‘He has come along very quickly’ – Reddan happy to have extra competition from Luke McGrath

HE TURNED 34 last week but the competitiveness still courses through Eoin Reddan’s veins each week as prepares for battle.

For the best part of a decade the Irish scrum-half scene was basically Peter Stringer… and whoever had gear with them to sit on the bench but the national team had three strong options during the November series and now each province has one or two young bucks pushing the established veterans.

Reddan loves the competition, and in particular that he gets it at his club as well as when he goes to international camps.

“At the international camps the skill-set is very high and everyone pushes each other to get better,” Reddan said.

“We have good nines at Ireland and here [in Leinster] so I am learning all the time whether I am with Ireland or here. I’ve people pushing me in both places. I find it very motivating and I like being a part of that environment.”

The up-and-comer who’s pushing Reddan at Leinster is Luke McGrath, who has deputised for the the scrum-half and Isaac Boss well this season. McGrath has a sharp pass, is a sniping threat and practicing with two international level scrum-halves every day is improving his kicking game too.

He can even throw nice behind-the-back disguise passes.

Reddan thinks the trio can learn from each other and was quick to praise McGrath’s contribution this year.

“He’s played well and he has come along very quickly,” Reddan said.

“When you are all passing and kicking together your skills will improve very quickly and we have three quality nines here. He has done really well and I’m sure he’ll continue in that form.”

Reddan chilling out (and wearing a hat indoors!) during Leinster’s press event yesterday. Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO

It’s been an authoritative few weeks for Reddan as he got the chance to captain his country against Georgia two weeks ago and will lead Leinster out against the Ospreys this evening. But despite his recent positions of power, he doesn’t think he’s commanding a Scarface-level of respect in the changing room just yet.

“I don’t know if that [being captain] gives you anything really,” Reddan laughed.

“It is pretty similar for me whether I have that job or not. I think as a half-back you’ve things you need to be saying anyway but I certainly enjoyed last week.”

You could forgive Reddan and the other returning internationals if it took them a minute to readjust to the grind of the Pro12 after the glitz of the autumn tests but the scrum-half was adamant that it would be business as usual for him this week.

“When you are in [Ireland] camp it is a lot easier to just clear everything and dive into the game but we try and approach it the exact same way and make sure you are in good nick and have as much detail as you would any week.”

Reddan’s job will be a little easier this weekend with the return of Fergus McFadden to the Leinster backline and with another week to stand to him, Dave Kearney will be even sharper. Reddan thinks the rest of the team need to make the returning players transition as easy as possible.

After a mediocore display away to Treviso last week, the visit of league leaders and Leinster bogey team Ospreys will certainly focus the minds of the players ahead of the back-to-back Champions Cup games against Harlequins.

Reddan was quick to mention that the squad need to focus on their league form before they move on to plotting ‘quins downfall.

“It is good to be exposed to a tough side the week before the Champions Cup,” Reddan said.

“But we say this every week, and I know you don’t believe us, but if you look one second past tomorrow night you will end up with egg on your face. We just have to really focus on tomorrow night. As a squad we want to get up that table as quick as we can.”

‘He can do everything except change direction and run flat out’ – Matt O’Connor on Fitzgerald‘Big personalities are coming back’ – Fanning delighted to see return of Leinster’s wounded