Brian O’Driscoll believes that Leinster’s style of play is potentially limiting the attacking talents of Rieko Ioane and Garry Ringrose.
Since the arrival of Jacques Nienaber as their senior coach, the Dublin-based outfit have certainly changed tack with more of a focus on the defensive side of the game.
They were a free-flowing team under Stuart Lancaster but Leinster have struggled to find their rhythm with ball in hand this season.
That is despite the arrival of 88-times capped All Black Rieko Ioane, who has added even more talent to an already gifted backline.
Ioane shackled
There has not been too many searing breaks from Ioane in his four games so far, however, with the 28-year-old doing his best work by carrying into traffic and winning the gain line battle.
“I think Rieko’s been, you know, solid, but I think they’re playing to the game plan around what’s expected of their centres, it’s changed over the last couple of years,” O’Driscoll told Off The Ball.
“I think there’s a lot more expectation to carry in close quarters, there’s not too much free-flowing running outside on the 15-metre channel – taking bounce balls and connecting with your wingers.
“I know defensive systems don’t always allow that but it definitely feels as though it’s becoming an increasingly attritional position in the Leinster game plan at 12 and 13, particularly 13.”
Ioane will start at 13 in Leinster’s Investec Champions Cup game against La Rochelle with Ireland star Garry Ringrose currently out of action through injury.
Ringrose possibly edges the All Black in the province’s first choice side if every player was available, but O’Driscoll reckons that even he has become a bit too direct.
The change in Garry Ringrose
“Rieko is very, very capable of playing that game, it’s a real strength of his – his ball-carrying – and actually in Garry’s case, over the course of the last few years, that early development of that wide break and the soft hands, he’s probably come away from that,” the Ireland and Lions legend said.
“He’s probably more in line now with that crazy physicality that we see in his defence and I think that’s meandered and found his way into the attack game as well.
“I would love for him to be able to go back a few years to some of the vision piece around opening opportunities for other people, rather than getting drawn into an arm-wrestle with his opposition centre.”
O’Driscoll added: “From the creative point of view, I don’t think he’s been, in truth, quite as good in the last few years as he has in the early parts of his Irish and Leinster career.
“Not to say he can’t develop that again but I do think that’s aligned with [Leinster’s game plan], which is less inclined to allow you open running space.
“In the early years, he was a big elusive runner, good footwork – I just don’t think that he gets that much opportunity for that anymore.”