LEINSTER v MUNSTER: JOHNNY WATTERSON talks to Leinster's Devin Toner who, despite his progress, still says he is a work in progress

OF LATE Leinster coach Michael Cheika has been emphasising the squad imperative. In one sense he has had to. Rob Kearney has mumps, CJ van der Linde has a foot problem, and after last Saturday, when the bench did a reasonable job in cleaning up after a messy beginning against Glasgow, a few faces have been attracting attention, pushing for starting positions.

Devin Toner will talk himself down from that heightened expectation but this season the secondrow has taken a quantum leap forward. Against Glasgow, when Cheika had a choice of who to take off when he needed Leo Cullen in the game, it was Malcolm O’Kelly and not Toner he unceremoniously hauled to shore. The veteran looked bemused as he ran to the sideline some minutes before half-time. Toner got his 80 minutes.

The gesture was another demonstration Leinster see Toner evolving into a lock they like the look of, a player in whom they have growing confidence. Because of his height, the lineout has been a place of rich pickings. Getting low, combative and effective on the ground has been the ongoing challenge.

“Obviously I benefited a little bit at the start of the year because Leo (Cullen) was out injured and then I got a few games and started last week,” he says. “I didn’t have such a great first half, second half wasn’t too bad.

“Compared to last season I think I came on a good bit but there’s still a load of room for improvement. I need to get my aggression up and still need to fill out a bit more so all in all I’m happy with the progression. Still a work in progress, yeah.”

Being the tallest player in the Heineken Cup at 6ft 10ins may have become a tedious point of discussion for Toner but playing-wise it is less a curse than a blessing.

If he faces Munster’s Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan on Saturday the week’s challenge could hardly be greater. But it was Toner’s initial fetch against Glasgow that fed O’Kelly and then Rocky Elsom for Leinster’s first try. The set-pieces and primary possession are among the areas where the match will be won and lost.

“Obviously they (O’Connell and O’Callaghan) are one of the best secondrow pairings in the world at this stage,” says Toner. “They’re tearing lineouts apart. They’ve got one of the best set-pieces, so if I do get a chance to come up against them I’m going to try my best to disrupt them myself, try to get as much as we can of them.”

The accomplished pianist has soft hands and, at 22, he is still adding the muscle that will allow him make best use of his body. Trips to Croke Park in his youth to watch Meath Gaelic footballers might have ensured the round ball dominated thoughts in his early years but even at school at Castleknock College his height marked him out as something of a specialist.

In the few years under the professional regime, his shape has already dramatically changed and under the two internationals, O’Kelly and Cullen, he has masters of contrasting styles of play.

“I try to see myself as an individual to be honest,” he says. “I would see myself, not as a mix of both (Cullen and O’Kelly) but hopefully I’ve established myself as a different type of player to both of them. I’ll see what I can do. I’ve learned a lot from both this year because I’m sort of the same body size as Mal and trying to learn as much as I can from the lineout calling from Leo, so I’m trying to learn from both of them.

“Improvement . . . my aggression is one area, maybe my body height at the ruck and maul, scrummaging. They are the main contact zone areas I need to get more aggressive.”

With eight appearances in the Magners League and four in the Heineken Cup, Toner’s unaffected Meath accent has become more assured. He is mild in personality but confident when he speaks and there is a clarity about how he thinks. “Pretty much I’m Leinster born and bred,” he says. “He (Cheika) sees I’ve come on a lot this year. I have filled out. I’ve got a bit more confidence as well with the starts and with the wins we’ve been getting.”

Still in the wings maybe, but Toner is taking shape and pushing, seeing small advances to achieve big things.