Berne ready to help Leinster prosper

SHAUN BERNE may have to make way either before or at some stage of tomorrow’s Magners League clash against Connacht (RDS 4.30) for Ireland’s rising star Jonathan Sexton, but he is still expected to play a significant role in Leinster’s bid to retain pole position in the tournament.

Berne is currently nursing an Achilles tendon injury, albeit one that isn’t a major cause for concern either for him or the Leinster medical team.

“It’s a bit sore, but ok,” he said this week.

Acknowledging that he is merely a second-in-command following Sexton’s exploits during the Six Nations, Berne said it was important, more than anything, to keep the momentum going for Leinster when the top internationals were away.

“Well, I think it’s all about that momentum; this week we obviously have a few guys to filter back from the Six Nations. As far as we’re concerned, we probably didn’t play to our strengths last week against Glasgow but I think with the injuries we had in the game and with some of the younger guys who were stepping up and playing, it was a great result for us. The defence probably won the game for us in the end.”

Leinster will be missing both Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy for tomorrow’s clash; while Berne might be glad, he is quite happy that youngsters such as Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley can pick up the tab.

“Of course it’s going to be a loss to be without Brian and Gordon but that has been the way it was up to now. I don’t think it’s going to be a big problem. Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley might not be household names at the moment but they’ve done a great job for Leinster.”

He added: “We’re in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup and top of the table in the Magners so it’s exciting times at the moment. But we’re trying not to look too far down the track because we have got Connacht this week. They are our neighbours and you always want to beat your neighbours whether it be Scrabble or rugby!”