Leo Cullen accused of ‘wasting talent’ by upset Leinster fans who are ‘sick listening to his excuses’

Leo Cullen has insisted he remains the right person to lead Leinster next season despite having his reputation as their head coach shredded on the back of the Irish province’s latest Champions Cup exit.

The beaten finalists in 2022, 2023 and 2024 decided last October to grant Cullen a two-year contract extension taking him through to summer 2027.

However, Saturday’s dramatic semi-final loss to Northampton has left numerous fans questioning Cullen’s head coaching ability and have called for him to be sacked with immediate effect.

The 47-year-old has been at the helm in Dublin since 2015 and he delivered European glory in 2018 with a win in the Bilbao final over Racing 92. However, they have since lost four Champions Cup finals – Saracens, La Rochelle (twice) and Toulouse.

Despite having the services of Springbok RG Snyman and All Black Jordie Barrett available to bolster their challenge this season along with a squad of leading Ireland internationals, they were blindsided by Phil Dowson’s Saints in a rip-roaring semi-final that ended 34-37 in favour of the visiting English club.

“It’s embarrassing how poor he is doing…”

At the post-match media briefing, Cullen was asked if he was confident he was still the right man to lead Leinster in their frustrating quest to win a fifth-ever European Cup. He insisted he was. “Yeah, I think I am. Yeah. I believe that I am, yes,” he replied.

“We have worked hard to try and improve the group year on year on year and the group is very strong right now. As I said, that’s not something that is just created last week, it’s year on year and I think we have a stronger group now.

“We have lost three finals over the last three years, yeah, but I believe we have a stronger group now than we have had and that’s the way I will continue to approach the day-to-day in terms of preparing the short-term, medium-term, long term. So, yes. And I’m very committed to that, as well.”

Cullen’s belief that he is still the right man to lead Leinster wasn’t backed up by the post-game commentary online. There was plenty of criticism of the head coach’s curious decision to only start Barrett on the bench and most of the tweets on X called for Cullen to step down or be fired.

Eamonn O’Connell wrote: “That was a horror show defensively. I’m sick listening to Leo Cullen’s excuses after big-game losses. If he’s still there at the start of next season I will never go to a Leinster game again.”

Odran O’Brien added: “I hope Leo Cullen stands down and is not pushed. Money will determine if he goes and I see a massive fall off of so-called ‘supporters’ not turning up at games, ‘the sunshine fans’, the guys who never played our game, will stop going to the RDS. Good thing.”

JJ Casey suggested: “The only question left is, Who will replace Leo Cullen?” Gaafan added: “Leo Cullen has to be the worst manager in Irish sport. For the talent at his disposal, it’s embarrassing how poor he is doing.”

Some other tweets were as follows:

Kieran O’Dwyer: “Leo Cullen has to answer for a lot of what happened against Northampton but we hear about all the great leaders in the squad and they have to take responsibility for what happened on the pitch.”

Stephen Forster: “Leo Cullen is in big trouble or should be based on that result and performance. Does winning the URC save Leinster’s season, or should he still walk?”

Mark Wayne: “Well done Leo Cullen for being a useless manager wasting talent. Deserves an Oscar for the biggest waster loser in a supporting role. Leinster are spineless with no fighting spirit. No team cohesion from too much squad rotation and stupid team selections. A case study in wasting talent.”

Aido Byrne: “Never seen anyone as Teflon as Leo Cullen. This is big boys sport. You pick your best team.”

Derek Goulding: “Leo Cullen is so lucky that Leinster attendees don’t really give two shits about them winning. Every single year they come up short as soon as they get a close game.”

Robert Burke: “There’s no way Leo Cullen should leave Lansdowne Road without being sacked. Not starting Barrett is unforgivable.”

Richie Allen: “Barrett on the bench was dumb. Healy on the pitch for 20 minutes is a joke. Byrne was waiting for those last 10/15 minutes, not the last three minutes. Northampton deserved the win. Freeman, Smith and Pollock on the plane to Australia. Leo Cullen should be fired. Nowhere near good enough.”

Jamie Flanagan: “A fantastic game of rugby but I am so heartbroken. But Leinster should have gone for the posts to put into extra time and Leo Cullen not starting Jordie Barrett was a scandalous decision but got to give it to Northampton Saints, they played brilliantly.”

Left hand on Top: “Leinster are the biggest crowd of chokers. The hype around them would sicken. Today was a new low. Leo Cullen should have been sacked before now.”