First the housekeeping. Leinster forwards’ coach Robin McBryde confirmed that Rónan Kelleher, who damaged an ankle and was forced to retire during the weekend victory over Benetton in Treviso, “is being assessed,” to determine his capacity to play in Saturday’s United Rugby Championship (URC) clash with Munster at Croke Park for which 74,000 ticket have been sold.
Gus McCarthy is en route home from the Emerging Ireland tour in South Africa to replenish the stocks at hooker, one that from a fully fit perspective, comprises Lee Barron. Last year’s Ireland under-20 captain, McCarthy started Leinster’s first two URC matches this season before heading for Bloemfontein and has already made a significant impression on the senior coaches.
McBryde explained: “He’s [McCarthy] had a great start to the season, he’s impressed; I thought Lee [Barron] went well at the weekend as well. Gus has had a great start to the season as well, the preseason games and when he’s played [URC] for us he did well and then on the back of two performances out with Emerging Ireland as well.
“Hopefully his confidence will be as high as ever and he’ll be good to go. So, we’ll see how Rónan goes. Stevie Smyth [Leinster sub academy hooker] is in South Africa as well, so we’re a bit depleted with regards to that but I think we’ll be okay.”
Jimmy O’Brien suffered a hamstring issue in the first half against Benetton and limped off while Jordan Larmour was withdrawn before the game. Both require further assessment but there was better news in that RG Snyman came through the game unscathed while prop Jack Boyle (ankle) will train with the squad.
Leinster players and coaches sat through a presentation on Monday from professor of history at UCD and sports historian Dr Paul Rouse about playing in Croke Park, while former Dublin player and selector Declan Darcy, a performance coach in Leinster, also chatted about playing the game and not the venue.
McBryde said: “We had Paul Rouse in to talk a little bit about the history of Croke Park. One of the things I took away from it, it was only a 15- to 20-minute presentation where he went through the history and detail of the place, but he also said, ‘don’t make any more of it than what it is.’ Declan Darcy has great experience of playing there as well. Dec was saying at the end of the day rugby is XV against XV; don’t get lost in the hype, it’s a great place to go and play [but], don’t get lost in the occasion.
“He’ll [Darcy] just have a quiet conversation with certain players and he’s there as a sounding board for me, which is great. He’s massively experienced and he knows the high intensity of games and what it’s like to be part of a team trying to leave a legacy, working towards something, winning games, the big games.”
He explained that there was a precedent. Last season Dubs captain James McCarthy came in and spoke to the players in advance of last season’s Champions Cup semi-final against the Northampton Saints.
On the playing front, RG Snyman has made an immediate impression on his new team-mates and the coaching group, culminating in a fine debut against Benetton. McBryde said: “Yeah, I think he’s been brilliant, really good in the group.
“I would say the same thing about Rabah [Slimani] as well. There are two experienced individuals, they know who they are, they are not trying to be anything that they are not. It’s great that James Ryan and RG, were calling the lineouts against each other in South Africa during the summer and now they are working side by side, learning from each other.
“I mentioned it before the melting pot of views, different pairs of eyes, different ways of doing things [add huge value]. As you see my role is making sure that I get the best out of all those players in the right way. They all have their own qualities; encourage them to bring it to the fore and make sure that we are all aligned, pulling in the same direction.”
McBryde spoke about a different vibe this season and the specifics of that observation. “Tyler [Bleyendaal] is a new face, a new voice in the building. Jacques’ [Nienaber] role is a little bit different from what it was last year.
“There is a great feel about the place, it is a little bit different, it’s not here we go again. It’s a slightly different way of playing both in attack and defence really. Jacques has his feet under the table for a bit longer now and with Tyler on board [it’s fresh]. I am the only voice that they are sick of hearing probably.”
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