JORDIE BARRETT thought twice about handing his Leinster jersey to the son of a Munster legend.
But – ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup clash with Bath at the Aviva Stadium – he insisted he is not bothered about the number on the back of his shirt during his time in Ireland.
Ronan O’Gara put his disappointment at seeing his La Rochelle side fall agonisingly short against Leinster on Sunday to put on record his thanks to the All Blacks great.
He posted a pic online of his son proudly displaying the boots Barrett had worn in helping the visitors eke out a 16-14 victory.
But Barrett revealed the initial request had been for an item of clothing before he decided to exercise some diplomacy.
Barrett said: “I was chatting with ROG after the game and his boys come up with another young fella and they asked for my jersey.
“I said, ‘Sorry, I can’t give you this jersey probably because it’s a Leinster one and your dad might not take it.’
“So I said they could have my boots and they were very grateful. It was nice.
They were polite kids and used their manners, that’s all it takes.”
Whilst the 27-year-old has fitted in almost seamlessly since teaming up with the province after the November Internationals.
He admitted there are other things which have taken some getting used to, including interaction with fans.
He explained: “At home in New Zealand, things are a bit different in terms of our protocol after the game.
“I guess the structure here, you head back and have a chat straight after the game in the sheds and that’s just what we do.
“At home, you’ve got a bit of an obligation to stand out and sign and takes photos, then we shower and have chats later on once everyone’s washed up later. That’s just how things work.
“So I guess when I have to run up the tunnel, I just feel a bit guilty when these kids see you and it’s the least I can do. They turn up and ultimately support us so we’re grateful for that.”
But it is not just the fans that Leinster want Barrett to engage with. As a player known for his versatility, he is happy to land his expertise to Jamie Osborne.
Barrett said: “He has come in the Irish squad playing centre, full-back and wing very similar to what I did and, look, he is a great young player and he had a great head on his shoulders too, so he has a very high ceiling.
“That kid, he is going to be good for a number of years. We all saw what he did on the weekend, he has the complete skill set, the head, he works very hard and he is a quality player.”
Osborne had been named on the wing but was moved to full-back after Tommy O’Brien pulled up in the captain’s run.
That in turn saw Barrett – who had been included among the replacements – come into the starting team at 15.
Upon his arrival in Ireland, Barrett described himself as ‘a number 12 who can probably play full-back’ whilst Cullen suggested that an agreement had been made with the New Zealand Rugby Union as to whether he would play during his half-season sojourn here.
But Barrett said: “I’ve never sat in any selection meetings or meetings with coaches.
“I’ll play the cards I’m dealt and I’m grateful for any opportunity I get with Leinster whether it’s starting, on the bench, or in a tracksuit.
“It’s just the way it is and I guess we’ve got to play the long game. There’s things we want to get out of the season and it doesn’t take 15 or 23, it might take 40 and beyond.
“So I’m well aware of that and grateful for any opportunity I get.”