GORDON D’ARCY WAS man of the match for Leinster on his first start of the season on Friday night, a strong opening marker from a man who looks like being vital for the province during this campaign.
With other leaders having departed in recent times, the 34-year-old centre will take on an even more important leadership role than in the past. Whether that is at 13 or 12 remains to be seen.
D’Arcy started at outside centre against the Cardiff Blues, completing a smart 40-minute shift, before moving in one position after the interval due to a backline reshuffle when Rob Kearney departed with a dead leg.
Back at inside centre, D’Arcy began to dominate the midfield, sparking Mick McGrath’s try with a gorgeous pass, scoring himself, defending with a striking calmness and generally contributing smart plays.
D’Arce was very good,” said Leinster coach Matt O’Connor post-match. “He had to chop around in the midfield there at 13 and 12 in the second half. He was very good; he’s pretty experienced and he knows what he’s doing.”
That D’Arcy’s passing was perhaps the stand-out feature of his performance bodes well for Leinster. The Ireland centre has been more accustomed to a ball-carrying and rucking role in recent seasons, but demonstrated on Friday that his distribution skills remain.
“He’s a quality player, he’s proved that over 17 seasons,” agreed O’Connor. “If there’s opportunities for us to expose teams on the edges, we’ll take those and we were lucky enough to take those [against Cardiff].”
So where does O’Connor intend to use D’Arcy this season? The Australian was giving nothing away: ”He’ll play where he’s told, is usually how it works!”
Hooker Sean Cronin welcomed the return of D’Arcy as Leinster prepare to face Munster at the Aviva Stadium, while also highlighting the benefit of using Jimmy Gopperth and Ian Madigan as a 10-12 axis.
“I thought D’Arce fitted in very well,” said Cronin. “He’s just a class act with his lines of running and he was at 12 and 13 tonight. He just brings a huge bit of experience and stability when he’s in there. It’s always great to play with him.
You’ve got Jimmy and Mads at 10 and 12, which is great for distribution to forwards, so it’s great to have him back.”
With the likes of Madigan, Noel Reid, Brendan Macken, Fergus McFadden and potentially Luke Fitzgerald providing further options in midfield for O’Connor, there is at least a variety of combinations to ponder.
Ben Te’o was superb on his return from a four-game ban in the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ 32-22 win over the Roosters in the NRL Preliminary Finals on Friday. Any Leinster fan who witnessed his physical display will surely have been enthused.
The Samoan international will add another dimension to Leinster’s midfield stable with his explosive power and aggression, which could serve as the ideal balance alongside a more creative option in midfield.
D’Arcy has given O’Connor a reminder that he possesses those subtle skills, as well as his continuing ability to make yards in contact and organise a defensive line.
I hope Conor pucks the head off the 2 of them, preferably at the same time. Douchebags!!
Gas comment.
Must really kill the likes of Mendes,to watch someone with a bit of Charisma just walk into the UFC and basically take over as 1 of the main fighters in its ranks,earn more money in a year than he has in 10,sign sponsorship deals worth millions and have the ability to sell out football stadiums. All he talks about is how “if you put an elite wrestler in with an elite striker the wrestler will whoop their ass” WRONG!!! Aldo never wrestled in his life and some great wrestlers haven’t even got close to taken him down never mind whooping him,for the simple reason that in order to take someone down you need to get close,as soon as they shoot or get close they feel the power of the elite strikers,realise their speed and quickly throw that gameplan out the window,what JBJ did to DC being a prime example.
Maybe when Mendes is finished giving Lamas a reach around, he can consider why his famed wrestling didn’t wash with Aldo – who hasn’t got half the takedown defence of Conor
Ah here even Siver took McGregor down twice and he’s a kickboxer.
Siver attempted some sloppy takedowns in desperation as the “kickboxer” was getting minced going toe to toe
@Colm Kearney:
Don’t know what fight you were watching,because Mcgregors takedown defence in that fight was 100%,and in his ufc career I don’t think anyone has been successful in taking him down.
I concur
Joe Duffy .
He said UFC career you unbearable bell end
Unbearable bellend is a considerable enough takedown in itself. Quality !
Haha great comment Maurice
Love it
Honest mistake, but you call me that again and I will take you down, take you down to China town.