Boss stays on Kidney’s radar
Among them will be scrum-half Isaac Boss who, with all the talk surrounding the triangle of Tomás O’Leary, Eoin Reddan and Peter Stringer for the green number nine jersey, has become something of a forgotten man in the international debate.
Boss’ lack of Test input hasn’t been mirrored at club level where, despite the assumption that he was signed from Ulster last summer as a back-up to Reddan, he has been afforded regular game time and starts in both the Magners League and Heineken Cup.
“I’m not in at the moment and I’ve just got to focus on this weekend for Leinster and take the opportunity to impress (Declan Kidney),” said the Kiwi-born half-back.
“I haven’t thought beyond what I can’t control which is my own performance.
“He always talks to the guys and he’s pretty approachable as well so if you’re not in the squad you can always give him a ring and have a chat about things you need to work on and obviously I’ll continue work on that.
“I’d like to think I was close but in the last few years I haven’t really got much of a run and I got a limited chance in the autumn.
“If I can get an opportunity it’s up to me to take it. I’ve got to worry about what’s going on here. If I do well then maybe I can get an opportunity.”
The opportunity to impress has been understandably tempered by the loss of international sidekicks in the first 15 during the Six Nations and the resultant infusion of young and inexperienced faces in their place.
The Leinster team which went down 11-3 in Cardiff last Saturday contained more than half a dozen players under the age of 23, most of them in a back line that depended on Boss and full-back Isa Nacewa for some old-fashioned know-how.
“These guys are young and keen and they’re taking their chance to get into the Leinster fold and the enthusiasm they bring excites.
“They’re going to be players of the future and just getting a chance to play with them is exciting and it rubs off on the older guys.”
Leinster will again be without Scotland’s Nathan Hines as well as their Irish contingent for the visit of Benetton Treviso to the RDS on Friday evening in what is a crucial game for their Magners play-off ambitions.
A number of fringe internationals will inevitably be released back to the provinces later in the week and their return will no doubt be welcomed by Joe Schmidt who is also having to make do without the injured Shane Horgan and Rob Kearney.
The news on Kearney is at least favourable.
However, Schmidt preferred against speculating on whether the British and Irish Lions full-back would be fit in time for April’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leicester Tigers.
“He is progressing really well,” said the Leinster coach after the player’s latest knee scan last week.
“There is no brace, he is walking freely and doing things in the swimming pool.
“He isn’t back on the field yet but I would hope that is not too far away.
“It is too soon to say because he would have to get on the field in the next two to three weeks because you can’t prepare for a quarter-final with just a week under your belt after, what, four months out of rugby.”
Schmidt was also coy when asked if Leinster were the Irish province rumoured to have offered Connacht wing Fionn Carr a contract for next season.
The 25-year old, who has already informed the western branch of his intention to leave, is also reputed to have attracted interest from outfits in England, France and Wales.
“Along with other Leinster players like Jamie Hagan there might be the opportunity that he could come back some time in the future.
“The problem for Fionn is that, at the same time, there is Andrew Conway and Dave Kearney trying to slam that door shut for him.
“That, of course, is the nature of competitive rugby but I would have to say that with Fionn he would certainly be of the calibre of player we would like to have.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
