Hurling star Sweetnam also blessed with rugby ‘X factor’

Munster’s U20 rugby team manager Graham Burns claims Cork senior hurling star Darren Sweetnam has the rugby “X factor”.

Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s impact sub last season has been juggling his GAA commitments with his rugby, having also represented Ireland in badminton and hockey. He played a starring role for Munster in their opening game of the U20 interprovincial fixtures against Connacht in Musgrave Park last week.

With 35 minutes gone Munster turned over possession and Sweetnam collected the ball out wide, shrugged off a few would-be tacklers before diving over for the game’s opening try.

The multi-talented Sweetnam also crossed for an impressive individual score in a challenge against Sale and U20s manager Graham Burns, whose side face Leinster in Donnybrook tonight, admits he is a real threat.

“Darren is a broken field runner extraordinaire,” Burns said. “He does bring that X factor. You put a ball into space and he counters at you, he gains ground, he crashes the gain-line, he breaks tackles, he’s incredibly fit, he has all the attributes.”

Much like Tomás O’Leary, who led Cork’s minor hurlers to All-Ireland glory before pursuing rugby full-time, Sweetnam will, at some stage, be forced to pick one sport. At this point in his career both parties are content to share the prodigy and Burns insists there is a clear channel of communication between Sweetnam, Munster Rugby and Cork hurling, which is vital if the situation is to work.

“We are delighted we have him, I know the Cork hurlers were delighted when they had him. We can’t both have him all the time but we just have to manage. It’s something we have worked on. I think we have taken a very open and honest attitude with Darren and the hurlers, we have all been speaking.

“Obviously you have to recognise when someone is doing the Leaving Certificate and the demands that it exerts upon them. When he wanted to play hurling he played hurling, he didn’t train all the time with the squad and the squad understood that.

“If Cork had been involved this weekend we know we wouldn’t have had him in all likelihood, that’s the way we operate it.”