Bolt from Les Bleus a major bonus!
SLIMANI’S EXPERIENCE CAN RUB OFF ON YOUNG STARS
RABAH Slimani will become the first French international to play for Leinster when he makes his debut against Edinburgh at Hive Stadium on Friday night.
The 34-year-old has 57 France caps, made 187 appearances for Stade Francais and 106 for Clermont, part of a career mainly as a tight-head but often at loosehead that will hardly leave him in awe of his new club.
That’s what top clubs get in the lucky dip on the transfer market – when good players become available their agent sends you an email out of the blue.
Leinster can barely believe their luck in this case and forwards coach Robin McBryde is thrilled.
“It is great, Leo did the majority of the communicating with Rabah so I tried to brush up as well as I could on Duolingo, but he’s fit in very well, he has been very open about everything. “He’s come in with a little bit of a mentoring role, I’m led to believe he’s the first French player to represent Leinster and it’s great to have that mix.
“Having coached against him, he played in 2017 against Wales, that longest game something like 110 minutes where we beat them, where he managed to get back on the field somehow to try and get a result for France. We’d some interesting conversations looking back at it!
Surprised
“He’s a good character, he’s surprised a few with how good his handling skills are and he was even kicking out-of-hand for the kick-off pods the other day.
“He’s got a couple of strings to his bow and will definitely be an influence on young players, the mentality that they have.
“French players pride themselves on the set-piece so definitely hoping some of that Top 14 mentality will rub off on the youngsters although we also need to keep him grounded a little bit and focus on the scrum.”
The signing of the Frenchman, when taken in tandem with the arrival of South African RG Snyman, set something of an early warning alarm off at the IRFU and there is a semi-official ban somewhere in an internal memo warning the Blues off signing another non-Ireland eligible prop.
Leinster have Tadgh Furlong, Andrew Porter and Cian Healy on the books but there is an acknowledged need to start filling in behind them.
“Hopefully that’s what the Emerging Ireland tour is going to do, it’s going to give them exposure,” continues McBryde speaking of players such as Michael Milne and Tom Clarkson.
“We do as much as we can at URC level to give them exposure, but you’re going to want to play your better players.
“The more variety of players you play with and against, the coaches you work with, the more rounded a player you become.
“The way Rabah has been with young props, it’s been great because you learn off your peers and the melting pot we have currently with developing players, established players, returning internationals, it is just a great melting pot for talented players.”
It is the same with the frontrow behind Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher.
“Lee (Barren) and John (McKee) they sort of established this time last year with a run of games. We got young Gus (McCarthy) as well from the U-20s.
“There’s still good stock to work with so nobody can relax, it’s a very competitive area for us.”
McBryde is not necessarily in agreement with Ulster’s Richie Murphy that the Emerging Ireland tour will impact negatively on the provinces’s season.
It will, it won’t. It hasn’t happened since I’ve been here so I’m still waiting to see what the fallout will be from it. It will test our depth etcetera, but you just got to get on with it.
Talent
“You can have a look and work with players and take them away – hopefully it will be a good experience.
“I suppose we are a little bit different because we have got so much talent. That level of competition you see, you won’t get it anywhere else.”
Meanwhile, Leinster have confirmed they will travel to Edinburgh without three front-line stars RG Snyman, Jamison Gibson-Park and Dan Sheehan who are on the injury list.
“RG and Jamison are close. RG took a full part in the forwards unit’s session today. Obviously his next progression will be building up to be able to take a full part in training.
“Jamo, he took a full part in training today. It’s positive news on both of them. Dan Sheehan won’t be back for a while yet.”