Leinster backs coach Tyler Bleyendaal says it’s not easy to plan around Springbok lock RG Snyman.
Snyman has returned to the Irish club ahead of their Vodacom URC clash against rivals Munster at Croke Park on Saturday having missed the opening rounds of the competition while helping the Springboks retain the Rugby Championship title.
The 30-year-old is renowned for his offloading game, something his Leinster teammates needed time to adjust to upon his arrival from Munster.
“Sometimes it’s not easy to plan around because he’s also quite instinctive,” Bleyendaal told Irish media. “Some of the unstructured play that he can create is equally chaotic but beneficial for us.
“It probably took a few games last year to understand it. He’d carry into a brick wall, but suddenly the ball’s flying out and we’re playing off it again. So, it’s about staying alive around him.”
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Beyond his skill set, Snyman is an influential presence in the Leinster environment.
“He also just brings a really good energy,” Bleyendaal added. “He’s such a lovely bloke. In the week, he’s quite a relaxed kind of character, so he adds that kind of difference to our group. And then he plays with still a mean kind of physicality with just a great skill set.
“Like I said, it’s something you can’t always plan for, but if you’re alive to it, it can create some nice unstructured play.”
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Meanwhile, centre Robbie Henshaw – withdrawn early against the Sharks – will be further assessed this week, while winger Jordan Larmour is nearing the end of his rehabilitation.
Photo: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images
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