currently by Leo Cullen. His role would be one of the most attractive in world rugby if it became available. There’s simply no reason he should keep his job.”

The Righteous One: “I thought Leo Cullen got one more season than he deserved. I was right. Irish teams are the most consistent chokers in the game. Anything used to suggest otherwise is the exception to the rule. We CANNOT play knockout rugby. Barrett on the bench!!! The better-coached team won.”

Dr Opinionated: “This was the most pathetic, arrogant, disgraceful performance I’ve seen in years. Northampton deserved winners. Leo Cullen needs to resign and someone needs to shake this squad up. Abysmal.”

Capernosity&Function: “Leo Cullen’s race is run. Almost all the best Irish players, pots of money and world-class imports and it all falls apart again. Nienaber isn’t the answer either.”

Manel Trisogo: “Unbelievable how Leinster managed this game! This is all their fault! And for Christ’s sake, Prendergast, this is fuckin rugby, we need to tackle! One more word for Leo Cullen – absolutely outrageous management this match. Maybe you should play your best team week in week out.”

Ragnar Van Tonderson: “As a neutral, Leo Cullen is one of the good guys of world rugby. Always a pleasure watching his media briefings. Leinster needs a change. A different voice. 2018 is a long time ago with such a well-resourced club.”

The outlook wasn’t completely bleak regarding Cullen, as it was suggested his potential Leinster exit would be good news for Leicester Tigers who are still looking for a successor to Michael Cheika.

David Grosvenor: “Mmmmm, interesting to see Leo Cullen may be in line for the chop at Leinster. Would he fulfill the needs at Tigers?”

Shaun Blockley added: “Loads of Leinster fans saying they don’t want Leo Cullen anymore. Don’t know if Rowntree is still an option for Tigers next season but if not I’d be straight on the blower to Cullen.”

READ MORE: Leinster player ratings v Northampton: World Cup winner fails to deliver ‘decisive inches’ but he wasn’t the only ‘limp’ performer

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/leo-cullen-accused-of-wasting-talent-by-upset-leinster-fans-who-are-sick-listening-to-his-excuses