CASE OF BYRNE & BYRNE ABOUT
LEINSTER’S Byrne family drama ramps up this week as the Blues await the visit of Leicester to Aviva Stadium.
After getting the nod to start in the meeting of first versus second in the URC last Friday night, Harry Byrne will hope to do so again ahead of his older brother Ross at No.10 for the Champions Cup last 16 tie.
Ross, 28, missed the entire Six Nations due to a torn bicep he suffered against
Munster and, with Jack Crowley in the hotseat, Harry got championship game time off the bench against Italy and Scotland.
Ross has played four times since that Munster game – including three URC starts – but it was noteworthy that he came off the bench on Friday, while Harry started just eight days before the big knockout game in Europe.
“It’s the first time I’ve had it,” said Leinster’s attack coach Andrew Goodman of the sibling rivalry for the same jersey.
“Someone at a barbecue on Sunday was asking me the same question!
“They’ve got a good relationship. They both want to be in the 10 jersey along with Sam Prendergast and Ciaran Frawley.
“It’s good competition. When the team is named and if they’re both in the group they will help each other along and help each
Saturday 8pm other through the week.
“It must be a funny dynamic at the dinner table at home.”
Kiwi Goodman, who becomes Ireland’s new attack coach in the summer, has been impressed by the growth shown by 24-year-old Harry after a torrid time with injury.
He has played in plenty of important games already this season, including the away encounters against La Rochelle and Leicester in the pool stages.
“I just think it’s that consistency of time in the saddle,” Goodman stated.
“He had a pretty torrid couple of years, the year before I came and then last year.
“He has had a couple of little injuries but a lot more consistency in terms of being on the training field running the team.
“Opportunities to start big games as well, that’s been great for him – and then the opportunity to play in big games in the Six Nations because all that experience he builds up there will help us going forward as well.”
Leinster have a number of first team players on the verge of being available again after injury concerns.
Robbie Henshaw and Luke Mcgrath are going through return to play protocols while Frawley (foot), Andrew Porter (shoulder) Garry Ringrose (shoulder), Hugo Keenan (hip), Jimmy O’brien (neck) are all being assessed this week.