Browne eyes first cup start against Biarritz

Andrew Browne wants to mark his Heineken Cup debut on Friday night by ousting the 2010 finalists Biarritz at the Sportsground.

A victory for Eric Elwood’s side would put them in a great shape for the return fixture the following weekend and leave them heading to Harlequins in January with a spot in the knock-out stages up for grabs.

The loss of Michael Swift for Friday’s game — and Mike McCarthy who remains a doubt — has given local lock Browne a sniff at his first Heineken Cup cap and he is champing at the bit to feature.

“It will be mad here on Friday. That’s the one thing I am really looking forward to.

“At the Toulouse game last year I was in the crowd and it was unbelievable. And watching the lads running on to the pitch was unbelievable,” said Browne who made his Connacht debut in 2007.

“You want to be there on the pitch and hopefully that will be me there this weekend soaking up the atmosphere and getting the win.”

Ever since his school days the sizeable shadow of his older brother Damien has dominated Browne’s path. And while having a Heineken Cup winners medal in the family gives a sense of pride to his Renmore home, the gold has yet to glitter in Galway.

“That medal is up in Dublin still. I don’t want to see it down in Galway,” joked the 25-year-old Browne.

“Damo was a huge influence on me, but I didn’t start playing rugby serious until I was 15 or 16. Everyone was trying to get me down because of Damien and what he had achieved.

“But I tried my hand at other sports, I went back playing rugby in sixth year in the Bish (St Joseph’s) and really enjoyed it. I did well that year and I repeated so I got another year, which developed me even further, which got me into the academy. Things progressed after that.

In the absence of so many experienced players, Browne has been handed the responsibility of calling the shots at lineout in the last few weeks.

“When these things happen you have to take your chance. I’d like to think I have done well since I got in. It is all about staying fit and staying well, to put it up to the fellas who get back from injury. It will be up to them to shift me out of what they see as their position, but I’ll see it as mine now.”