Johnny Watterson on how aspiring Ireland flanker Shane Jennings wants to first claim the seven shirt with new club Leicester

Shane Jennings has taken no regrets to Leicester. No maybes. No animosities. No thoughts of last season's unravelling at Leinster. No what if I stayed. No fears.

The new season in England is now closer than the end of his last campaign in Ireland.

Instinctively, the openside flanker wishes to grasp the moment, dumping baggage that may hinder his progress in one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

Now in Scotland with the Leicester squad for a week of pre-season training and coaching, the Dubliner is no lonesome trouper. With Ulster's Ian Humphreys, Leinster secondrow Leo Cullen and Ireland fullback Geordan Murphy for company, the crash landing into a new environment has been softer than might have been.

Currently living with Cullen, Jennings is yet another player to break with the IRFU's desire to have their young talented players based in Ireland. Murphy and Keith Wood managed by the breadth of their ability to conquer the bias. Others such as Trevor Brennan and Bob Casey have been cut lose. The critics would argue that in Ireland we listen for the echo from England, as in the case of Murphy and Johnny O'Connor, before reacting to outstanding play. Sometimes the echo isn't heard at all. But Jennings sees the change as an opportunity in front of him, not a door closing behind.

"It wasn't so much that I wanted a change at the end of last season. An opportunity arose. Sure, I said 'Jesus, I don't know if I want to move'. That was natural. But if opportunities arise then you see if they can benefit you. I'm training well, feeling pretty fit and hope to put down a marker and play. I'm not one to dwell on Eddie O'Sullivan picking me. If he does, he does. I deserve it or I don't. It's up to me to put my name in there. Hopefully, it won't be an issue."

A bronzed Jennings rolled off the beaches in Greece and into the meaty Leicester stew a few weeks ago. A clean break, and just enough time to discharge and recharge his head to face a new regime.

"After last season I went away with mates for a three-and-a-half-week holiday. Completely chilled out with four friends," he says. "Stayed out of rugby completely. Just didn't want to think of it. Every season I do it, a month, three weeks. If I work hard I want to switch off, relax and not think about the game."

His first time living away from family and friends, he knows Leicester will not be an easy ride. There is no number seven shirt hanging on a peg in the changing room with his name on it. Like most big clubs, it is a scrap for the position, then a scrap to hold it. But the omens are good.

Coach Pat Howard sees the 24-year-old as an acquisition that will offset the retirement of England and Lions flanker Neil Back. But there are no promises.

Unlike Back, Howard also sees Jennings as dynamic enough to be a defensive line-breaker. A lot of homework was completed on him personally and with in the Leinster set-up before they made their approach. Jennings won't be drawn into comparisons.

"It is competitive to get into the first team. They definitely see me as a seven. There are two 21-year-old sevens. First impression is they're good and that's even before you mention the bigger names like Lewis Moody. People work very, very hard here. It is a tough work ethic. They've a hard edge and high standards in the gym and on the pitch. Always. Putting in half-assed effort is not good enough. I'm not saying it's better than Leinster, it's just a different culture, a different way."

Jennings will also suck on the experience of Martin Corry, Graham Rowntree and forwards coach Richard Cockerill, as well as Back, who has already completed back row sessions and defensive work with the loose forwards.

"Coaching from a player like Neil Back and learning from him is brilliant," says the former St Mary's player. "I hope it can make me a better player because I don't want to just sit here. That would be foolish. I want to play matches and hopefully get better. I think the IRFU would be happy if I was playing first team rugby. That would benefit everyone. That's obvious. I mean as many people as possible (Irish) playing at a high level is a benefit."

With a glut of backrow talent at the disposal of Irish coach O'Sullivan, Jennings will want not just to hold a first place but shine in the way O'Connor has done at Wasps and Murphy at Welford Road. As a genuine seven, the established O'Connor would have been a more direct competitor with Jennings for O'Sullivan's affections and the Irish tour to Japan this summer for which Jennings was a surprising omission illustrated just how O'Sullivan was thinking. But that is racing ahead.

As Leicester face a friendly with Connacht in Galway in two weeks before a Welford Road meeting with Munster just a week before their first Premiership match against Northampton Saints, Jennings will at least start against familiar foe.

In some respects that's a double-edged sword, but the young flanker keeps his thinking simple:

"I think people would agree that the standard in the English Premiership is probably a bit higher than the Celtic league. It will be nice to match up to other number sevens," he says before delivering his credo.

"If you can play good then you deserve it and you get it."