The upcoming Leinster rugby season is poised for a strong start as key players RG Snyman and Jamison Gibson-Park are expected to be fit and ready to play from the season’s bell. Normally, one would expect Snyman, a double World Cup victor, to represent the Springboks in the Rugby Championships. However, a minor foot affliction will likely see him debuting for Leinster in either the URC round two conflict against the Dragons at Aviva Stadium on the 27th of September, or the sequential away match versus Benetton.
Snyman’s injury necessitated his premature return from the Rugby Championship. Leinster’s Leo Cullen comments, “Thankfully, it’s pretty minor.” Currently, Snyman is participating in rehabilitation sessions with the team. Cullen expressed optimism regarding Snyman’s progress but remained unsure about a round one return, instead suggesting rounds two or three as more plausible.
Following Snyman’s omission from Rassie Erasmus’ lineup for South Africa’s impending Argentina match, it is likely he will remain with Leinster.
Leinster’s supply player, Gibson-Park, Ireland’s double Six Nations victor, is also expected to recover from his hamstring injury in time for the inaugural round of the season. While he was unable to join Ireland’s summer tour to South Africa due to his injury, he currently has no issues participating fully in training sessions, according to Cullen.
Despite the temporary unavailability of these key players, Leinster has been able to provide 17 squad members for the South Africa tour. Those who carried more responsibilities during the tour are unlikely to be ready until rounds two or three. However, “the players who didn’t have as much playing time while on tour will be available for the first round,” stated Cullen.
It’s anticipated that Sam Prendergast and Jimmy O’Brien, who didn’t participate in either Test, along with Cian Healy, Ryan Baird and Ciarán Frawley, originally put forward as replacements, will potentially be involved in the forthcoming games. However, on a contrasting note, players like Andrew Porter, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris, James Lowe, Robbie Henshaw, and Garry Ringrose are likely to be reintegrated progressively.
As stated by Cullen, Leinster is expected to vary their team substantially during the first half of the season’s rounds. Their next three matches in this initial phase include Munster at Croke Park, Connacht away, and the Lions at the Aviva. Cullen also admits that although this rotational strategy paves the way for robust competition, it might affect the team’s overall synergy.
The Leinster’s season holds plenty of interesting narratives, one of them being the noticeable presence of Frawley, who clinched victory as a reserve in the second Test against South Africa. Prendergast is another player under focus. Alongside this, the outhalf list for Leinster includes Ross and Harry Byrne as well as the highly-regarded 18-year-old Austrian, Casper Gabriel.
Cullen humorously pointed out that if ‘Frawls’ had scored the drop goal when brought on as a replacement against Toulouse, from the same spot where he scored later in Durban, they would be having a different discussion. Cullen added that Ciarán is gradually gaining experience, and his decision to replicate the situation was commendable.
Regarding Leinster’s four outhalf options, Cullen highlighted their good standing while emphasising the importance of being open-minded about player selection. He said the players themselves need to demonstrate their abilities.
As the previous season saw joint captaincy by Ryan and Ringrose, Cullen hinted that forthcoming news concerning who will wear the captain’s armband can be expected soon.
A key talking point surrounding Leinster this season has been the team’s lack of silverware for three consecutive seasons. The squad’s management, including Cullen, doesn’t perceive any entitlement to success, given the level of competition across the two tournaments they participate in. The team has suffered close defeats in three subsequent Champions Cup finals, reinforcing the necessary learning experience, particularly for the younger players. Equally, the team has fallen in three URC semi-finals consecutively, with each defeat presenting unique challenges.
During group Zoom interactions with various URC head coaches, including ones from Stormers and Sharks, John Dobson and John Plumtree, there was a discernible disappointment about their preparedness for the season’s kick-off. Reflecting on their previous season’s loss to La Rochelle in the Champions Cup Round of 16 and a home defeat to the Ospreys the following week, Dobson admitted their inadequacies in managing the team. Recognising their struggle with balancing national responsibilities, rest days, and two tournaments, he pointed out that this is a primary area that they need to improve upon in the forthcoming season.