Eoin Reddan on getting the better of Clermont

Leinster scrum-half Eoin Reddan will start from the bench this weekend, however, he has a sharp insight into the threat Clermont Auvergne pose, their playmaker Morgan Parra and how Leinster should go about winning.

The number nine shirt has been handed to Isaac Boss for Leinster’s Heineken Cup match in France this Sunday but Eoin Reddan will wait patiently on the bench for his opportunity to shine against the might of Clermont Auvergne.

Reddan was an integral part of Declan Kidney’s plans in the November Internationals but is finding competition for places in Joe Schmidt’s team on the hot side.

“Joe is quite a positive guy,” says Eoin, speaking at the Grafton Street launch of Champion Sports’ new retail partnership with Leinster rugby on Monday. “He knows Clermont inside out. We’re going after them and definitely want to win the game. We want to put a marker down.”

“They finish very strong. It’s something they probably focus on. It’s a tough place to play.”

“On Friday as the game wore on [against the Scarlets] we got back into our patterns more. We didn’t get out on the pitch to train on the pitch during the week and I think that showed. We gelled better as the game went on and I think if we had another 20 minutes out there we’d have done a lot better.”

Discipline

Clermont are overwhelming favourites to keep the points in France this Sunday. If they are to do so, then it’s likely that their playmaker Morgan Parra will have a helping hand in how they go about it.

“He’s a good player,” Reddan says. “He’s smart, gets around the pitch quick, gets the break downs, moves the ball around fast and he’s an excellent place kicker.”

“Discipline is key for us away from home. We have a very good defence, we need to trust it and not give him a chance to kick goals. You end up nine or 12 nil down all of a sudden if we don’t defend well.

“The scrum is going to be massive. The last time they came over here they did damage to us. The quarter-final and the semi-final of the European Cup were a watershed for us as a team. We realised we needed to help the forwards as much as possible in scrummaging and allow the back-row scrum a little bit longer so we could adjust the way we defend so we have a full eight man scrum for longer. The whole forward unit have worked very hard. We’ve improved in that area since last year.”

With Brian O’Driscoll, Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald are all unavailable due to injury, the backline will have a slightly shaky look to it. Reddan feels that players are getting an opportunity to prove themselves – a chance that doesn’t come around very often at this level.

“The idea will be for people to slot in. We try to play to guys strengths if they’re coming into the team. The players who do get to play will be thinking ‘this is my chance to have a go and further my career’. We’ll have a good infusion of players who will want to make their mark in this game.”

William Nestor

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