Hart’s ‘cure’ in vineyard after show-stopping Grenoble win

James Hart was woken early yesterday morning.

Wild celebrations with his Grenoble team-mates after a shock away win over Jonny Sexton’s Racing Metro in the Top 14 the night before meant he had barely got to sleep. So why the early start?

“They took us on a field trip to do some wine- picking outside Grenoble,” he laughed. “It was a bit odd but a truly French way to celebrate a big win. I don’t know if I enjoyed it, I would have preferred the morning in bed!”

It’s been a long road for the 22-year-old former Belvedere and Clontarf U20 scrum-half who kicked 11 points, scored a try and was named French rugby paper Olympique-Midi’s player of the week following the win.

Former Irish international Bernard Jackman had taken Hart to Grenoble in 2011 when hopes of making the Leinster Academy didn’t work out. A fluent French speaker, he figured, why not? He started an Amlin Cup game last year and finished the season with three Top 14 starts. But a summer disaster loomed.

“They recruited quite heavily in my position which was a bit frustrating. I had done quite well towards the end but they brought in two number nines. There were four nines in then so I thought I wouldn’t be playing much at all this year, just a few Amlin games.

“But I had a good pre-season and the two lads they recruited, lads with lots of Top 14 caps, I’ve just been ahead of them and I haven’t given up that position.”

That ability to out-work his opponents is what made him stand out and he credits his mother Patricia from Toulouse and Mario O’Kelly in Clontarf for helping him succeed. This season he’s played nine Top 14 games, three as a starter, and lined up opposite Morgan Parra and Rory Kockott. But since the fixture list came out, there was one game he wanted — Racing Metro in Paris against Sexton.

“I watched him training when he was kicking when he was behind Contepomi in Leinster and there was questions of whether he was going to leave that year,” said Hart.

“I was playing Leinster U18 and I remember thinking, this is before he was a star, that he impressed me. Racing will be tough for him because of the language and all the new players there but I honestly think he’s the best 10 in Europe and on his day he’s the best 10 in the world. I tackled him once or twice in the game but it was just great to be up against him.”

After the game he met Ronan O’Gara who gave him advice but another Munster man is also helping him out. Limerick’s Mike Prendergast is Grenoble’s skills coach.

“Clearly he’s [Prendergast] Irish and so am I and we both play scrum-half. Since he arrived he’s helped me in every way he can. Him and Birch [Jackman] advise me a lot on how to get better and improve.”

Contract talks have already started to keep him in the club but whatever the result, he hopes to play for Ireland one day. “I’m in negotiations at the moment. They started a few weeks ago. I’m signed until 2015 but this will take it to 2017.

“I’ll also be French-qualified next year and then I could play for France or for Ireland but listen, I’m not saying I’ll do that. I’d love to get the opportunity to play for my country, which is Ireland.”