WITH THIS RING YOU’D BE OK
Leo says Garry & Lions are perfect match
LEINSTER coach Leo Cullen admits he was disappointed that Garry Ringrose missed out on this summer’s Lions tour to New Zealand. The Ireland centre scored a stunning solo try in Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final defeat to Clermont on Sunday that saw fans question his absence from Warren Gatland’s 41-man squad. The 22-year-old became an Ireland regular in this season’s Six Nations, partnering team-mate Robbie Henshaw who was one of 11 Ireland players in the Lions squad. Cullen has no doubts former Blackrock star Ringrose is ready to become a tourist and believes he would have come back a better player. He said: “I was disappointed for Garry, you love to see guys go on and play for Ireland, then to go on and play for the Lions would be fantastic. You want to bring the experience back to the group, having another guy who’s been on a Lions tour. “Then you flip into the scenario when we’re playing away in a semi-final next season, they’ve been to the Lions and in New Zealand and through that cauldron, that experience, having come through an understanding of what’s required on the big days. The more you experience it, it’s like anything, the more natural it becomes. “Who knows what’s going to happen between now and the departure and during the course of the tour? I’d have no worries for Garry. “He’s an unbelievably smart kid who works very hard so I’d be delighted to see him go.” Ringrose’s second half try was the highlight of Leinster’s 27-22 defeat in Lyon on Sunday. Cullen admitted the team were maybe too confident and added: “We had that to a certain extent in the PRO12 final last year, sometimes that comes off the back of when you’ve won a number of games.”