Hepworth aims to prove worth to Cheika

AFTER the emotional turmoil of Paris and the shock of Mike Ruddock’s departure there may be a temptation to gloss over this weekend’s round of Celtic League fixtures.

Michael Cheika would take offence to that as the Leinster coach’s mantra is to give each game the same priority.

Cheika’s summer signing from rugby league, Johnny Hepworth, could vouch for that. The former Leeds Rhino player has been given five opportunities to prove his worth to the Australian coach and, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, today’s game against the Dragons at Rodney Parade (5.30pm) is as important as any international.

“The first game without the internationals was against Borders and I did pretty well in that,” said the Leeds native. “I took my chance and hopefully I’ll be able to take it again. You do think about the contract situation a lot but you just have to do your talking on the field.”

There will be numerous players in the same precarious position as Hepworth. But few will have had to adapt as quickly as the 24-year old. Rugby has always been in Hepworth’s blood, but it was league and not union in which he immersed himself.

How hard then has it been then to learn the ways of a new game, not to mention a new country as well?

“Country-wise it’s pretty similar to where I live in Leeds, pretty hectic and busy. The rugby side of it was hard at first but I’m adapting and enjoying it a lot more.

“The technical side of it has been hardest, all the rucking and mauling - when to go into a maul, when to release. There’s a different types of fitness needed for the two games. In league it’s more continuous whereas union is stop-start. I’ve been impressed by the fitness levels here, guys have to be able to do 80 minutes a week.”

Hepworth’s CV was impressive enough to persuade Cheika that he was worth a gamble. Two seasons with Castleford Tigers was followed by a stint at Leeds and a loan spell at London Broncos, while he also toured with the Great Britain U18 Rugby League side in Australia in 2001.

“I’ve played rugby league for five seasons now and I’d always fancied the chance to come to union, whether it be England or Ireland. When the chance came with Leinster I knew how good they were. I came over and checked the facilities and the city out and I knew straight away I wanted to come here.”

One look at the Leinster team for today is perhaps enough to realise why Hepworth’s time on the paddock has been so limited. Though missing the international trio of Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy and Shane Horgan, Cheika can still call on a potentially devastating back line.

Girvan Dempsey lines up at full-back in a strong back three that includes Denis Hickie and Rob Kearney. Kieran Lewis - who alongside Jamie Heaslip, Brian Blaney and replacement prop Ronan McCormack all earned Ireland ‘A’ caps last weekend - partners Hepworth at centre.

There are no changes in the pack to the side that defeated the Border Reivers 62-14 in Leinster’s last Celtic League outing with Eric Miller forming a powerful back row alongside Keith Gleeson and Heaslip.

DRAGONS: A Thomas, G Wyatt, N Brew, J Bryant, B Breeze, C Warlow, G Baber; A Black, S Jones, R Thomas, A Hall, P Sidoli, J Ringer, J Forster, R Oakley.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey, R Kearney, K Lewis, J Hepworth, D Hickie, F Contepomi, G Easterby; R Corrigan, B Blaney, W Green, A Byrnes, B Williams, E Miller, K Gleeson, J Heaslip.

Referee: Peter Allan (SRU).