THEY say an Irishman’s best friend is his mammy. Leinster’s Auckland-born Isa Nacewa mightn’t have heard of the expression before his arrival two summers ago, but it’s one that he might certainly adhere to.

Last November the Nacewa family were graced by the birth of twin girls – Mia Rose and Ellie Milika – to outside-back Isa and his wife Simone, and visits by his mother-in-law, and now his mother, have certainly helped the transition from the simple life to the occasionally chaotic but wonderful world of family life.

Such is the joy that his daughters have brought him in just six short months that he couldn’t envisage life without them.

And if the amiable 27- year-old’s form this year is anything to go by, the stability and happiness they have provided, both professionally and privately, has enhanced the already high esteem in which Nacewa is held.

“I am loving life in Leinster and it is great that we’re approaching the final weekend of the calendar with a league title to play for,” he revealed earlier this week as the squad’s preparations for the Magners League Grand Final began.

“Motivation is never a question when you pull on the blue shirt. Take into account that we were playing against our biggest rivals in the semifinals of a knockout competition in front of a home crowd and you couldn’t ask for greater motivation than that.

“I was proud of the team’s performance because we stood tall defensively against Munster. Whenever you approach a team like them with the amount of talent that they have across the park, the important aspect is the physicality that you bring and there wasn’t that much of a margin between the two sides.”

Take the victory over Munster last weekend, when he readily flung his frame into larger bodies, taking hits and, importantly, making them at key moments.

Though he carved his reputation last year as a largely offensive weapon, his defence this year – allied to a 100pc kicking ratio in the recent bonus point victory over Edinburgh – strengthened the already held view that he is one of the most talented players to ever grace these shores.

Typically, he disregards any individual plaudits. With the all-round capabilities that the Ospreys will bring to the table in next weekend’s final, Nacewa knows that the familiarity of the two sides honed over several years of tense, close contests will demand an improved level of performance if they are to regain the Magners League title which the province lifted two years ago.

With some familiar faces set to descend on The RDS, Nacewa predicts a high-class fixture of international standard.

“I would know the likes of Marty Holah, Jerry Collins and Filo (Tiatia), having played them back in New Zealand and over here in recent years. They seem to be getting better and better and it will be a special game for Filo, especially, because it will be his last competitive game, so I’m sure they’ll come out (with) all guns blazing to send him off on a winning note.

“The Ospreys have international players right across their team. Obviously someone like Tommy (Bowe) has been in outstanding form for them all season and with players like Shane Williams, Dan Biggar, James Hook and Lee Byrne in such good form, we will have to play at a really high level to get the win.

“At this stage of the season it isn’t as much about the physical work that you get through because players in every team might be carrying niggles and minor knocks. It’s as much about how you prepare mentally.”

One of the drawbacks about plying your trade on the other side of the world is the inevitable occasional homesickness that creeps in. Nacewa has enjoyed spending time with his mother Barbara over the past few weeks and she will be returning home to Auckland on Sunday.

“It has been great having Mum around, and she has been a big help to Simone and I with the girls. “I didn’t come from a big rugby household. It’s just my three sisters, my brother and I, and none of them were into rugby before I started playing, but they have always been hugely supportive of me right throughout my career.

“From time to time it can be difficult living away from home, but once the season is over we’re heading home with the girls. Back to a New Zealand winter! Last summer we travelled around Europe, which was really good, but it’ll be nice to get home and spend a bit of time with our family.”

At tonight’s End of Season Leinster Awards Ball in the Burlington Hotel, representatives from every aspect of the game will celebrate another outstanding year for the province at all levels.

Nacewa regrets with a chuckle the timing, acknowledging that, like last year, the awards are being held a week before a major final.

Ask him who his candidate is for the major gong, he has no hesitation in suggesting Jamie Heaslip, or ‘Rocky’ as he is known by his teammates because of his outstanding form.

Nacewa believes that as the final hurdle approaches, the acclaim in which the departing coaches and players are held ensures that the larger squad are determined to give them the fitting send off that they deserve.

“It’s always a sad time when players and coaches move on, but that’s part and parcel of the game and just a part of life. Michael (Cheika) brought me to Leinster and I will forever be indebted to him for giving me the chance to play here. He has been a huge influence on my career.

