Along with the supremely talented playing squad, there is no doubt that Leinster have also benefitted from the knowhow of some top class coaches in recent years.
Leo Cullen continues to be one of the more underrated coaches in the game, while Jacques Nienaber is considered one of the best operators in world rugby after his successes with South Africa. They will add to that team next season when the highly rated Tyler Bleyendaal makes the move from New Zealand.
Of course, Stuart Lancaster also played a massive part prior to leaving in 2023. The Englishman made a huge impact on the province, especially in the first couple of seasons after his arrival in 2016.
While received plenty of praise during his time at Leinster, it seems that not everyone is convinced by him at his new club.
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Former Leinster coach coming under heavy criticism in France
Stuart Lancaster joined Racing 92 last summer, taking over as first team head coach. Inheriting a very talented squad, it was expected that his team would compete on both domestic and European fronts this season.
Things have not quite gone to plan so far.
Racing would stumble through their Champions Cup pool, winning just one game and entering the knockout round as the bottom seeded side before being heavily beaten by Toulouse in the last-16. Their league form has also been mixed, with the team currently in fourth place in the Top 14.
Their most recent result came in the form of a another convincing defeat at the hands of Toulouse, this time in domestic action.
Speaking on Eurosport in the aftermath of that fixture, France legend Jean-Baptiste Lafond heavily criticised Stuart Lancaster and suggested that the club may already be looking at moving on from the Englishman.
There is a problem with the staff.
At coach Lancaster’s level. Coming from the rain and the cold, I think that a coach must instil a climate, an atmosphere, an atmosphere, and that is not the case.
He doesn’t exude the joy of living and I don’t even think I would be surprised if there were changes. This coach would make a clown who had just won the lottery cry and that’s the problem.
Is this coach capable of stopping the bus when it is not planned, to enter a bar after a victory or a defeat? I’m not sure of it! I’m not sure that such a serious coach can lead a team to victory.
This seems like a very harsh criticism, especially when you consider that Racing 92 still have plenty to play for this season. Lancaster is also set to add some reinforcements to his squad over the summer, most notably in the form of Owen Farrell.
Those who know him from his time at Leinster will have little doubt about his ability to make an impact at the Paris club in the long-term.
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