Redemption for Keogh

THE trophy on offer may be less prized and the host stadium much smaller but there is a neat symmetry to Stephen Keogh’s return to Cardiff tomorrow, 12 months after missing out on Munster’s greatest day in the Welsh capital.

With Alan Quinlan returning from long-term injury just in time for the Heineken Cup decider against Biarritz the St Munchin’s graduate was the fall guy last May at the Millennium Stadium.

Keogh made 54 appearances for Munster, nine of them in Europe. He even captained his province twice but has established a pivotal niche at the heart of the Leinster pack since his switch.

Beat Cardiff at the Arms Park — just a stone’s throw from where Anthony Foley lifted the Heineken Cup – and Keogh could earn a Magners League medal in his first campaign for his new employers.

“This means just as much as the Heineken Cup,” said the flanker. “It probably means more to a squad in its entirety. About 22 players play the Heineken Cup but up to 35, 40 play in the Magners League.”

His success in blue is apparent from the most cursory of glances at his CV. In 54 games with Munster, he managed to score two tries but he has doubled that tally after only one campaign at Donnybrook.

The high expectations people had of both himself and Trevor Hogan have already been met, whatever the outcome in Cardiff, but Keogh himself pitched up in Dublin without any declared objectives.

“When I came I didn’t set out any goals to achieve. I’m happy with how I played this year but there’s a lot more improvement to make in my game. I’m enjoying it up here.

“Playing week in, week out is a help. With Munster I was playing once every five or six weeks and it’s very hard to improve your game. You’re playing AIL, and no disrespect to it, but it’s not the same standard as professional rugby.”

Keogh’s good fortune is long overdue. He was recently voted the Unsung Hero of the Year by his fellow pros at the IRUPA awards and he suspects he owes thanks to former colleagues in Munster.

“Keith Gleeson was telling me that you should be going on 29, 30, going bald and about to retire so he thought he was in with a big shot of it himself,” he joked. “He was very disappointed that he didn’t get it so I’ve given it to him. It’s in his house now but, no, it is an award you get off your fellow players so it obviously means a lot.”

Impressive all season, the onus on Keogh will be even greater this week with Mike Phillips orchestrating matters from the base of the Cardiff scrum. Tomorrow could be Phillips’ last game for the Blues so he will be eager to go out on a high and, as Leinster’s number six, Keogh will be detailed to keep an eye on him at all times.

“He’s a very strong runner on the ball and he will be a big test around the fringes for the one, two and three defenders close to the ruck. We’ll just have to keep our system intact and not buy any dummies, which he is good at.’’

Meanwhile All Black icon Christian Cullen will have no public farewell from Munster rugby fans.

Cullen, who looks set to return to New Zealand in the summer, has not been included in a squad of 28 for the Magners League clash against Glasgow Warriors at Musgrave Park on Saturday (5.30pm) — the province’s last game of the season.

Connacht have beefed up their front row for next season by signing English international prop Robbie Morris from Newcastle Falcons. Morris, who can play both tighthead and loosehead will bring a lot of experience to the side.

With Ray Hogan and Stephen Knoop departing Connacht this week, the acquisition of Morris is a timely boost for Michael Bradley’s men. The 25-year-old, capped twice at full international level and half a dozen times with England A, is a product of Northampton Saints where he made 80 appearances in the Heineken Cup, Powergen Cup and English Premiership from 2001-05.

He then moved to Newcastle Falcons where he has made over 40 appearances in the past two seasons.

MUNSTER (from): Backs. M Lawlor, S Payne, D Hurley, A Horgan, K Earls, I Dowling, J Kelly, B Murphy, L Mafi, J Manning, R O’Gara, G Hurley, B O’Meara, T O’Leary.

Forwards: J Hayes, F Pucciariello, T Buckley, F Roche, F Sheahan, D Fogarty, M O’Driscoll, D O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell (captain), D Leamy, A Quinlan, A Foley, J O’Sullivan, J Coughlan.