Leinster and Ireland star Josh van der Flier admits he isn’t ready to become Leinster's "handyman" from the bench but adds that he will play wherever he is put.
Van der Flier came on during Leinster's win over the Dragons last weekend, in a game that finished 34-6 to the Irish province.
It is expected that the Wicklow man will not become a long-term substitute under Andy Farrell and Jacques Nienaber, but the 31-year-old admits he will remain professional regardless of whether he is selected by Farrell or Nienaber in the weeks or months to come.
"I know, you don’t want to be the person who’s good at the end of the game," said Van der Flier to RTE Sport
"I’m happy wherever I’m put, I suppose, but my obvious preference is playing all the games, starting the games, and that’s what I’ve been most used to."
Van der Flier also admits that coming off the bench is challenging, something that became evident in the latter half of last season. The former World Player of the Year was replaced by Will Connors at openside for the game against Toulouse and the double-header against long-time rivals Ronan O'Gara’s La Rochelle.
Josh van der Flier of Leinster after the United Rugby Championship Semi-Final match between Leinster and Munster at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)Ultimately, he acknowledges that it is part of the game.
"Last year I probably played a few games off the bench for, kind of, different reasons, and yeah, it’s a hard one because you want to make a big impact, but you need to make sure you are doing it when you’re playing from the start," added van der Flier.
"Whenever you’re playing off the bench, whatever area you’re good at, it’s easier to be good at because everyone else is tired.
"At the end of the game, you could play 20 minutes and do exactly the same thing as you would have done at the start of the game, and you end up with a few big carries, a couple of turnovers, and a few big tackles because people are tired and a bit sluggish.
"It’s part of the game."
Leinster's game against Benetton will take place this Saturday at 5.15 pm and can be seen live on RTÉ Sport.
