Kidney: we’re light-heavyweights in a heavyweight division

IT is 10 years, more or less to the day, since Declan Kidney was first appointed coach of the Munster rugby team. He only got the job because the initial appointee, Welshman John Bevan, accepted it and then turned it down on seeing the turmoil that professionalism and the advent of the European Cup was creating in Irish rugby.

New Zealander Andy Leslie was next in line but as he prevaricated, someone at last had the inspired idea of offering the role to one of our own. Kidney had made his name at Presentation Brothers College where he coached four successive Munster Schools Junior Cup winning teams and four out of five Senior Cup sides.

He also over achieved at his club, Dolphin, and with the Irish schools side. With few other apparent options, he was asked to help out along with Niall O’Donovan.