"It’s been brilliant," says Garry Ringrose regarding Felipe Contepomi's return to Leinster. "Just to get to pick his brain and see what ideas he has."
The Argentinian returned to Leinster during the summer - replacing the departed Girvan Dempsey as backs coach - nine years after he left the province to join Toulon.
Ringrose, who was speaking at the renewal of his partnership with PwC, feels that the 41-year-old has brought out the best from the Leinster group.
Compared to last year [it's great] just having a different voice, a different set of eyes. He offers a different perspective.
It’s just another learning opportunity because his success as a player wasn’t an accident. He’s incredibly intelligent and he has that rugby brain and we’re lucky to be able to work with him.
He can teach us what he’s learned and give us ideas he’s picked up over the years.
Ringrose says that a particular area where Contepomi's influence has been beneficial is with the team's lines of running.
"Him, as a 10 and also playing centre as well, would have a great understanding and appreciation for how you can impact an attack with your lines and how the person with the ball - how they're running with the ball - what’s the best you can do as a result of what they’re doing, if that makes sense.
"From the outset that was something we had to pick up and are still trying to learn at the moment because we still don’t get it right every time. I think you have to get it wrong in training sessions or in matches to learn from it.
"Each training session, individually for me anyway and it’ll be the same for most guys, he’d be picking up individuals on the little elements that they can improve so it’s great to be able to work with him."
Photo Credit: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
PwC is delighted to announce the renewal of its ongoing partnership with Leinster and Ireland rugby star Garry Ringrose for 2019. The extension of the relationship will see Ringrose positioned at the heart of PwC’s rugby activity across the year both for PwC internal and external events.