O’Kelly keen to keep Exiles in check
The European champions and Magners League leaders at home to a side ranked second in the Guinness Premiership but first in terms of sheer entertainment value after scoring 15 tries in its first five games.
What’s not to like?
Leinster too have a pedigree for high-octane rugby but both sides have shown in recent months that they are equally capable of chiselling out results when the occasions demands it.
Less than six weeks have passed since the Exiles last took a trip to these parts and, on that occasion, they showed their teeth up front by overpowering Michael Cheika’s side 24-8.
That, of course, was only a friendly. One played out in the tighter confines of Leinster’s former abode of Donnybrook, but the Irish province can hardly say they have not been warned.
“London Irish will come with a certain amount of confidence,” said Malcolm O’Kelly. “They have fought very hard to get into the Heineken Cup. The last time (in 2007) they were very unlucky to lose to Toulouse in the semi-final.
“So, they probably have a lot of confidence coming in and there are obvious pressures on us given the fact that we are the champions and they’ll want to come in and just upset us.
“They’ll think that we won’t give them any chance or any credit but we know how good this team is and they are probably the in-form side at the moment. We have to respect that hugely.”
If anyone can understand what it is that makes London Irish tick then it must be O’Kelly, who spent a year on the books of the English side just as professionalism and the Heineken Cup were struggling to find their feet.
O’Kelly’s own story confirms just how far the game has come since 1995.
Based in London at the time, he played half a dozen games for ‘Irish’ before returning home to hook up with Leinster for their inaugural European campaign and then went on to see out the season in England.
Things have moved on significantly since then.
As O’Kelly says, most of the old guard are gone although a few, like club stalwart Kieran McCarthy and club captain Bob Casey offer tangible links back to his own time with the Exiles.
He still professes a fondness for his former outfit and has, like any rugby observer, been impressed with their upward curve which took them to within a point of the English Premiership title last season.
“They’re under great management with the likes of Mike Catt there and they play to their strengths. They’re a formidable outfit and I suppose it’s only fitting now that it has gone full circle and I get to play against my old team.”
The days are gone when O’Kelly was all but guaranteed of his place in the starting XV. Leo Cullen wears the armband and the arrival of Nathan Hines has further diminished the opportunities for O’Kelly in the second row.
“Nathan’s a top professional, an incredible professional and it is a squad thing. If you’re selected, you’re selected, and if you’re not then hopefully I’ll find input somewhere. I don’t know what Michael is going to do this week. I don’t really want to go into it too much, but it’s great to have Nathan. He’s a positive influence, he’s giving all he has and that’s all we want. If I’m playing second fiddle to a guy who is playing to the best of his ability and giving to Leinster, then so be it.”
Leinster squad to face London Irish: Forwards: L Cullen, J Fogarty, C Healy, J Heaslip, N Hines, B Jackman, S Jennings, S Keogh, R McCormack, K McLaughlin, M O’Kelly, S O’Brien, M Ross, D Toner, CJ van der Linde.
Backs: S Berne, G D’Arcy, G Dempsey, L Fitzgerald, S Horgan, C Keane, R Kearney, S Keogh, F McFadden, I Nacewa, B O’Driscoll, E Reddan, J Sexton.
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