Leo Cullen hopes that Gus McCarthy’s rise from the Academy to the international Test arena will inspire his team-mates who hope to break into Leinster’s ever-competitive squad in the 2024/25 season.
McCarthy has climbed through the ranks at a rapid pace from captaining the Ireland Under-20s to a Grand Slam in 2023 to make five appearances for Leinster in the 2024/25 season due to injuries to Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher.
After an impressive debut in the green jersey against Fiji on Saturday, scoring a try and assisting three others, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen thinks McCarthy can be a leading example in taking opportunities when they come.
“It’s over to the players, we just fill in the names, but with Gus, if you watch back our pre-season games, he had a good pre-season and he has taken to it really easily,” Cullen said ahead of Leinster’s return to URC action against Ulster at Ravenhill on Friday.
“Every week, he was getting better. That’s why he started Round One this season – because it was off the back of a couple of really good pre-season games, and obviously, he’s kicked on since then.
“It’s great to see, he was excellent at the weekend. So, it’s what you want, it’s good, for all your guys to see.
“Now, it’s over to them when they get the opportunity, making sure that they’re ready for it, and if they perform well, they’ll get picked again.”
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On the other end of the experience scale, Cullen is delighted to have the experience of Luke McGrath and Jack Conan in the squad ahead of a busy period with the return of the URC and their Champions Cup opener against Bristol Bears.
“They are great leaders in the group. I’d spend a lot of time with the two of them because you want the players to run the playing group,” said Cullen.
“So, it’s just making sure that those two guys are very aligned with the senior coaches because they are two of the most senior guys we have.
“Jack was flying at the start of the season, and he picked up an injury in the Munster game which has taken him out basically till now. And now, he’s back training, which is great, and hopefully, he gets through the weekend.
“Luke’s been brilliant with us. He just wants to play. He’s so caring for the group, and sometimes when guys are like that, it can be at their own expense of their time, but he’s been fantastic as always.”
The Blues stayed sharp with two ‘A’ game victories over Munster and Connacht, with Cullen blending youth and experience across both games.
Harry Byrne started both of those games, and with Ciarán Frawley and Sam Prendergast still on Ireland duty, it’s a chance for the talented out-half to impress the coaches.
“Harry has gone well the last couple of weeks. Competitive as we know with 10s. I’m not convinced that we’re going to get any of our other 10s back, so we’ll crack on with what we have now,” Cullen said.
“Harry started the last two ‘A’ games, Ross got a bit of time in Galway and we had Caspar (Gabriel) then in front of a passionate home crowd for him. Which was great, obviously, with some of the Terenure lads on the bench as well.”
Meanwhile, amid a turbulent period on the coaching front, Munster have secured the future of two key backroom staff as defence coach Denis Leamy and attack coach Mike Prendergast have signed new two-year contracts.
Munster have stated that Prendergast has agreed on an extension as ‘attack coach’, which may rule him out of contention for the head coach role.
Prendergast has long been viewed as the favourite to land the top job with his home province, but Munster and the IRFU could decide to seek someone with more head coach experience.
Fresh after forwards coach Andi Kyriacou followed head coach Graham Rowntree out of the exit door, Munster will be relieved to tie down Leamy, currently in his third season as defence coach having returned to his home province from Leinster in 2022, and Prendergast, who were both out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 season.
Current Ireland Women’s forwards coach Alex Codling has replaced Kyriacou on a consultancy basis until the end of the 2024/25 season as Munster continue their search for a permanent appointment as well as a new boss.