ROSE CAN BLOOM
Garry has it all and will be a star, says Ben Te’o
BENTE’O claims his Leinster teammate Garry Ringrose has everything necessary to make the grade at international level.
Ringrose, 21, trained with Ireland at their Carton House base but was overlooked by Joe Schmidt in all of his Six Nations squads, while fellow Leinster starlet Josh van der Flier was handed his international debut at Twickenham last Saturday.
However, Te’o is confident that Ringrose will get his chance.
‘ I’d probably use that word potential,’ Te’o said. ‘I think he’s got all the potential in the world to be something special. With his mentality and the way he has probably been raised he is level headed and I can’t see why he won’t get there, but I wouldn’t want to put too much pressure on him and things can change. But I think he’s probably headed in the right direction.’
Te’o believes Ringrose’s omission can be beneficial to him, allowing him some time to mature as a player and prepare properly for making the step up.
‘Sometimes, for some guys you might have to wait a while. There might be guys in front ont of you and it might take time me but when you get there it’s about what you do whenhen you get there. Whether er he has to wait or gets s thrown in I don’tt know but I’m suree he’ll do a good job.
‘There have probably been a lot of guys s that you know who o have played internaational rugby at a youngung age and didn’t do much ch on that stage and neverr played again. You just have to make sure that when you get there you are ready.’
Te’o (inset above) knows more about Ringrose’s game than most as the two line out beside each other at centre for Leinster, but the 29-year- old New Zealander insists he hasn’t tried to coach the young protégé.
‘Me and Garry, sometimes he mightm be inside me, sometimess outside, butbu I don’t try and coachco Garry. He is prettypret much an established player, he has all the skill sets sets. Mentally I just try and work with him and try and give him confidence and back him and encourage him and that’s pretty much it.
‘He’s strong, physical and every time I have played with him he has always stood up to the challenge. If they (Ireland) were to throw him in I think he’s ready, if they don’t that’s alright. He’s doing fine here and he’s developing.’
Te’o’s time with Ringrose is limited as his impending move to Worcester Warriors at the end of the season edges ever closer, and like the young Leinster centre he is eying a potential international call-up — although born in Auckland, he qualifies for England through his mother.
Still, the former South Sydney Rabbitohs player insists he won’t struggle for motivation in the closi ng stages of t he Guinness PRO12.
‘I have three months left and I want to enjoy the times here with the group of guys I’m playing with, and obviously the aim is to leave with a trophy. That’s pretty much where all my focus is,’ he said.
‘I want to finish the season here strong, then I’ll head over to the Premiership and dedicate myself to the new club and work hard at trying to establish myself in the Premiership.
‘I’m not looking too far ahead. In terms of international it’s not something I sit there thinking about a lot, to be honest. If you play good club footy, stuff like that can happen and if it doesn’t happen, I’m pretty happy with how my career has gone and is going.
‘I don’t need it to be satisfied and sleep well at night.’