Kidney changes pay off as Tomás proves a sure thing

WITH all the media commotion around Peter Stringer’s demotion, someone forgot to focus on what Tomás O’Leary could offer.

If he saw the presumptive headlines claiming Declan Kidney had taken a “gamble” on him, the question mark over his selection must have irked the new No 9. But O’Leary delivered on the biggest club stage of all, in a ground depicted as a graveyard for visiting teams, especially Munster teams of the past. He ticked all the critical boxes for a scrum half. His much-maligned pass is improving, but, as a decision maker and a natural competitor, he gave a performance that made one think he has been doing this gig since the beginning of Munster’s love affair with the Heineken Cup.

Ronan O’Gara has said in the past that he really respects O’Leary’s opinion on the game. It’s little wonder — the quick-footed scrum-half possesses razor-sharp rugby intelligence, and played close to the perfect game alongside the established O’Gara and behind the most experienced pack in European rugby.