Gulf in class at 10 the key to Champions Cup final
Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup final may well be decided by the respective quality at out-half, according to Bernard Jackman and Donal Lenihan.
Leinster take on Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle at Stade Velodrome in Marseille, as they look to win a record equaling fifth Champions Cup final, drawing level alongside last year's champions Toulouse.
Leo Cullen's side are heavy favourites to gain revenge for last year's semi-final defeat to Stade Rochelais, having comfortably seen off both Toulouse and the Leicester Tigers in previous rounds.
On this week's RTÉ Rugby podcast, Jackman and Lenihan broke down the key battles on the pitch, and believe the big gulf in quality is between the respective number 10s.
With Johnny Sexton playing some of the best rugby of his career this season, the pair are unconvinced by La Rochelle's New Zealander Ihaia West at out-half.
"I don't know if Ihaia West is a Champions Cup-winning 10," Jackman, a 2009 winner with Leinster, said.
"He's a talented player, for sure, and I think the Top 14 suits him because there is space and mismatches, but I think it's going to be very claustrophobic for him if Leinster defend the way they normally do.
"Plus, there's the pressure of kicking goals and bouncing back from a pretty ropey semi-final, whereas you'd have to back Sexton.
"If the game becomes incredibly tough and comes down to a last 10 minute kick, you'd rather have Sexton or Ross Byrne standing over it rather than Ihaia West."
West has gained a reputation for being unreliable off the tee, although ironically one of his better days with the boot came in last year's semi-final against Leinster (below) where he made seven of his eight attempts, while also landing a drop goal, as the French side booked a place in