The Irish Times' Gerry Thornley chats to Leinster's Rob Kearney.
"Not for the first time under either Michael Cheika or Joe Schmidt, Leinster are doing their bit for Ireland’s forthcoming Six Nations campaign. Along with the continuing good form of so many Irish front-liners such as Jonny Sexton and the rejuvenation of Luke Fitzgerald, there’s the rebirth of Rob Kearney into something more, even, than the player who became the standout starting Lions’ full-back three summers ago.
"Where many a coach, unfettered by outside national concerns or even ham-fisted diktats, would have been entitled to continue playing Isa Nacewa at fullback, Schmidt has started Kearney there in all seven of his starts since the World Cup, and Kearney is flourishing.
"With his Gaelic football-honed skills, few were better equipped to cope with the Springboks’ aerial bombardment than Kearney. However, with the increased emphasis on keeping the ball in hand, Kearney has almost reinvented himself since his return from a nine-month injury-enforced sabbatical. His greater awareness in counter-attacking is seeing him link more with team-mates, although as he points out, this is a unit skill as much as it is down to the fullback, and he is also linking better with his sharp intrusions into the line."
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