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Published 20:37 1 Jan 2016 GMT
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Ringrose with a great run to get the crowd in full voice #LEINvCON pic.twitter.com/oJcb3pwo6j
— Newstalk Sport (@NewstalkSport) January 1, 2016
Van der Flier was EVERYWHERE.
The 22-year-old only made his Leinster debut 14 months ago but he has been a fixture of their back row all season.
Having held the fort during the World Cup, he showed coach Leo Cullen the he should be starting once the likes of Jordi Murphy and Sean O'Brien returned. A try off the bench in the Champions Cup loss to Bath emphasised the point.
Against Connacht, van der Flier landed 18 tackles. To put that in perspective, it was double that of his closest Leinster teammate [Devin Toner] and six more than Connacht's best tackler, Eoghan Masterson.He was effective at the breakdown, in defence, but did concede two turnovers. Both Cullen and Schmidt will have noted that chink in the armour. As for O'Brien, he came off the bench for the final 20 minutes and begged for carries. He drew two and three white shirts with every charge and gave breathing room to those around him. The Six Nations is on the horizon and three-in-a-row talk may not now draw derision. Neither should talk of either, or both, Ringrose or van der Flier starting against Wales on February 7. There is reason to hope again.
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