Leamy: No shortage of quality in back row

IT has not quite got to the ‘last man standing’ stage but Ireland’s back rowers do seem to have been dropping like flies of late.

Blindside flanker Stephen Ferris missed the second half of last season nursing an injured knee before European Player-of-the-Year Sean O’Brien pulled up lame after Ireland’s second warm-up Test with France and David Wallace’s World Cup ended before it began with knee ligament damage. So from a situation where Declan Kidney had numerous back-row options to select the six players he deemed necessary for the campaign, the Ireland coach has found himself knee deep in injury reports.

Such is life, says Denis Leamy.

“In Irish rugby you would always say [the back row] is a strong point, but unfortunately injuries can do that,” Leamy said.

“But I think Sean and Fez [Ferris] are on the way back and they won’t miss too many minutes. They trained all this week and they did well. With the guys we have, we still have a lot of quality. Losing Wally is a huge blow, he’s a world-class player and a guy with huge experience.”

Ferris and O’Brien are indeed back to full fitness, while Leinster’s Shane Jennings was a late call-up to replace Wallace in the squad, joining first-choice number eight Jamie Heaslip and Donnacha Ryan as the remaining two players. Ryan doubles up as second-row cover also, having held off Kevin McLaughlin and Mike McCarthy for the utility role.

O’Brien declared himself fit for duty but may well be kept wrapped up in cotton wool for this weekend’s opening Pool C game against the USA in New Plymouth.

Yet Wallace’s absence from the openside flank and Ferris’s recovery on the other side means O’Brien’s versatility across the back row could well see him cast in the seven jersey at some stage. His Leinster teammate Jennings might have something to say about that but O’Brien was not against the idea when the old chestnut of his preferred position was once again raised yesterday.

“Looking back I probably played my most effective rugby at six or eight,” he said. “But you can look at it both ways, I probably haven’t played that many games at seven, not got a run of games at seven.

“Probably the more games, the more opportunities I get there, the better I might like it and the more you learn about that position.”

For such an instinctive ball carrier, O’Brien’s reticence towards the openside role is understandable but Wallace made the switch and did not suffer.

“No,” O’Brien agreed.

“It certainly is different though, I find. I suppose Wally’s been there a long time now and he’s adapted to the way the game has gone over the years.

“I suppose when I play seven I’m always thinking of my first job and then letting everything else flow in. If I get a couple of carries after that so be it but you try and sort out the ruck first and foremost and try and link up with the backs as best you can.”

Leamy, too, sees opportunity knocking where once the door had appeared to have been slammed shut.

“Of course you always back yourself. I’m probably in the best nick I’ve been in since probably just after the last World Cup because of different injuries,” the Munster forward said.

“I’m touching wood that I can stay injury free because that’s such a help. I’m really enjoying it at the moment. I feel reinvigorated after the pre-season with Ireland and being at a World Cup is very exciting. It takes the monotony out of it, and I really enjoyed pre-season, really enjoyed the games even though it’s been tough.

“You can only do your best and sometimes there is form involved, the permutations of back rows and I was the one to lose out [with Munster at the end of last season]. You can’t blame anyone, you’ve just got to look to yourself and you just have to go and see if you can improve in areas.”

How quickly things change and not just for coaches mulling selection issues but the players being mulled over as well. “I’m delighted now,” Leamy said. “I must say I was pretty worried towards the end of last season in terms of where it would lead. I had a chat with Deccie and he said just have a go, do your best, and enjoy it. That’s the way I’ve gone about it; it’s worked so far.”