Gerry Thornley

was interesting and telling.

And I think, like happens a lot in the modern day, like players as well, he's conflating social media with media.

I don't believe everybody in the media wants to put the boot into them.

I do think he has a point, and I know Shane's going to disagree with me about this.

I've often thought Leinster don't get the credit they deserve for reaching nine finals.

I think it applies in this show and lots of other podcasts and a lot of media outlets that they deserve a little bit more of a pat on the back for reaching a final of competition a ninth time.

To consistently knock on the door, like Arsenal are doing, like Mayo used to do.

I think it's a very lazy barstool narrative that these...

Because you finish second a few times, you therefore are a choker or a team of chokers.

I don't subscribe to that view.

I actually think it's remarkably brave to bounce back from so many acute disappointments, roll your sleeves up, go again and get so damn close.

I mean, as James Ryan said after the defeat against a brilliant Toulouse side.

when they came within a whisker of beating them, when they got very little from the referee, and I wrote plenty about that at the time, Leo, that it was so much, they were very unlucky not to win that final in many respects.

And that wasn't choking.

That Toulouse side was rightly regarded as one of the greatest club sides of all time.

And they took them to extra time and came with a whisker of a Ciarán Froley drop goal.

Arguably deservedly winning over the 18 minutes.

And I don't, I think they've been a little bit, I mean, certainly the huge lead they lost against La Rochelle at home.

And certainly the way they lost the semi-final last year.

I think Leo and the Jack Linaver and the coaching staff, the team leaders have to take some culpability for that.