Leo Cullen has sought inspiration from a footballing great as Leinster attempt to end their Investec Champions Cup hoodoo against Bordeaux in Bilbao on Saturday.
Leinster will contest their fifth final in eight seasons, but arrive under pressure after losing each of their last four appearances in Europe’s showpiece.
In a bid to sharpen his side’s mindset, Cullen attended a recent event featuring former Manchester United captain Roy Keane and came away struck by his relentless focus on the fundamentals.
“It’s mindset, really,” Cullen said. “He was the king of never backing down.
“It’s not about pulling rabbits out of hats. It’s just doing the basics better than everybody else.”
MORE: SA teams want to stay in Champions Cup
That message has resonated with Cullen as Leinster prepare for one of the biggest games of the season.
“I just try to apply that to our context,” he said. “It’s about delivering on the basics when it comes down to it and not overreaching in these big games.”
Despite their pedigree, Leinster head to Bilbao as underdogs against a Bordeaux side Cullen described as “hands down, the best team in Europe”.
“No one’s giving us a chance,” he said. “But we’ll do everything we can to give ourselves the best chance.”
ALSO: Champions Cup final sold out
Leinster’s preparations received a major boost when a host of frontline players returned in the 10-try demolition of the Ospreys, including James Lowe, Jack Conan, Tadhg Furlong, Robbie Henshaw and Josh van der Flier.
Cullen now faces a series of selection headaches, but insists competition for places is exactly what he wants.
“The 23 that get picked will deserve it,” he said. “There will be guys upset, but you’d be worried if nobody was disappointed about missing out on a game like this.”
Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images
The post Leinster taking lessons from football legend appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
