THE ANTICIPATED AVAILABILITY of Ross Byrne for Leinster’s opening Pro14 assignment of the season on Friday night will help ease the strain on Leo Cullen’s out-half resources, and give the 23-year-old a head start in a key year for his development.
Byrne has been following a delayed return to play schedule following his involvement in Ireland’s summer tour of Australia, but may be released for the European champions’ clash with Cardiff Blues on Friday [KO 7.35pm, eir Sport/TG4].
With Johnny Sexton wrapped in cotton wool, Ciáran Frawley nursing a wrist injury and both Joey Carbery and Cathal Marsh since departed the club, Byrne could be back to step into the pivot position for the clash with the Challenge Cup winners.
The ahead-of-schedule return of Byrne would be a significant fillip for Cullen given it was becoming increasing likely that he would need to deploy either Noel Reid or Tom Daly in the 10 jersey, or even prematurely promote his younger brother, Harry, into the senior team.
While Byrne didn’t get off the bench to make his international debut in Sydney, the experience he would have gained from being part of the Test-match touring party in June is invaluable and certainly the forthcoming season is a big one for the former St Michael’s man.
He amassed a total of 26 appearances for the province last term, and has firmly established himself as Sexton’s understudy, while he will likely see further game time this term as the Leinster captain’s minutes are managed with even greater consideration.
New Leinster backs coach Felipe Contepomi hasn’t seen much of Byrne in action, but the former out-half is impressed by what he has brought to training in recent weeks.
“I haven’t seen him play that much, yet,” Contepomi said. “But you can see that he’s a very good player. He’s one of those out-halves who are intelligent, looks for space, looks for options, always thinking.
“He’s confident, he talks, he knows the competition and I think he’s a good player to have around because he’s a good footballer. He is very eager. He went on the Irish tour and that puts him in a good position for himself. Personally he’s in a great rugby moment so hopefully he can keep giving Leinster what he has been giving so far.”
While Byrne has often be likened to Sexton in terms of his physical stature, style of play and ability to control the momentum of a game, Contepomi is less inclined to make comparisons between the two.
The Argentinian great saw first-hand Sexton’s development through the ranks during his six-year playing career at the province, and he firmly believes Byrne has all the credentials to step up and fill the 33-year-old’s shoes.
“I don’t like comparisons — Ross Byrne is Ross Byrne and Johnny is Johnny and it’s very difficult to be compared to Johnny,” he added.
“I think he has to make his way, he’s doing it in a good way. That’s the one thing that younger players have to learn from Johnny, he always tries to improve.
“First of all we have the best out-half in the world with us, so that’s a great story. He won’t be available for selection for the first few games but then we have other good players that can fill those boots.
“We trust more than only one player but in the whole team and I think that whoever has to play out-half, we trust that they are good options for us.”
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