Cave emerges from darkness

Darren Cave walks into the Morrison Room at Carton House and patiently takes a seat as Simon Zebo’s interviews spills over the allotted time. Cave is in no rush for he knows the line of questioning to come.

In 2009, the Ulster centre made his debut for Ireland against Canada and doubled up on caps a week later against the USA. He was 22 at the time with a burgeoning reputation as a strong tackler and dangerous runner and folk were already sizing him up for Brian O’Driscoll’s jersey.

Four years on and he is feeling a distinct case of déjà vu. O’Driscoll, as was the case back then, is away on Lions duty and so Cave finds himself embarking on another two-Test tour against the Eagles and Canadians with just seven more minutes, thieved in New Zealand last summer, to sustain him since.