No taking foot off the pedal for Ulster

RUGBY: INTERVIEW: EOIN REDDAN: JOHNNY WATTERSONfinds the Ireland and Leinster scrumhalf determined to keep the momentum going as they get ready to host Brian McLaughlin's Ulster side at the RDS

ISAAC BOSS strides by on his way to Thornfields, Leinster’s training ground adjacent to their Riverview offices and gym. In the car-park, Eoin Reddan stands around, having been drawn for the weekly discussion on all things blue.

Compact Reddan and burly Boss in the same camp are typical of the competitive narrative that keeps it real for most of the players in Leinster.

There are few places tailored to one individual body shape or style on the starting team. Brian O’Driscoll may have a bespoke place at 13, to which he makes minor adjustments year to year, his place always available. But for most others, like scrumhalf internationals Reddan and Boss, the competitive tension has brought Leinster beyond Leicester last week and before Ulster this week in a Magners League match that could be seen as a sizeable come-down from the buzz and adrenalin of the Aviva Stadium.

Falling from 50,000 fans to 16,000 could bring its own energy- sapping trough. But the players see it differently. You put it to Reddan that’s it’s a step down in both hype and level. But across the paddock he sees a smiling Boss ready to go. He doesn’t accept.

“It’s not really,” he says, explaining that this weekend brings its own jolts of passion and drama. “You feel like the bit is between your teeth after a game like that (Leicester). Confidence . . . the buzz is high and you want to get back out there and follow on.

“In the squad there are a lot of guys who have been successful and to continue to be successful, some people just have the bite to carry on. That’s definitely within the squad and people will be aware of that and they will be looking to kick on again on Saturday. Everybody’s pulling in the one direction and we’re looking to get Leinster over the line in two competitions and that’s not going to be easy, but it’s certainly a massive ambition of ours.”

Ulster have less expansive plans but similarly lofty ambitions in the league and although they fell away from European grace last weekend, the influence of their South African players and the improvement of their young Irish brigade, Nevin Spence, Craig Gilroy and Australian Adam D’Arcy, who has Irish citizenship, has given them a realistic hope of the play-offs. Coach Brian McLaughlin has stated that is now their aim.

Of them all, though, it has been former Springbok and Reddan’s probable opposite number, Ruan Pienaar, who has intervened for Ulster in so many close-call victories.

Although Ian Humphries was the kicker against Northampton, Pienaar’s threat with the boot has become a danger to any side if Ulster are able to keep the match tight until the closing minutes.

Ulster Director of Rugby David Humphreys is at least in no doubt about the breadth of the challenge. “I believe that Leinster are the most complete team in European rugby at the moment, said the former Irish outhalf.

They showed on Saturday how good their pack is, going toe to toe with Leicester and coming out on top. Out wide they have players who can change a game with a moment of magic so we will have to be wary of that threat.”

McLaughlin’s team will arrive with their eyes wide open. The last three games for them in the league at the RDS have been miserable enough.

In 2007, Leinster won 29-0 and in March 2009, a Rocky Elsom try led Leinster to a 32-6 win. Later that year, Jamie Heaslip and Rob Kearney scored tries in a 15-3 victory, while just last December in Ravenhill, Seán O’Brien grabbed two tries in a 30-13 mauling.

They arrive as underdogs hoping the provincial familiarity will even things up: “You can’t give penalties away, he’s (Pienaar) won a lot of games for them in the dying minutes and he has a very good temperament,” says Reddan.

“He’s a skilful scrumhalf, he gets to the breakdown quickly and he keeps the flow of their game going. Most scrumhalves I play against I am asked about them in the lead up to the match and it’s no different. But there’s plenty of game-breakers there to do damage so we can’t just concentrate on him. There’s probably five or six players who can break a game in either team and we’ll have to watch them.”

Reddan must feel confident of another home start. Although Jonno Gibbes said earlier in the week Leinster could not afford to remove their key players because they needed points, Reddan is unwilling to try to divine what’s going on in the head of coach Joe Schmidt.

“I don’t know, to be honest,” says the scrumhalf on whether he will play on Saturday.

“You play when you play and try not to over think things.”

A philosophical view indeed.