GIRVAN DEMPSEY SAYS Leinster won’t alter their style of play when they meet the Cheetahs 4,000 feet above sea level in Bloemfontein on Friday evening.
The eastern province comfortably saw off the challenge of the Kings at the weekend and arrived in Cape Town yesterday ahead of the second week of their South African trip.
Leinster will base themselves at sea level for the next few days before making the journey to Bloemfontein on the eve of their clash with the Cheetahs at the Free State Stadium [KO 7pm Irish time].
While the majority of the squad haven’t played at altitude before, backs coach Dempsey is confident the players can deal with the challenge having spent last week training in Johannesburg.
“It’s just to give the players the opportunity to experience it in Johannesburg, to feel the heat,” Dempsey said of last week. “It was warm and obviously to train at altitude as a lot of the guys would never have done that before.
“We know it is hard so it was good for them to feel that initial shock to the system but after that it was hang on a minute, we’re actually fit enough, it’s okay we can adapt to this.”
During his playing career, Dempsey was part of the Ireland side to take on South Africa in Bloemfontein in 2004 and added that it wasn’t a massive factor.
“It was so long ago, but it was good,” he recalled.
“It was an international Test, it was a challenge and big game. Regarding the altitude it wasn’t a massive factor. It does obviously impact on you later in the game. We’re happy, we’re very happy with where the squad is in terms of fitness levels and how we’re playing the game.
“We’re happy with the way our game plan is set up and how we play the game so we’re not going to adapt for that. We feel our fitness levels are strong enough, we know it’s going to be a massive challenge against the Cheetahs because they do play at pace. It’s just about managing that opportunity to control the tempo but when it’s on we up the tempo on them.”
Following their 31-10 win over the Kings on Saturday, Leinster trained under Table Mountain today having come through their first South African assignment relatively unscathed.
Ross Byrne has shaken off an ankle issue while Fergus McFadden and James Ryan will be monitored during the week. Isa Nacewa and Jamison Gibson-Park have now linked up with the squad having missed Saturday’s game due to last week’s visa mix-up.
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