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Shane Jennings shares his view on whether Schmidt should have given Ringrose a start in Chicago

Ex-Leinster and Ireland flanker Shane Jennings can see the sense in Joe Schmidt not including Gar...



Shane Jennings shares his view...
Rugby

Shane Jennings shares his view on whether Schmidt should have given Ringrose a start in Chicago

Ex-Leinster and Ireland flanker Shane Jennings can see the sense in Joe Schmidt not including Garry Ringrose in his Ireland starting team to face reigning world champions New Zealand at Soldier Field, Chicago.

The head coach has named the more established pair of Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne at centre for Saturday's test international in the United States, with emerging centre Ringrose on the bench alongside another Leinster youngster in the shape of Joey Carbery.

"I suppose the question marks were probably around full-back and centre as always, whether he was going to go with Ringrose at 13 and Jared Payne at full-back," Jennings said on Off The Ball.

"And probably the one that sticks out in the pack is probably Jordi Murphy. People probably thought Josh van der Flier was going to get in there. Other than that, I think people would have probably would have gone with what has been picked."   

He added that: "It will be interesting to see the way [Schmidt] was thinking, about not blooding the likes of Gary Ringrose".

On that Ringrose decision, Jennings feels the nature of the formidable opposition may explain why the young Leinster centre is not included in the starting team.

"Garry's a young man. He's just solidifying his place at Leinster. He's got Champions Cup experience now and he's done very well. And he's developing, whereas you're playing against the best team - probably of all time in terms of rugby stats. So to be put out in that environment, would it be the right thing to do? With the potential of three games coming after it, it's a big month and Joe knows what he's doing to be fair to him, whether you agree with him or not. You can see the sense in not putting [Ringrose] out there I think."

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