If this is how good Jordie Barrett is after one week’s training, wait until he gets settled in at Leinster.
There’s been plenty of debate about where the All Black will fit into a backline packed with Ireland internationals, but on the evidence of 40 minutes at Ashton Gate, it’s going to be impossible to keep him out of the team.
Barrett was introduced at half-time after Ciaran Frawley hurt his back and slotted in at inside centre, with Robbie Henshaw moving to No 13, Garry Ringrose shifting to the wing and Jimmy O’Brien redeployed to full-back.
He wasn’t the only replacement who made a game-changing impact, but Barrett’s outstanding debut saw him link brilliantly with his new team-mates, scoring a try of his own and setting up another for Sam Prendergast.
“It was great, you know, 40 minutes for him. Ciaran went off with a knock to his back at half-time, so it was amazing experience to be able to bring off the bench,” head coach Leo Cullen said.
“It’s taken a lot of work to get him here, he’s down with one of his brothers downstairs… not the brothers you’re thinking of, the cricketer, so it’s great having some of his family here.
“So, he’ll play a big part over the course of the season. Quality person, quality player.
“So, yeah, it was great for him to come in for 40 minutes. We weren’t sure how we’d get him up and running, we thought it was sensible to have him on the bench as he figures out a number of things this week and the tail end of last week.
“Hopefully, he kicks on, goes from strength to strength. When you bring someone in from the outside, you just want to make sure they add, so he has an interesting connection to Leinster going back to when he was a youngster.
“He had a fascination to here, so we’re lucky to have him and, hopefully, he’ll be able to have a good run with us.
“The way the game is now, we’re coming off the back of November and making calls on the players, who is coming back fresh, trying to get a mix in selection.
“Hopefully, we’ll be stronger going forward now. Again, it’s just a week together. Short week, Clermont, and it’s making sure we turn the page quickly and build that cohesion part with a few new people coming into the group.
“Overall, we’re pretty pleased. A couple of guys making their debuts in the competition, Jack Boyle, Rabah (Slimani), RG (Snyman) for Leinster in the competition, Gus McCarthy, Jordie making his debut for Leinster.
“Yeah, it was a tricky fixture for us, particularly with Bristol being one of the most cohesive teams in the Premiership at the moment in terms of stability to their group, they’re going well and they’ll still be bashing away in this tournament.”
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is excited about what Jordie Barrett can offer to his side
Prendergast was handed the No.10 jersey on the back of his impressive breakout November for Ireland and he was at the centre of Leinster’s six-minute second-half surge as Barrett, Snyman and Caelan Doris made a major impact.
“Listen, great, he scores two tries and takes them unbelievably well,” Cullen said of his out-half.
“Particularly during that period, obviously Bristol were firing plenty of shots, we fired some shots and then it got very messy with the penalties, then we lose two players and we manage that part of the game.
“Sam definitely came alive during that period when it was 14 on 14, he scores two of the three tries we did score, so a great outing for him today.”
Cullen was frustrated by Leinster’s first-half performance and the way referee Pierre Brousset refereed the scrum. The game was tied 7-7 at half-time and Leinster had to spend nine minutes with 13 men when Ronan Kelleher and Max Deegan were in the sin bin.
“The second-half was a totally different game,” he said.
“The referee gets annoyed with both teams and we both lose props, so it’s 14 on 14 during that period, and we scored three tries, so was it 21-0 maybe during that period and we played some really good stuff.
“The big thing is just making sure we stay patient and maybe not force things too much. We were trying a little bit too hard at times in terms of some of the penalties we were giving away. We’ll certainly have to get better anyway.”