“With Joe (Schmidt) coming in, who’s another coach with a young and enthusiastic mind for the game, it’s an exciting time for Leinster, but those are thoughts for the future.

“We all want to send off all of those great servants to the game in Leinster on a high. Right now it’s all about the Ospreys. We have great respect for them and they fully deserve to be in the final because they have been consistent for most of the season. They beat a strong Glasgow side in the semi finals and, with a trophy at stake, it will be our toughest test yet.”

The future couldn’t be further from Nacewa’s mind right now for he knows that the toughest test is imminent. In a sense, the time is now.

- Peter Breen

Good Points: Isa Nacewa kept the scoreboard ticking over

The introduction of the Heineken Cup has provided the biggest plus from the game going open. Losing out on Grand Slam and Triple Crown -- my, haven't we come a long way -- was disappointing, yes, but the gloom hanging over Irish rugby since last weekend's double Heineken Cup defeat sums up where priorities now lie and just what the premier European competition means to rugby folk and, indeed, to folk generally on this island.

The flip side of the Heineken coin is, of course, the All-Ireland League. As the provincial competition goes from strength to strength, the club game erodes ever further.

Today the club season reaches its climax with the Division 2 and 3 finals in Anglesea Road and the main event, the Division 1 final in Athlone's Dubarry Park.

Sponsors AIB have, as ever, been doing their bit in drumming up interest. But their radio jingle, though well intentioned and applicable to other codes, is within a rugby context very wide of the mark -- "behind every great player is a great club."

That used to be the case in rugby, every bit as much as in the GAA, but not any more.

When did Brian O'Driscoll last play for Blackrock, Ronan O'Gara for Cork Con or Paul O'Connell for Young Munster? But that is as it should be. Heavyweights should not compete with lightweights and in a sport based on physical impact, the analogy with boxing certainly holds. A confrontation between a full-time professional and a strictly amateur player could well result in serious injury.

Abuse

As things stand, the 'availability system' is loose and wide open to abuse, with some clubs exerting pressure on professional players (associated however tenuously) to line out for them when Magners League and Heineken Cup allow.

It makes for a most unfair playing field, particularly in cross-provincial matches whereby, say, certain Leinster fringe players might be available (if the province was playing on a Friday), yet Munster players (with a Saturday kick-off) probably not. Or vice-versa. It is, quite frankly, a mess.

There was a time when it seemed there was room for a premier club league embracing full-time fringe players, academy elite and the best of part-time club professionals, but the full-time game has moved on much too far now for that.

The introduction of the British and Irish Cup has effectively drawn that curtain down. To be fair, and much though I wish it were different, an 'A' team competition is essential to give fringe players meaningful game-time at a level close to the Magners League,

There is encouragement, however small, in the comments of Evan Ryan and Hugh Hogan, captains of Con and St Mary's respectively, ahead of today's Dubarry Park showdown. Both acknowledged that the Union experiment to split Division 1 has been a success in terms of increasing the quality and intensity of club rugby.

No doubt the RDS will be packed close to capacity for Leinster's final game of the Magners League regular season against Edinburgh tomorrow, while only diehard Mary's supporters will make the trek to Athlone. The fact that Munster are in Wales to play Cardiff (also tomorrow) will not make a whit of difference as only the Con faithful will journey up from Cork.

What we are seeing is the emergence of two separate games. Professional -- embracing Academy and 'A' -- as distinct from amateur and part-time, embracing the best of the rest. Maybe that is no bad thing.

I will be in Dubarry Park because I believe in the club game and everything it entails. I fear greatly for its future in that we are losing touch with what it is that has taken us to where we are. Rugby is unrecognisable from what it once was, but take away the club tier and that fear will become well founded.

Promotion from Divisions 2 and 3 has already been decided so the heat is off at Anglesea Road. However for Mary's and Con this is their big day -- the Division 1 decider and, for once, with no Magners League or Heineken Cup distractions.

And if ever the All-Ireland League needed a boost in the build-up, it just got that with Blackrock's announcement that former Leinster, Worcester and Welsh Grand Slam-winning coach Mike Ruddock would be taking up the reins at Stradbrook for next season. Ruddock is a fantastic acquisition for Irish club rugby. Not only is he a top operator and a good communicator, but he has no self-obsessed agenda whatsoever.

