THE FIRST INDICATION that Garry Ringrose was primed for a big performance arrived just 73 seconds into Leinster’s Champions Cup quarter-final defeat of Leicester on Friday, the centre selling a clever dummy before breaking the Tigers’ line to score the first try of the home side’s 55-24 win.
It was the ideal start for a player who was winning his first minutes since Ireland’s Six Nations defeat of Scotland on 12 March, where an attempted tackle on Blair Kinghorn saw the 28-year-old take a heavy blow to the head which resulted in him being knocked out and stretchered off.
The incident provided another reminder of how the slightest miscalculation on the pitch can have serious consequences.
Yet just a couple of minutes into the Leicester game, with that early try already to his name, Ringrose delivered a perfect hit on Mike Brown which dispelled any suggestions he might err on the side of caution on his return.
Ringrose added another try on 16 minutes on a night he led the way for the Leinster – making 15 carries, running some brilliant lines and winning a key turnover just as the province had been reduced to 14 men in the second half.
“The lungs were definitely burning once or twice during the game but I think that was the case for everyone,” Ringrose explains.
“(It was) good to be back. It’s always tough watching lads have a crack in games.
“Obviously with Ireland it was a special finish, when all was said and done it didn’t ever feel disappointing not being there (for the final Six Nations game) because it was such a team and squad effort, there was a few of us who played a part earlier on in the tournament and then the same with this, I would have loved to have played last week (against Ulster) but it was pretty cool watching the lads go well in tough conditions.
“I was grateful to get a crack this week and yeah, all went well.”
Ringrose sat out Ireland’s Grand Slam-clinching defeat of England as he completed return to play protocols, but lifted the Triple Crown alongside James Ryan before returning to training with Leinster mid-way through the following week in a bid to get back in time for the province’s round of 16 tie against Ulster.
“I don’t think Leinster or Ireland or anyone would put you back out if there was any doubt,” he continues.
I was back training that Wednesday in a non-contact capacity and then working with Sean O’Brien, gradually reintroducing contact and hitting him a few times, so it was a good way to get the confidence back – if you can manage him then it’s alright coming to playing in the games.
“I was probably close to being available for Ulster but speaking to independent specialists and Leinster as well, I erred on the side of caution, so that there was complete confidence this week.”
After reflecting on another impressive win for Leinster in Europe, Ringrose takes us back to that horrible moment in Murrayfield.
“I mean, it was fine. It was just kind of a rugby incident. I caught his hip, which is like concrete when you catch someone’s hip and I caught the wrong side of my head so it wasn’t too bad for me because I was knocked out, it was probably a bit worse for everyone there and watching on TV.
“Like, the medics looked after me unbelievably well and with the oxygen and the neck brace and stuff, it made it look worse than it actually was.
“But they have to do what’s right by the player and not take any chances, so that’s what they were doing.
“It’s not ideal but my old man was over there, he was able to be with me after, I went to hospital and got all the necessary scans and spoke to the right specialists over the last two or three weeks to get the all clear so I was able to come out here and play with confidence and not question anything that I had done before because I was so well looked after.”
Having described the injury as a ‘rugby incident’, the centre adds that his own tackle technique could probably have been better, while again highlighting the speed at with which these decisions are made on the pitch.
“Kinghorn just went a little bit in and then out, so just swerved real late and I got my head caught on the wrong side. So obviously for myself technique-wise, can be a little bit better, be a bit more patient and then kind of chase my feet in so the head is in the right place.
But I’ve made that tackle loads. I’d argue a little bit… Take responsibility for the technique but then also just a little bit unlucky.
“It’s tricky. As I said, part taking accountability myself but then part of me is like it’s just an incident that hopefully won’t happen again.”
Thankfully, the 28-year-old came through Friday’s win unscathed. Shortly after collecting his player of the match award at Aviva Stadium, Ringrose talks us through the two tries which capped a superb individual display.
“The first one I guess was a good start for us,” he says.
“We obviously wanted to start well against them and yeah I guess it was off the kick-off, Hugo (Keenan) got up and we put some pressure on them early on.
“I think it was Ross Molony who was striking outside me and thankfully he took a bit of heat off me, so I managed to slip through.
“Then the second try was probably off the back of great lines from Ross (Byrne), Robbie (Henshaw) and Jimmy (O’Brien) out the back, and then I was just had to finish it through.
“There was a little bit of nerves beforehand, but it’s always nice to settle them and get over them.”
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