BYRNE IS GOOD’ TO GO
LEINSTER v LEICESTER Harry likely to beat Ross to No10 spot
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 Frawls (Ciarán Frawley).
“It’s good competition. When the team is named and if they’re both in the group they will help each other along through the week.
“It must be a funny dynamic at the dinner table at home.”
The Kiwi who becomes Ireland’s new attack coach in the summer — his place on the summer tour to South Africa is still “to be confirmed”,
Goodman claimed place 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 and at Munster on St Stephen’s Day.
Time
“I just think it’s that consistency of time in the saddle,” Goodman said.
“He had pretty torrid couple of years, the year before I came and then last year.
a“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.
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.
“Some of them have got enough experience up over the years, some of them with different injuries are going to have to run and things like that,” said Goodman.
“There’s various levels of injury and experience there, you’d back a lot of those guys to come into the game, yeah.
“There’s boys that haven’t won anything yet in Leinster colours, so they are really hungry week on week to get themselves ready the best they can so they can go out and perform the way they know they can.
Best
“We know we have to be at our best to win these games.
“Look, 16 teams are desperate to win this competition and we’re in a final this week.
“We’re not looking ahead of this one because we know this is knockout football now. We’ve got to be at our best come Saturday.
“We’ve got massive respect for Leicester and the way they play, they’ve got a clear DNA, they’re all so clear around how they play and attack the game.
“So Monday, Tuesday are really important days to set up a great performance on Saturday.”