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28th September 2021
12:36pm BST
"I got taken out by Garry Ringrose on a good hit-line I ran in training... I was defending at 12 [in training] so I'd say they were pretty fearful of me at 12, in the D-line! I didn't have a rashers what was going on. "Garry Ringrose was coming straight at me. I was really impressed with him. I was the same with Keith Earls at that age. Why these guys stand out is their personality, their attitude or their character - this guy is so humble."Ringrose is now fully established with Leinster and Ireland. He is a key player for the reigning league champions and a leader amongst the squad. We caught up with the 26-year-old just ahead of the United Rugby Championship opener and asked for a tip-off on young players at Leinster to keep an eye on, this season and beyond. He had quite a few names to get through. [caption id="attachment_237185" align="aligncenter" width="1280"]
Garry Ringrose of Leinster and a blurry Chris Farrell of Munster (left) during the United Rugby Championship launch at the Aviva Stadium. (Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)[/caption]
Asked for the names of Leinster prospects tearing it up in training, Ringrose lists off four exciting backs, two of which have already played with the senior side.
"Jamie Osborne has been very impressive for us," says Ringrose. "He would have trained with us last year and he's obviously kicked on. He's been incredible. "Even watching over the summer, playing the [Ireland] 20s, he's grown and is getting better. He's someone I've no doubt that will contribute to Leinster. "Chris Cosgrave has gone away has gone away with [Ireland] Sevens, and is back. He's been incredibly impressive. Liam Turner, who came on when Chris got injured against Harlequins, pretty early. Liam came on at 13 and slotted in, seamless. "Rob Russell is another guy that came through. He would have been training with us. Obviously, we put a lot of pride in home-grown players and players that have come up through the system - whether it is school or clubs. "So to see guys like them really driving the standards and challenging a lot of us in training. It's not just us giving them advice and improving them. It's two ways - fresh faces, fresh opinions, fresh point of view - and they teach the other guys, older than them, too. It's a brilliant dynamic."
As for the addition of four new teams from South Africa, Ringrose acknowledges that it will be tougher again to finish top of the tree. He is keen to stress, though, that Leinster's past league wins have been no cake-walk.
"The teams that are coming in, the quality that's coming in, and the way the schedule has been restructured can only do good. "Saying 'prestige', that wouldn't be a word that I'd use. Probably just tougher, more competitive, more challenging. That's what myself and the guys in our playing group are facing."To get over the line, as in past seasons, Leinster will be using 50+ players and relying on these academy prospects. They go into the season with words of ringing endorsement from Ringrose, a man that has tread the path and proved all those that backed him to be correct.
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