Bad memories banished as James lines up for another crack at Leinster

BROCK JAMES is living proof that rugby players are made of sterner stuff mentally, as well as physically.

As nightmare scenarios go, the knockout stages of a Heineken Cup tie wouldn’t generally be the most ideal time for a goal-kicker to suffer a case of the ‘yips’ yet that’s exactly what happened to Clermont Auvergne’s James during last April’s quarter-final clash with Leinster at the RDS.

The 28-year-old Australian, whose metronomic kicking had seen him become top points scorer in France over the last few seasons, had a nightmare that day, missing five penalties and three drop goals before watching Clermont eventually lose 29-28.