Smiling James Lowe lights up Leinster

A game badly compromised by the absence of almost two dozen Six Nations stars was rescued by another star turn from Leinster’s James Lowe who continued to entertain long after the final whistle on Saturday afternoon.

The 25-year old Kiwi wing only made his debut in early December but his two first-half tries brought to five the number he has already claimed in his new colours and with just six appearances to his name.

Even those stats do his impact an injustice.

Lowe has brought an unpredictability to Leinster’s attack that adds a whole new dimension to their game.

His offloading is superb, his ability to fend off attempted tacklers breathtaking, and he does it all with a smile that permanently colonises his face.

It’s an approach that doesn’t sit well with everyone. Some prefer their players to be more solid than spectacular and the nitpicking over Lowe’s defensive abilities and bright demeanour bear similarities to the distrust in some quarters of Simon Zebo.

But Lowe’s positivity shouldn’t be mistaken for a laissez faire attitude. He may smile when he makes a mistake and play off-the-cuff rugby but he doesn’t believe in entertainment at the expense of victory.

“Nah, you have to win. It’s not entertaining if you don’t win. It’s a team game, you’re based on performance and winning. Mondays are a lot grimmer at Leinster HQ. Even when we win it’s a bit grim, you know? The boys need to smile more.

“Maybe that’s just me, I’d be a rubbish coach.”

Johnny McNicholl had claimed a 10th-minute converted try to give Scarlets a 7-0 lead before the Kiwi turned the game on its head here with two of his own and then an assist for a third from Luke McGrath inside 21 minutes before and just after the break.

Leo Cullen says it was his penchant for scoring tries that persuaded Leinster to sign him but his personality is a huge plus, too. He even had a room of poker-faced journalists roaring with laughter after Saturday’s win.

“It confuses everyone. ‘Shit, he’s done something wrong’ but I just smile about it anyway. The way I relax is just to think about where you come from, what you’ve achieved so far, what you play for, who makes you happy, what makes you happy.

“I’m on the other side of the world playing rugby. I never in a million years as a 10-year-old thought I’d be playing for Leinster. On the other side of the world, just having fun. That’s what you have to remember, I’m in a very privileged position and I know that.

“I do it with a smile on my face no matter what.”

The one complication is Lowe’s nationality becomes an issue in Europe as only two between himself, fellow Kiwi Jamison Gibson-Park and Australian Scott Fardy can feature in any matchday 23.

If the knee injury that forced Luke McGrath off is serious then his fellow scrum-half Gibson-Park will be irreplaceable and either Lowe or Fardy will find themselves looking on when the big days dawn.

“It sucks, eh? They need to change the rule. Can we do it here? Put your hand up if you want three foreigners playing. Yeah! Alright.

“World Rugby, come on! It is a shame, it’s only New Zealanders and Aussies! C’mon, something’s wrong there, eh?”

Of Leinster’s galaxy of young native talent, Skerries out-half Ciaran Frawley kicked a conversion and a late penalty against the Scarlets and even filled in at centre for an hour or so after Rory O’Loughlin departed injured.

“The amount of young fellas who from a young age all they want to do is play for Leinster...” Lowe marvelled. “I’ve never been anywhere in the world (like it). I tell some of the boys back home.

!At the Chiefs we had one person in the squad who went to school in Hamilton.

“Nowhere in the world do they have what Leinster has right now.”

GUINNESS PRO14 Leinster 20 Scarlets 13

LEINSTER: J Larmour; A Byrne, R O’Loughlin, N Reid, J Lowe; R Byrne, L McGrath; E Byrne, S Cronin, M Bent; R Molony, S Fardy; Josh Murphy, Jordi Murphy, M Deegan.

Replacements: C Frawley for O’Loughlin (14); N McCarthy for McGrath (50); R Strauss for Cronin and P Dooley for E Byrne (both 56); I Nagle for Josh Murphy (65); B Daly for R Byrne (71); O Heffernan for Bent and W Connors for Jordi Murphy (both 75).

SCARLETS: J McNicholl; T Prydie, P Asquith, S Hughes, I Nicholas; D Jones, J Evans; D Evans, R Elias, W Kruger; S Cummins, D Bulbring; T Beirne, J Davies, J Macleod.

Replacements: C Baldwin for McNicholl (11); D Smith for J Evans (50); P Price for D Evans (58); L Rawlins for Cummins (58); T Williams for Hughes (63); E Phillips for Elias, S Gardiner for Kruger and W Boyde for Macleod (all 69).

Referee: J Lacey (IRFU).