Having signed a new contract with Leinster and Ireland that will take him to the end of the 2027/28 season, Irish centre Garry Ringrose says that his plans are to become an even better player.
The 30-year-old, who has won 65 Test caps since making his debut in 2016, establishing himself as an ever-present in Ireland’s midfield, said it was a privilege to stay in Dublin for another three years. Performance Director David Humphreys said at the announcement that he believed Ringrose’s better days were ahead.
“That’s always what you’d be trying to aim to do,” said the outside centre. “I’m just delighted and feel privileged to be able to sign on for three years. It’s an unbelievable opportunity to work with some amazing coaches and then players that are keen to get better and improve. I’d be the same as that so massive opportunities ahead.”
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The competition for starting places in the Irish midfield with Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Ringrose and others has forced management into some rotation of the players with Ringrose having to be content with a starting from the bench against Scotland last weekend.
“I think certainly as centres we’d be pretty open and relaxed amongst each other,” he said. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve all been challenged to play on any given week, either it’s rotation, injury, form, and what’s brilliant is it’s really competitive in training but then at the end of the day, certainly as a centre group, we just want to do our best to help the team win.
“I don’t know if you ask myself, Bundee or Robbie at the moment that are rotating, and there’s a few guys that haven’t been in yet. That would be their answer as well. We’re all kind of on the same page from that perspective.”
The former Blackrock College player was pleased with Ireland’s haul of 10 points from two matches against England and Scotland with Wales in Cardiff the team’s third challenge of the championship next weekend.
“I mean to come away with 10 points from the first two games, we’re delighted from that perspective,” said Ringrose. “What’s been great is there’s been loads of good in the games, but then things we’re reviewing and looking back at and trying to get better at so we’re getting the best of both worlds I guess. To have 10 points in such a competitive group of teams, yeah we’re delighted.”
