Nacewa eyes more silverware

ISA NACEWA has insisted he had no hesitations about signing on with Leinster for another season. Nacewa, who came out of retirement to sign for the Blues at the beginning of the season, recently committed for 2016/17, and admitted he is delighted he re-joined a side he spent five hugely successful years with between 2008-2013. ‘I think if I didn’t come back and I knew I could have, it would have been failing in my mind,’ he said. ‘It was just a new challenge, the past is the past. I wanted to chase more trophies. ‘Who cares about five years ago or the five years I was here? Let’s create more history.’ The New Zealander, who captains the side against Ospreys at the RDS today, currently lies second in the Guinness PRO12 try-scoring charts, but refuses to take much credit for the achievement. ‘I think when you get into your 30s, you get a bit wiser, and you pick better lines to run,’ he added. ‘The majority of my tries, the guys around me have done all the hard work. You’ve just got to be out there to put yourself in a position to finish them.’ Head coach Leo Cullen admitted today’s game is a huge challenge for his team against an Ospreys side who have often left Dublin 4 with a result. ‘There’s only seven games left in the PRO12 and the way it’s shaping up, every point matters,’ Cullen said. ‘It’s a tough challenge because Ospreys, I don’t think the RDS is a place they particularly fear based on recent history. They had a really good win away in Munster, so they’ll come here with plenty confidence.’ There was also some positive news on Seán O’Brien’s hamstring injury, with Cullen hopeful the flanker will be back in action before the season’s end. ‘He’s progressing well. It’s an 810 week injury. Hopefully he will be back on the field before the end of the season.’ IRFU technician Stephen Aboud is allegedly on Conor O’Shea’s radar ahead of his impending summer switch to Italy. O’Shea is thought to want Aboud, an IRFU employee with over 20 years’ service, to take charge of Italy’s ineffective academy structure. Meanwhile, veteran James Coughlan is set to continue at Pau next season after agreeing a contract extension with the Top 14 newcomers.