The cipher for Leinster’s anxiety was Gordon D’Arcy, the 82-cap Ireland centre who played his entire career for Leinster, amassing 257 appearances for the province, which is the second-highest in its history.
D’Arcy said this week that Leinster’s quest for a fifth European champions star alongside another URC title is draining them. This attack of the jitters from Leinster supporters coincided with their team’s URC minitour of South Africa backfiring in a way that few expected.
In the past Leinster’s reserve strength has enabled them to make radical changes to starting line-ups, and still have a second-string side capable of beating most opponents.
It therefore came as a shock when a Leinster match 23 featuring current and former Irish internationals was trounced 44-12 by the unfancied Lions in Johannesburg last weekend.
Their Ireland Test roll-call included Cian Healy, Ciaran Frawley, Harry Byrne, and Luke McGrath. It also consisted of experienced former international back-rower Rhys Ruddock, fringe Test men Ed Byrne and Max Deegan, and other internationals, including one-cap Springbok lock Jason Jenkins, New Zealand and NZ Maori centre Charlie Ngatai, and Samoa tighthead Michael Ala’alatoa.
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