WITH THE SIX Nations done and dusted, the big games now start coming thick and fast back at provincial level as the club season steps up a level.
Leinster made a positive start to the current block of fixtures with a big win down in Galway against 14-man Connacht last Saturday, and will hope to build on that momentum when they visit Thomond Park this weekend for what should be a more competitive interpro derby.
The province are set to welcome back a number of their Ireland internationals for the meeting with Munster, with one eye on the upcoming back-to-back Champions Cup fixtures against Connacht.
“Well it’s a step up in intensity, isn’t it?” says forwards coach Robin McBryde.
“It gives us an opportunity to give some boys a run who are returning from the Six Nations, against one of our biggest rivals, so it has that benefit that it adds a bit of spice to it.
Hopefully there will be a full crowd down there so it will be quite an occasion, it will be great for spectators and good for the players as well to get that feel of being involved in front of a crowd again and being able to keep your emotions in check, which is something we’ll be looking to improve on from last week, obviously.
“So yeah, in that regard it does help to make sure everyone’s on top of your game, so you don’t leave any stone unturned in regards to your preparation – big game, going down to Munster, big rivals in the pro game.
“That’s the challenge this week, with them all coming back. We need to try get on the same page, try build that cohesion.
“Obviously it’s a big game for us on the weekend. That’s the challenge really, to get everyone pulling together. Regular conversations, meetings etc. They are pretty good anyway, pretty well-versed in moving backwards and forwards between club and country.”
Leinster have not yet made clear just how many of their Ireland stars they hope to welcome back, although James Ryan looks set remain on the sidelines as he works his way back from his latest head injury setback.
Having been stood down following a heavy blow to the head against England on 12 March, the lock was pictured taking part in Leinster training yesterday, McBryde confirming that Ryan is “in and around the place” without offering much further detail.
“He’s just cracking on, I think,” McBryde said.
“He has been seen by the specialist and that, but everything else is just progressing – going through the protocols etc.”
It will be interesting to see how Leinster manage their squad over the coming weeks, an enviable array of international talent looking to come back in alongside a talented support group who have kept the province top of the URC table over the Six Nations window, Saturday’s win over Connacht the latest reminder of their depth of options across the park.
McBryde can also look forward to welcoming back some heavy artillery in his own specialist area, the pack. Yesterday, he caught up with Leinster’s returning Ireland players about their Six Nations experience, with hooker Dan Sheehan making his first three starts at international level during the championship.
“I think he’s dealt with it alright. He’s turned up in the same car, in the same clothes as he used to before the Six Nations,” McBryde said.
“He’s not getting too far ahead of himself.”
As part of that catch-up, the front row unit discussed the highs and lows of their Six Nations, including that difficult day at the scrum in Twickenham.
While coming away with a bonus-point win, Ireland conceded six scrum penalties against Eddie Jones’ side on a frustrating day for the all-Leinster front row of Cian Healy, Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong.
When you get days like that, you’ve just got to learn from them and move on, you know? We were just keen to get their thoughts and the lessons they learned following the Six Nations. So it was good to hear Dan, to hear Tadhg (Furlong), stepping up and speaking. We all move on as a group and learn from those experiences.
“It’s a tough day, but the referee, looking back, would he make the same decisions again? Who knows.
“We’ve got a big block coming ahead of us, good scrummaging teams. That’s again on Saturday with Munster, they’re well coached with Graham Rowntree. We’ve got to go back to Connacht, we’ve got to handle Connacht again, they’ll have a couple of players back as well.
“Then we’ve got a tough trip to South Africa, two tough games out there, and then who knows after that? We’ve got to face Munster again, hopefully we’ll still be involved in the Champions Cup.
“So there are some big matches ahead, and yeah, as you say, you’ve got to be able to learn from these experiences and be able to know how to put things right on the field, especially if you fall on the wrong side of the referee or the referee gets a wrong call.
“I mean, they’re only human at the end of the day so sometimes you’ve just got to play to the referee.”
This week on the Front Row – The42’s new rugby podcast in partnership with Guinness – panellist Eimear Considine makes a welcome return… and she’s brought her Ireland roommate, Hannah O’Connor, along too. They chat about broken noses, tanning routines, initiation songs and balancing the Women’s Six Nations with teaching, plus how one fan named her child after Ireland winger Beibhinn Parsons! Click here to subscribe or listen below:
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