The Irish Eye: 4 Takeaways from EPCR Round 2

The quest for a clean sweep continues, but the second round of EPCR action was largely positive for the provinces. Leinster did not have it all their own way, but will take great pride from how they ground it out. Munster pulled clear to get off the mark in front of a boisterous Cork crowd, while Connacht handed out a statement victory in dispatching of Black Lion.

As attention returns to the BKT United Rugby Championship this week, there is plenty of reason to be excited across the board.

Leinster: Tested by Tigers

One cannot bemoan Leinster’s routine cakewalk pool stage victories; and disparage them for grinding it out also. Friday night’s come from behind win in Welford Road is the type of test that can stand to Leo Cullen’s men, providing they take the appropriate learnings from it.

On a night where some senior players failed to pitch up, coupled with early injuries; this banana skin victory looked quite slippery for the guts of an hour. However, to their great credit, the visitors ground it out like good teams do.

Jamison Gibson-Park’s opportunistic try was the catalyst for the comeback, and by the time referee Pierre Brousset blew the full-time whistle, the perennial title contenders had left with a 4-0 victory in the congested log table.

Admittedly Leicester were without Ollie Chessum, George Martin and Jack van Poortvliet; but a win is a win, and Leinster’s quest for a fifth star remains on track for now.

Munster: Corking Affair

A first home pool game outside of Limerick in over 20 years, over 36,000 through the gates, and a try bonus point to kickstart their European season. A weekend well done for Munster it should be said.

Saturday evening’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh affair lacked the marquee, blockbuster opponent; but it ticked all the other boxes.

Munster’s performance was stodgy and stop-start for large passages, but getting back to winning ways and overcoming a steep round one points difference leaves them in full control of their own destiny heading into next month.

Two wins should equal a home round of 16 tie, at least; one should guarantee knockout rugby.

That’s the short-term, and in the longer-term; this was the first of many nights on the banks of the River Lee for a tournament giant.

Connacht: Young Standouts

A fifty-two point trashing of a lesser known opponent can leave writers like me with little room to find an ‘angle’, but thankfully for Connacht, it was provided for us.

The performances of three young props - debutant loosehead Billy Bohan and tightheads Sam Illo and Fiachna Barrett was a refreshing reminder that Ireland does not have a prop problem, it has a vision problem.

Black Lion are not the stiffest challenge in the world, but to see the Connacht trio on a rampage, in the loose and at set-piece, was the talking point on a typically wet Galway night.

Illo in particular looks like someone that Andy Farrell and Ireland should be watching, as he has all the physical traits of an elite tighthead option. However, like Scott Wilson, he might have too many hoops to jump through just to get the same opportunity as others.

Ulster: Keep the Head Lads

After a fast start in round one, Ulster’s Challenge Cup aspirations came to a crashing halt in the Cardiff Arms Park just eight days later, and much of it to their own accord.

Despite leading 26-12 with a quarter of an hour remaining, a rotated travelling squad failed to see it out, and blew the pool stage wide open again.

Discipline proved to be the costly theme of the dying embers, with Ulster fielding just thirteen players when Dan Thomas crossed to tie up proceedings.

Richie Murphy’s men lost the penalty count (12-8) and card count (2-1); so it was somewhat fitting that Callum Sheedy’s late winner followed a scrum penalty.

Ulster face the Cheetahs (A) and Stade Francais (H) in the closing rounds and like their fellow provinces, control their own destiny; but Saturday’s dramatic defeat will sting them heading into a mouthwatering interpro derby in Dublin on Friday.