Tasty entrees before the main events
Over the weekend, the ‘house full’ sign was also up at the RDS for the clash of Leinster and the Ospreys. There won’t be an empty space at the 26,600 capacity Thomond Park for Saturday’s meeting of Munster and Leinster and much can be said for Ravenhill when Aironi come calling on Friday night.
And yet there’s more, much more to come, as these games in essence are only the starters on the menu in the build-up to the Easter weekend’s Heineken Cup battles in Dublin and Limerick.
Munster and Leinster will, as always, give their all at Thomond Park, not just because of the fierce rivalry between the provinces, but also because of the valuable RaboDirect Pro12 points at stake.
Brian O’Driscoll, Brad Thorn and Leo Cullen may total more than a century in years between them but their presence on Saturday adds considerable spice to the occasion. For Munster, however, there is uncertainty concerning second-rows PaulO’Connell and Donnacha Ryan, both troubled by injury, and whether or not David Wallace has regained the level of fitness required.
Wallace was withdrawn at half-time in Galway at a time when Munster needed him most. While coach Tony McGahan insisted this was always their intention, the call still leaves a doubt about the capacity of the 35-year-old flanker to see out 80 minutes at this stage of his career, especially after such a long injury lay-off.
O’Connell and Ryan remain under medical observation for knee and shoulder ailments and it could be that they will see minimal — if any — time against Leinster, with a view to having them in good shape for the Heineken clash with Ulster a week later.
As the RaboDirect Pro12 takes time out for the renewal of hostilities in the Heineken Cup, Ireland coach Declan Kidney will be absorbing the lessons to be learned from all this ongoing activity. But perhaps he and his advisers will also be keeping an eye on the Ulster Bank All-Ireland League which is now approaching its concluding stages.
I watched Saturday’s clash of Young Munster and Clontarf at Clifford Park with about 3,000 rugby fans. Theatmosphere brought back memories of the competition’s halcyon days in the 1990s and there was also much toadmire in what was happening inside the white lines.
It sees that Kidney & Co. have been looking for props just about everywhere except in the AIL. Had they been at Clifford Park, they would surely have been impressed by Ben Barclay and Niall Treston for Clontarf and Alan Cotter and Hugh McGrath of Young Munster.
Not only does the quartet possess the necessary physique and work rate for the job, they also clearly know their business when it comes to the primary art of scrummaging. Many were left to wonder what they could offer if afforded full-time professional coaching and training.
Most observers remain unconvinced that British & Irish Cup or A games or anything the academies get up to could provide a similarly worthy environment for any budding prop forwards as the AIL.
Equally, there is no doubt that this scene has been replicated at a fair few grounds throughout the country over the last six months or so.
The man of the match at Clifford Park on Saturday was Clontarf’s outstanding open-side flanker, Barry O’Mahony.
A former schools international who learned the game at Crescent College and Dolphin before moving to Dublin, he was appointed skipper of ‘Tarf in only his second season at the club.
Those who have witnessed his outstanding displays over the last five years or so find it difficult to understand why Munster dispensed with a talented young player (he is now 25) after his short few years at the academy.
“I’m one of the biggest Munstermen in Dublin right now,” O’Mahony insists. “When they weren’t renewing my contract, I had options to go and play in division two in England but I decided I wanted to go and work and build a career. I now work for a finance corporate house in Dublin and live in Clontarf.”
