GIVEN THE DRAMATIC endgame of Leinster’s win over the Dragons, in which the URC provided its own submission to the never-ending debate on officiating decisions in the failure to penalise Scott Penny for a high tackle on Levi Douglas, the performance of Leinster wing Joshua Kenny risks flying under the radar.

Named player of the match during a tricky win over the Dragons, the wide man crossed for two tries, created a third and showed an impressive level of comfort with the line speed of Jacques Nienaber’s defensive system. It was an all-round display which should warrant more opportunities for a man with an unorthodox path to get to this point.

The first half at Rodney Parade saw Kenny – or JJ, as Leo Cullen referred to him – impress defensively. Two break opportunities were shut down by his 6ft 3in frame flying out of the line. Thwack. Man and ball.

“If you get it right, you’ve nowhere to go,” said Kenny of his defensive impact. “Being in the right place at the right time is the hard part, I was happy with it tonight.”

After half-time, when Leinster finally built just enough attacking momentum to re-take the lead, Kenny cashed in with ball in hand. His first try was straightforward enough, diving over the line untouched after Harry Byrne and Ciarán Frawley combined to send him over.

The second effort required more of a finish. Foot on the accelerator and barge through the last man.

On both sides of the ball, Kenny showed off the pace-power combination which received praise from Cullen after the match. A late kick chase, forcing a spill from the Dragons, allowed RG Snyman to scoop and gallop away for the bonus point score.

As Leinster struggled to build cohesion as a team, Kenny had enough moments of individual quality to stand out. Herein lies the job of the wing. 

For all the praise of Leinster’s production line, the wide stocks have not been overflowing with top end talent. Ditto Irish rugby as a whole. Once Tommy O’Brien stayed fit for a consistent period, he became a Leinster and Ireland regular. The lack of depth makes Kenny’s recent story all the more intriguing.

This is Kenny’s first season with Leinster. Aged 22, he is old for an academy entrant, but he has crossed four times in his last two games against Dragons and Zebre.

 The last two years were spent on the Sevens circuit. Once that programme was cut, he linked up with Leinster on a trial basis during the summer. They liked what they saw and kept him around.

Part of the reasoning given for shutting down the men’s Sevens squad was the lack of talent progressing to the 15-a-side game. Ironically, such a decision saw Kenny do exactly that.

“It was the IRFU that saw something in me,” explains the Wicklow native. “I think then Leo was keen to get me in as well. That’s what it was, I had with Simon Broughton as well, the academy manager. He was keen to get me in. Thankfully I got the chance to prove myself.” 

Prior to the World Series circuit, Kenny went to school at Pres Bray. Overlooked by the professional system, he plied his trade with UCD and then Terenure in the AIL.

“I had a good senior cup year and was hopeful, everyone has a dream of playing Irish 20s,” says Kenny. “It didn’t come to fruition. I felt I played well the first year out of school but it didn’t happen for me.

“I probably wasn’t a complete player and I’m not now, either, I’m still improving. I never came close to the [Leinster] set-up. The sevens came knocking then and I tried to relish the opportunity.

“It takes a while for a player to develop, I was a late developer. I was on the bench for my junior cup team.

“The exposure that sevens gave me, travelling the world, playing in stadiums, a professional environment, that helped me a lot. Sevens brought me on, cores skills are exposed.

It’s been every year, just trying to develop as much as a person and a player, that has got me to this point.”

Kenny was a 100m sprinter once upon a time. O’Brien, the man ahead of him for Leinster’s 14 jersey, was a hurdler. Plenty focus on Irish rugby’s lack of top end pace. Perhaps it is no coincidence that speedsters are being identified to balance out the playmaking ability of James Lowe on the opposite flank.

It should be said that Kenny is physically bigger than O’Brien. “Tommy’s quicker I think,” retorts Kenny, laughing. “We haven’t gotten up to full speed yet but no, Tommy ’s immense, really really quick.

“It’s [speed] always been my thing. The last few years, I’ve out on a bit more size and tried to marry the two together.”

Running in scores against Dragons and Zebre won’t raise too many eyebrows. But Irish rugby isn’t sufficiently stocked to turn its nose at tall winger with a yard of pace.

Kenny’s story, that of a late-bloomer using the now-defunct Sevens programme to his advantage, provides intrigue aplenty. We’ll see if he progresses to offering a threat under brighter lights than those of Rodney Parade.