While Barry Gibney will be stepping down as head coach, it is imperative he is not lost to the game. As I understand it, Emmet Farrell will still be involved when Leinster time allows.

I would urge the IRFU to tap into Ruddock's vast experience and proven expertise by bringing him on board to oversee the development of young coaches.

Gibney, after close on a decade coaching at 'Rock, is one such talent we simply cannot afford to let drift.

Far be it for me to tell Stephen Aboud his job as national coach development manager, but when someone of Ruddock's ability and proven track record comes our way, then no stone must be left unturned in enticing him on board. Over to you, Stevie.

- Tony Ward

Irish Independent

LEINSTER bid to get last weekend's Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Toulouse out of their system tomorrow when they take on Edinburgh at the RDS (6.15) seeking to gain winning momentum ahead of the Magners League play-offs.

It means 14 of the side that was out-gunned by Toulouse will take to the field tomorrow, with open side Dominic Ryan, coming in for the injured Shane Jennings, the only alteration to last weekend's starting XV.

Bernard Jackman was ruled out of selection due to a knee injury and may have played his last game of the season, but there is a welcome return for back-row Sean O'Brien who is named on an extended bench.

O'Brien's recovery from the broken leg he sustained in February is particularly timely with Ireland's summer tour a matter of weeks away and the Carlow man can expect to see some action in the second half if he is retained in the final seven replacements.

Girvan Dempsey should also be introduced to receive the approval of the RDS faithful after the popular Terenure man announced his retirement this week.

Edinburgh are chasing five points to keep alive their slim hopes of a play-off spot and welcome back experienced Scotland back-row Ally Hogg for his first start since December.

The Scots have a powerful front-row of Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford and Kyle Traynor while Dutchman Tim Visser brings power, pace and a nose for the tryline to the right-wing berth.

Making the play-offs requires five points from this clash and Cardiff Blues beating Munster at home tomorrow, with neither side claiming a bonus point.

It's a big ask but Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat believes his men have the ability to secure an unlikely four-try bonus-point victory in Dublin.

"We know what we have to do this weekend and the teams who finish in the top four and qualify for the play-offs are those who deserve to on their form over the whole season," said Moffat.

"We know we are capable of getting five points from the game in Dublin and that is not said with any disrespect to Leinster, who are among the best teams in Europe and who will be hurting at their Heineken defeat last weekend.

"It's said from the fact that when we play to the best of our ability, we can beat the best teams in Europe -- just as we have against Stade Francais, the Ospreys, Bath and Munster this season," Moffat continued.

Positive

Such a positive outlook does not sit well with Edinburgh's dire performance in their recent 25-37 home defeat to Ulster -- the result that sealed off Connacht's Magners League route to the Heineken Cup.

Furthermore, Leinster have won their last 14 league matches at their Ballsbridge home and, after their brave performance last weekend, will be desperate to reward their supporters with a comprehensive victory.

The home team look stronger in every area of the park and in Rob Kearney, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Isa Nacewa, they carry plenty of menace out wide.

It all points to a comfortable home win which should be adorned by plenty of tries, allowing Leinster to cruise into a home semi-final.

Verdict: Leinster

LEINSTER -- R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, I Nacewa; S Berne, E Reddan; C Healy, J Fogarty, S Wright; L Cullen (capt), N Hines; K McLaughlin, D Ryan, J Heaslip. Reps (from): R Strauss, M Ross, CJ van der Linde, M O'Kelly, S O'Brien, Stephen Keogh, P O'Donoghue, F McFadden, G Dempsey.

EDINBURGH -- J Thompson; T Visser, B Cairns, N de Luca, M Robertson; P Godman, G Laidlaw; A Jacobsen, R Ford, K Traynor; S MacLeod, S Turnbull; A MacDonald, R Grant (capt), A Hogg. Reps: A Kelly, G Cross, J Hamilton, S Newlands, M Blair/D Blair, J Houston, A Turnbull.

REF -- J Jones (Wales).

Leinster v Edinburgh,

Tomorrow, live, Setanta Ireland, 6.15

- Hugh Farrelly

Irish Independent