The national interests and what Joe Schmidt might be thinking dominated a press conference about Leinster and their game on Friday against Edinburgh. Leo Cullen is used to it now.
Cullen’s patience was probably tested at the RDS on Thursday. While he can call on a number of international players to help keep Leinster’s Pro12 campaign going forward, the national question just keeps barging in.
The presence of Joe Carbery at outhalf, his first start since injuring his ankle, has implications for the Ireland squad to face France.
Josh van der Flier at openside flanker, Dave Kearney, another on the comeback trail, and Luke McGrath at scrumhalf are all hoping that the watching eyes will like what they see.
“There’s a lot of good young players who want to move up the levels,” said the head coach. “Some have moved up already. Some got picked during November, the likes of Joey, Josh and James Tracey, Luke.
“Five guys got capped for Ireland during the November internationals for the first time . . . Garry [Ringrose] as well. It’s just another window for guys to say this is what I can do.
“We are at home in the RDS. Home comfort. Guys want to put on a big performance; they want to create special moments on the field...hopefully they get the rewards when they put in a good effort. There will definitely people watching this game to see what they are about. Not just the coaches here.”
Different style
It is tough on Ross Byrne, who has done extremely well in the outhalf role but needs must and, in Carbery, Cullen and maybe Schmidt too have a completely different style of player to Byrne or
Paddy Jackson
.
Carbery has not started a game since the first half of Leinster’s European Cup match away to Northampton last December. His challenge is not that straight forward.
If he comes though positively against Edinburgh, France is another level again to step up. Even Cullen is hesitant in elevating him into the Ireland squad so quickly.
“We’ll see,” said Cullen. “Joey, it’s his first game at 10 in quite a while, since, what, Northampton away, where he lasted 15 minutes? We’ll see how he goes in the first half and we’ll make constant assessments after that.
“Obviously I can’t decide what is going to happen in terms of whether he goes into international camp or not. That’s for somebody else.”
Van der Flier, McGrath, Tracy and Kearney all possess ambitions to play in this year's Six Nations.
“Well, he’s [McGrath] been in camp so he probably has a slightly better chance, I’d say,” said Cullen. “But those guys, yeah, they can’t be a million miles away, can they? I’m seeing what you guys are seeing for the most part. Obviously I get to see our lads in training as well but, yeah, they’re working hard.
Moral of the story
“The likes of Luke,
Jack Conan
, James Tracy, Dan Leavy, those four guys have been in and out of both environments. Those guys know that if they play well they will be in or around . . . so the moral of the story is ‘play well tomorrow night fellas’.”
Van der Flier has, in many respects, been a victim of his own success. He’s close to the Ireland team but having fallen between province and country, he is now short on game time.
In the last three weeks he has only played for about half an hour, which is probably a source of frustration for a player with such an impressive engine. His run out against Edinburgh tonight at openside is a must.
“Tomorrow [Friday] night for Josh, it’s a chance for him to play and say ‘this is what I am able to do’,” said Cullen. “Make life pretty uncomfortable for whoever is making that call in terms of the selection for the next Ireland backrow.”
