LEINSTER TAKE GREAT pride in the majority of their squad being homegrown. We know all about the production line of players coming from the schools game and the sprinkling of talent they draw from clubs around the province. Leinster are good at guiding those prospects into senior rugby.
What’s discussed less is their strong recruitment in recent seasons.
Take, for example, Charlie Ngatai. When injury forced Robbie Henshaw out of yesterday’s Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse, there were fears that it might swing the tie in the French side’s favour.
But Leinster had full faith in Ngatai, who was only just back from injury and playing for the first time since January. The 32-year-old has proven his class many times over the years and was good enough to win an All Blacks cap in 2015. He excelled with Lyon in France more recently before switching to Leinster last summer.
At the time, there were questions raised over the addition of Ngatai. With Henshaw and Garry Ringrose already there, did Leinster really need him? Well, the New Zealander has already had an important part to play this season.
His try-saving tackle on Aaron Sexton away to Ulster earlier this season in the URC was a pivotal moment, while there were several of them yesterday against Toulouse.
Take this brilliant 50:22 kick.
Or this key breakdown turnover.
Or this tackle on Peato Mauvaka to force the ball loose early in the second half.
Leinster are hopeful that Henshaw will be fit in time for the Champions Cup final and he’ll be alongside Ringrose in midfield if that’s the case, but having Ngatai there gives Leo Cullen and co. great comfort.
Ngatai has fitted into Leinster well off the pitch too. The province tend to do their homework in that regard, speaking to people who have worked with possible recruits. They want to be certain that new faces will fit in as seamlessly as possible.
Ex-Ireland international Guy Easterby is Leinster’s head of rugby operations and he plays a central role in their recruitment. Having previously played for the province, he re-joined as chief scout in 2008, had a stint as team manager, and moved into his current role in 2014.
Obviously, Leinster’s coaching staff have the say in pinpointing where they need to bolster their squad, but Easterby handles lots of the business in getting deals done, as well as the contracting of all those homegrown players.
And Leinster’s recent record tells us that they’ve done well with their recruitment.
Ngatai has been impressive this season, playing 12 times despite that hamstring injury, and adding lots of experience and nous to the mix.
Jason Jenkins was the other recruit last summer and he made an instant impact early this season, adding serious ballast to the Leinster pack. He came off the bench yesterday and scored a try. Having had an injury-ruined year with Munster last season, he has already played 16 times for Leinster and could be a key man in the coming weeks.
Last season’s big-name recruit was Michael Ala’alatoa, who came from the hugely successful Crusaders with a strong pedigree. The 31-year-old is the Samoa captain and his skillset suits how Leinster play. He’s been a strong back-up to starting tighthead Tadhg Furlong and if the Ireland international was injured, Leinster would have faith in Ala’alatoa delivering.
Having actually approached Leinster himself, 2018 recruit Joe Tomane did take time to settle into Leinster and his first season wasn’t always of the level they would have hoped for, but he was much better in the 2019/20 campaign as he made eight starts.
In 2017, Leinster made two sensational recruits. Scott Fardy had a huge impact on the province over the course of the next four years, playing an important role in the 2018 Pro14 and Champions Cup double in his first season. He and his family loved being in Ireland and will return this summer as he joins Connacht as their defence coach.
James Lowe joined Leinster at the same time as Fardy and we barely need to go into his impact since. The lure of Ireland caps was an important factor, of course, and Lowe is now a key man in Irish rugby.
A year before, Jamison Gibson-Park arrived in Leinster from New Zealand. It wasn’t obvious just how good he would be but the scrum-half is now one of the best in the world in his position. He was sublime again yesterday.
The summer of 2016 also saw the signing of Robbie Henshaw from Connacht, so it’s safe to say that Leinster’s recruitment over the last seven or eight years has been successful.
The key to their quality is the in-province production line, but it helps when the additions from outside are so good.
