Focused Flannery taking toughest test in his stride
What a difference a year makes for the flamboyant Limerick man. An injury to Sheehan opened the door, and how Flannery has taken advantage.
The unfortunate Sheahan was primed to take over the Ireland hooker’s role from the ageing Shane Byrne but his injury allowed Flannery to strut his stuff for Munster in the Heineken Cup, where a series of outstanding performances almost immediately merited promotion. Now Flannery is Ireland’s undisputed number one, with a European Heineken Cup winner’s medal safely tucked away and memories of a magnificent Six Nations debut season as a Triple Crown winner with Ireland.
Twelve months ago the Lions left for New Zealand to engage the All Blacks in what turned out be a disastrous test series. If that team were being picked this year, such has been Flannery’s rise that the blonde dynamo would be a certainty for the test XV. No matter: this Saturday, with Ireland now in the lion’s den, he gets his chance anyway. You would think Flannery would be pinching himself, unable to believe his luck. You’d be wrong. He’s grateful for the opportunity that arose, yes, but contrary to popular conception, Jerry Flannery hasn’t come from nowhere.
“From the outside it might seem I came from nowhere, but I was always kind of aware that I was knocking on the door. Such is the strength of the Munster squad, though, you have to wait for someone to get an injury to get a chance, a sustained chance; you get a game here and there but if there’s an international on the bench, like Frankie, they’re always going to bring him back.
“It was unfortunate for Frankie, fortunate for me, that I did manage to get that sustained run on the team, and it’s been brilliant.”
All that’s gone before in this fantastic season has been challenging but it doesn’t get much bigger than the All Blacks at home.
“I’ve always loved watching the All Blacks. When I was younger, I remember we used to go into my Dad’s pub, he had all the old photos on the wall of the 1978 victory. Then there was a touring underage All Blacks side came years ago, I was only about 10, I remember we kept pointing out the photos to them; I’m sure they were getting sick of it. But this is a chance to play against the best players in the world; if you want to find out how good you are, go down and play the All Blacks.”
Perhaps get your own photo up there on that wall? Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks, but surely, given recent success at provincial and national level — with Ulster also winning the Celtic League — they’ve never been better positioned than now?
“I agree, things have been going very well this year. We have a small pool of players — we saw that in the autumn internationals when fellas were missing with injuries — the team was weakened. If we can keep everyone fit, put in a few big performances, you never know what will happen.”
It has helped Jerry that in the international environment he’s surrounded by Munster teammates, the front five especially.
“It’s made it very easy, not too much of a change-around. You’re comfortable with those players, it does make my job a lot easier.”
A word of warning, however; don’t get too comfortable. Where Flannery came from, another player threatens. In this year’s AIL Division One final, the man who caught the eye was another Shannon hooker, youngster Sean Cronin. Jerry is watching, wary. “You can’t afford to sit back on your arse thinking, amn’t I great? You’re going to get found out. Once you get in there, playing against better players, getting better yourself, you hope you can soak it up. There’s fellas coming up behind you who are strong as well.”
So, how good can Sean Cronin be?
“If he got a chance he could be good. It’s up me to see he doesn’t get that chance.”
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