1
Quizzed on Leinster future, Leo Cullen takes swipe at media
By Ian Cameron
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has taken a pop at the media as speculation around his future at the province continues.
Cullen's one-year contract with Leinster will expire at the end of the current season and some have speculated that the 45-year-old will be leaving the province. Cullen has lost his right-hand man Stuart Lancaster to Racing 92 and now Cullen has been linked with various clubs, not least his Gallagher Premiership alma mater, Leicester Tigers.
Cullen signed a rolling year contract with the IRFU and Leinster Rugby in 2021, with the option to extend for a further season, which he did in February of 2022. With the one-year anniversary of that date approaching, reports have emerged suggesting that he has signed a two-year deal with Leinster.
Cullen branded the reports around his future as mere 'speculation' and described the media as being in a "sad state of affairs".
“Time will tell," Cullen told The Irish Daily Mirror at a press conference on Friday. "That’s all speculation, we’ve lots of contractual stuff going on in the background.
"We’re very much in the here and the now. We’ve had a very busy period over Christmas, it would be amazing to put in a big performance at the RDS, then we’ll have a little bit of time for reflection after that.
"Just because something is written in the paper doesn't mean it's always true, does it? That's the unfortunate, sad state of affairs with media, isn't it?
"But that's just speculation. So papers can write speculation, can't they - they don't always necessarily have to be factually correct."
Despite no official news on his future, reading between the lines, Cullen has no intention of leaving the Irish heavyweights.
The Wicklow native, who won 221 caps for Leinster and was captain of three Heineken Cup-winning squads, was appointed head coach at the start of the 2015/16 season and has led the team to a Champions Cup and four PRO14/URC titles in his time in charge.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
'Chaos': Lawes sheds light on the social that ended 2 England careers
3
It's the same old South African story for the Sharks
4
How much Toulon are paying new signing Antoine Frisch
5
Latest Comments
Sorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
Go to comments