Jamison Gibson-Park: Ross Byrne is getting his reward for patience

Jamison Gibson-Park says it's come as no surprise to see Ross Byrne put his stamp on Leinster's team this season.

The 2022/23 campaign has been a watershed season for Byrne, who has got himself back into Test rugby reckoning, and will lead the Leinster attack as they look to lift a URC and Heineken Champions Cup double in the next few weeks.

For much of the 28-year-old's career, there were question marks over whether he would come out from under the shadow of Johnny Sexton, but with the Ireland and Leinster captain ruled out for the rest of the club season due to injury, and set to retire after the World Cup later this year, Byrne has looked comfortable in his place, particularly in the 41-22 Champions Cup semi-final win against Toulouse.

The out-half was earlier named to the URC's Elite XV for the second season in a row, while he's started every game for the province on their run to the Champions Cup final

The outside perception of Byrne has changed markedly in recent months, after he climbed ahead of his brother Harry, Munster's Joey Carbery and Jack Crowley, and Connacht's Jack Carty as the likely successor to Sexton when he retires.

But Gibson-Park says the only thing that's changed this season is that he's now getting the recognition.

"I think it's always been the same for me with Rossy," he told the RTÉ Rugby podcast.

Before Gibson-Park became a mainstay of the Ireland squad, the New Zealand native spent several seasons playing week-in and week-out with Leinster in the URC, and regularly alongside Byrne, while Sexton would be seeing his minutes managed.

And he says he's seen his half-back partner grow as a leader in that time, with Sexton's influence rubbing off.

"In the last three or four years he's been a massive leader