DON’T LEAVE IT TO MANE MAN

O’loughlin tells team-mates Aussie needs help to fill Nacewa’s boots

RORY O’LOUGHLIN says it can’t just be left up to new signing Joe Tomane to fill the void left by the retirement of Isa Nacewa.

O’loughlin and Tomane will form the early season centre partnership for Leinster, who begin their PRO14 title defence in Cardiff tonight.

“It will probably take a good bit of attention off me, playing with him,” smiled O’loughlin.

“They’re going to be running towards him, hopefully, and will leave me a bit of space.

“So far, so good with him and hopefully we can play a few games together now, and get going.”

Aussie Tomane, inset, has arrived from Montpellier as the province’s major summer signing but has big boots to fill.

But O’loughlin, who ended the season with bench involvement in the Champions Cup final and then as a playing replacement in the PRO14 semi-final and final, insists the onus is on everyone to step up now.

“You noticed Isa’s absence at the start of pre-season, it was strange, I’d never really experienced that with a player,” said O’loughlin.

“Stuart (Lancaster) made it evident early on there are moments players are going to have to step up when it would have been Isa – and it’s not necessarily one player, there’s been a number of people who have stepped up.

“Ross Byrne is driving the attack, then myself and a few of the centres have taken the onus in defence, then Rhys (Ruddock) and some of the older players in the pack, Scott Fardy, even Ross Molony have stepped up and said what needed to be said at times.

“It’s only when he’s gone that you realise how often Isa did that through the season – even be it one session when we’re off the mark, he’d bring us all in (together).

“Stuart’s made it quite clear during one week when we were training poorly that it’s up to other players to see when we’re off the pace and get us back in line.

“A lot of players are trying to share that onus and make sure we’re switched on and in the right frame of mind.”

Nacewa’s parting gift to O’loughlin was an unexpected one – 60 minutes in the comprehensive PRO14 final win over the Scarlets, when the veteran Aucklander had to limp off early on. In fact, it was his first time playing at No12.

“It was probably the biggest game I’ve played in,” said the 24-year-old.

“I wasn’t expecting to come on that early, but I knew I’d probably be on for a decent length of time because I’d played 40 minutes the week before.

“You don’t need a motivational quote in a game like that, coming on you’re just ready to go.

“Afterwards, Isa just said ‘keep doing what you’re doing’, there’s a good group of lads of a similar age in the centre that will hopefully be around for a good bit longer.

“So I’ve learned so much off him, it hasn’t been a specific thing, throughout my three years at the club he’s constantly been there, helping me along the way.”

Along with Tomane, promising back row

Caelan Doris also makes his full competitive debut for the province against the

Blues tonight.

LEINSTER:

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