Looking to unleash some frustration

RAW POWER, pure brawn, a force of nature — all have been used to describe Irish backrow forward Denis Leamy, wordsmiths of varying levels of ability attempting to describe the destructive capacity of this favoured son of Boherlahan.

None, however, can do him justice, none can prepare the opposition for the venom behind the bruising, bone-crushing hit, for the bear-like hands ripping in, clawing the ball free for yet another invaluable turnover. But hang on, you say, what’s so special about Leamy? Aren’t all forwards big men these days, strong and powerful? It’s true, in the Irish pack to take on Scotland in Murrayfield today you have the twin-towering Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan in the second row, you have the bulk of Hayes and Horan propping the might of Best in the scrum, you have the near-unstoppable leg-drive of the explosive David Wallace in the back row, across from the “crash em, bash em” contact-loving Stephen Ferris.

But even among these behemoths, Denis Leamy stands apart.