Macken knows he has his work cut out to retain spot
Macken, playing in his fourth season for Leinster, has bided his time and put in two solid shifts in the Leinster shirt in recent weeks.
Eoin O’Malley’s unfortunate retirement in August pushed the hard-running centre up the pecking order and when O’Driscoll suffered a calf tear at the end of September, it seemed Macken would finally get his big chance. However, Matt O’Connor was still not convinced Macken was ready and called for the veteran Lote Tuqiri from the Wests Tigers rugby league club in Sydney to come over to Leinster on short-term cover.
The 33-year-old Tuqiri looked off the pace in the defeat by Munster and when he cried off with a hamstring strain, Macken finally got his shot on Europe’s biggest stage. The 22-year-old centre did not disappoint on his Heineken Cup debut and was a huge part of Leinster’s sterling defensive effort against the Ospreys in Swansea. Along with the rest of the Leinster backline, Macken found the going tough at the RDS last Saturday and was called ashore for Luke Fitzgerald after 50 minutes.
“They were tough... really tough,” said Macken on the Castres challenge.
“They’re a big, heavy physical team but they didn’t tire, they were fit and kept working. They didn’t lie down and when they scored that try, that gave them a good bit of confidence and they grew from that, and it made it difficult for us.”
Macken admits the Heineken Cup step up was made easier due to the host of seasoned campaigners surrounding him. “It’s really handy having Darce inside me and then Fergus [McFadden] and the Kearneys outside me because they obviously have more experience than I have and they really do help on the pitch, when we’re playing, and off it, when we’re training.
“Brian [O’Driscoll] is very, very good to me with little words of encouragement and things like that. So I’m very lucky to have that.”
On a day when space was at a premium, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip were two Leinster figures who took the fight to Castres.
“It’s fantastic having those two lads,” Macken stated.
“You look up and see Sean is handing some lad off in the face or Jamie is carrying unbelievably well and that just sets the platform for us because the opposition backs are going backwards. We have front football because of those two fellas. Their experience is huge for us.”
Heaslip is growing into his new leadership role at the province with every passing week and looks to be showing no signs of a post-Lions hangover.
“His workrate is absolutely incredible,” said Macken on the Leinster captain.
“He does so much that people don’t see and constantly gives words of encouragement. Every time someone does well he’s immediately patting that person on the back and we’re really lucky to have him as our captain at the moment.”
The Blackrock College three-quarter will be all the better for the experience of the past few weeks but knows he has his work cut out to retain his spot.
“It’s nice to play to but it’s better to win and that’s the main thing,” he said.
“We’ve won the last two games and we want to keep kicking on. I just have to keep the head down and keep working hard.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
