LUKE MCGRATH IS too nice to express anything other than his delight for Jamison Gibson-Park after the Kiwi’s man-of-the-match performance last week, but the scrum-half is aware the competition has just ramped up.
McGrath watched on from the stands last Saturday as Gibson-Park seized his opportunity in the nine jersey against the Dragons, further underlining his credentials in a performance which was embellished by three try assists and a second-half brace of his own.
26-year-old Gibson-Park, who represented the Maori All Blacks, joined Leinster from the Hurricanes as a project player on a three-year contract in May 2016, but has largely been understudy to McGrath at the eastern province in recent seasons.
Initially content to fill the bench role, Gibson-Park is now targeting further game-time this season having started just nine games during Leinster’s double-winning season, and his virtuoso showing demonstrated that he is determined to stake his claim for that starting berth.
McGrath will get his chance to respond in the Guinness Pro14 clash against Edinburgh at the RDS tomorrow evening [KO 7.35pm, eir Sport/Premier Sport] in the knowledge he’ll have to step his game up too.
“I thought he [Gibson-Park] was brilliant, along with all the lads, last week,” the scrum-half said. “I haven’t played since that Scarlets game so it was a fairly disappointing ending. It was good to see the guys go so well and the competition is just raised.
“I’m really looking forward to it tomorrow, just getting back to the RDS as well because I haven’t played there since the Munster game [Pro14 semi-final] last year.”