‘We Picked Up Three Points’: Cullen Chuckles Off Leinster’s South African Tour Struggles
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen remains confident his side will navigate their early-season turbulence despite returning from South Africa without a win in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC).
The Irish heavyweights suffered a 26–20 defeat to the Hollywoodbets Sharks at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday, capping off a difficult two-week tour following their opening-round loss to the 10Bet Lions in Johannesburg.
When reminded of Leinster’s challenging record in South Africa—having won just once in their last 10 visits—Cullen met the statistic with a wry smile. Answering to Sportswire after the match, Cullen pointed out the reality of facing a Sharks team stacked with returning Springboks while several key Ireland internationals were rested back home.
Perspective Amid Tour Defeats
“Some of our internationals were on summer tours, and that is just the way the system works with player management between Ireland and the unions,” Cullen explained when asked by Sportswire about Leinster’s slow start.
“When you travel away in this competition, every match is going to be a battle—especially in South Africa. We had opportunities to win both matches, but that is the balance we have to strike. It is also the beauty of the URC because teams peak at different stages.”
Despite losing both tour fixtures, Cullen highlighted an area of progress compared to last season’s early campaign.
“The bonus points we pick up now will come in handy at the end of the season. We lost both games in South Africa last year and came away with just one point. This season, we lost both but secured three points,” Cullen noted.
“We can’t dwell on these two defeats. We need to learn and move forward. We are disappointed by Saturday, but we are excited about what lies ahead. Managing these moving parts is always complex, but it is part of the job.”
Injury Updates: Snyman and Doris Nearing Return
Leinster toured South Africa without two pivotal forwards: World Cup-winning lock RG Snyman and club captain Caelin Doris.
Snyman missed the Springboks’ recent Test matches against the All Blacks due to a lingering injury, but Cullen offered a positive update on both players’ rehabilitation.
“Both guys are progressing really well,” Cullen said.
“RG got injured at the tail end of last season, but he is making good progress now. Hopefully, he will feature before November, or shortly after. Caelin is in a similar position, and we will evaluate them when we get back home.”
Leinster return to Ireland to host Cardiff at the redeveloped Laya Arena on 10 October—marking the club’s first league match at the RDS venue in over two years.
