Jack Conan described sharing the URC trophy lift with Caelan Doris and Cian Healy as “incredibly special” after Leinster’s 32-7 win over the Bulls in the final at Croke Park.
The Leinster captain also credited their media manager Marcus O’Buachalla for the idea of paying homage to All-Ireland winning teams by conducting a second trophy lift in the Hogan Stand.
“It’s not something you could ever dream of when you were growing up, or even in the last few years because obviously it has been so long since we had played here as a club,” said Conan after Leinster’s fifth and most significant win of their five visits to the iconic home of the GAA.
“So, it’s not something that was ever you on your radar but it’s just fantastic. I know it wasn’t full today but there were 46-odd thousand people and we could feel every single one of them.
“We could hear their voices and they got behind us. They stayed after the final whistle for us to do a lap. One of the big reasons we do what we do is to give back to the people who come to support us through the good days and the bad days.
“It’s incredibly pertinent that we give them something to celebrate. I think everyone is just elated.”
Conan said he had “absolutely no idea” whose idea it was before venturing: “Marcus O’Buachalla! He needs a shout out at least once a week!”
He added: “I was conscious of the lads trying to lift up my shirt and making an absolute mug of me so I was tucking that in.
“Look, to be on the Hogan Stand to lift a trophy with all your mates, family, loved ones, it’s incredibly special and something that will live long in the memory.
“I had a few words as Gaeilge but I was told my pronunciation was all over the place, so they told me not to do it! I don’t think they wanted me to do a speech. I was told less is more!”
Asked if the squad had emphasised the need to mark the occasion with an 80-minute performance, Conan said: “No. We went the complete opposite way. We spoke about taking it moment by moment, being where your feet are and not getting ahead of ourselves.
“We knew it would be unbelievably physical. There’s no point focusing on the bigger pressure, it’s on the here and now. I thought we dealt really well with how direct they were at the end of the first half. They were attacking our line hard and we’re holding them out and some of those shots were incredible,” said Conan, admitting the two extended goal-line defensive sets leading up to the interval which kept their 19-0 lead intact typified the team’s performance.
“It boils down to man on man and wanting to put your head where you wouldn’t put a shovel. Getting off the line and trying to whack people.
“You can lose focus a little bit and think about rugby, all the different parts of it, but it’s a physical game, and what we teed ourselves up for all week was the physical battle, and I think we did that throughout.”
Leo Cullen said this triumph was for everybody in the organisation and especially the 46,127 in attendance, which was a record for a final in Dublin.
“It was an amazing atmosphere out there today. Normally when you’re in the Aviva, you’re in a glass coaches’ box and you’re way off getting the sense of the occasion. Two Wicklow lads here getting involved in a final at Croke Park, a rare sight,” Cullen added, referencing himself and Conan.
“It’s a very difficult competition to win, just the nature of the way the season is and there’s a lot of great teams involved. The South African teams have been an amazing addition to the tournament. The Bulls are a great team.”
Leinster’s win earned them a first trophy in four seasons and after losing three finals and four semi-finals since last winning the Pro14 behind closed doors in 2021.
“Is your season, when you get to a final, a success or a failure,” asked Cullen rhetorically. “Unfortunately, you guys, the way you write, the losers of a final suddenly are failures, whereas you get to the last day of the competition, I think you need to celebrate the two teams that are in the final.
“Obviously we’ve been on the flip side of that in the past. Does that deem us failures? I personally don’t think it’s a failure. We win today, it’s great but we’ll move on to the next challenge. We’ll watch the guys that are on tour with Ireland and the Lions. That’s a big part of what we want to try and do as well, push guys on to play at the next level.
“The rest of us will take a break, put the feet up for a while and spend time with family and friends.”
For his part, the Bulls’ World Cup winning head coach Jake White heaped praise on Leinster in admitting they were eminently worthy winners on the day and champions over the season.
“This is not a normal team,” said White of Leinster. “I made a note that they were 19-0 up and they bring on RG Snyman. It’s just a different league. Leinster fans have been waiting for that 40-minute first-half performance all season. They are well coached and I don’t know them all but I met Josh van der Flier and he’s world-class and world-class as a person.
“They are the benchmark and have been for four years. That’s our third loss in a final and now I have to try and find out how to turn silver into gold.”
White also cited the “seamless” change Leinster made at scrumhalf by bringing in Luke McGrath for Jamison Gibson-Park, and noted how Leinster targeted a Bulls’ area of strength, their scrum.
“That’s what international teams do,” said White, adding: “We’ve been in three finals and that was by far the toughest final. That was another level up. That was another level up. That was Test rugby.”
On how quickly Leinster realigned in defence and attack, White remarked: “It was like everything was in fast forward. For our players they saw a different, organised tempo than they’ve seen all season. That’s a phenomenal team.
