The Leinster lads sucked it up and entered a changing room that was full swing into their title-clinching celebrations.
It would be hard to rap on the door when these sort of scenes were unfolding:
Leinster had just been out-classed to lose their third PRO12 final in six seasons. Connacht had proved recent wins over the Blues, at The Sportsground, were no fluke.
Ireland’s natural rugby order was turned on its head. Connacht top dogs, Leinster second best, Ulster with more questions than answers and Munster way back.
Many of the Leinster players sought out their opponents on the Murrayfield pitch, after the final whistle, to pass on their congratulations. Three went a step further and stepped into the victorious dressing room – Eoin Reddan, Mick Kearney and captain on the day, Jamie Heaslip.
Kearney left Connacht for Leinster’s bright lights last season. Injury impinged on his season but he played well in the semi-final and final. Still good friends with many of the Connacht players, he threw his head around the door to give his best wishes. Heaslip was next. He told us:
“A few lads went in, pretty sure Redser went in. I don’t know who else. I was in just to congratulate some of the guys. I went in to see some of the lads I played and trained with [for Ireland] and say, ‘Fair play to you’.”
Heaslip acknowledged, as he did in Saturday’s post-match press conference, that the better team won. On Monday, he passed on his congratulations to Ultan Dillane, whom he missed after the match. Heaslip continued:
“Fair play to them. I’m not going to be doing cartwheels for them like.
“I went out to [Ultan] straight away when I saw him because I didn’t actually… I went into the changing room afterwards and I didn’t see him. God knows what he was up to!
“It was good to see him, this morning, and congratulate him in person… He was looking a little bit tired.”
Dillane spoke to the print media at the announcement of Vodafone Ireland’s four-year sponsorship deal before hitting the road back to Galway to rejoin their title celebrations.
He did confirm to SportsJOE that Bundee Aki did get back the medal he launched into gleeful Connacht fans on Sunday afternoon.
