O’Callaghan still ready to give all for Munster

Donncha O’Callaghan trots off the training pitch at Cork IT, has a quick drink and turns up for the media grind. It’s his 16th year in the Munster squad and if anything, he is enjoying it even more. The only question now it how long can he keep it up?

“It’s a big thing for me. Sixty or 70 years might be a stretch but I think it’s the enjoyment factor and it’s the contribution factor. Around here, if you’re no good, you’re out the door, and it’s great. You know if you’re of no use to this team you’re only holding them back; it’s that ruthless and I love that,” said the 247-cap record appearance holder for Munster.

O’Callaghan’s honesty is as renowned as his sense of mischief and he knows if he doesn’t measure up to the expectations of the new management, including several people with whom he has waged many mighty battles over the years, his number will be up.

Still he is more than happy with the composition of the latest regime and doesn’t find it strange in any way to be working with the likes of Anthony Foley, Mick O’Driscoll, Jerry Flannery and Brian Walsh.

“You always appreciated their advice as team-mates, and we had an awful lot of that. We had internal coaching and I’ve said that about Axel that since I’ve been 18, he’s been coaching me in certain things. You’d be lying if you said it’s a bit different because they are your friends as well. But it’s always the same around here. There is a line drawn when we’re on the training ground, and they’re my coaches then for that time. And you’d never undermine or slag them in front of the other guys. You wouldn’t do that at all, whereas we would have always hopped the ball before.

“The thing for me is how much you respect them. It’s easy when you respect guys. I’ve won with those fellas. I know what it’s like and I know what they’re like and I know what they expect from me and that’s massive for me. I think we’re lucky to have them.

“They are unbelievable coaches so it’s getting new knowledge and new insights and they want to show as well how good they are.”

In the long term, of course, it’s still up to the players to do the business. No matter what the level of the opposition in the new European set-up may turns out to be, Donncha has his eyes set on silverware.

“Success, absolutely, Europe, Pro 12,” he insisted. “That’s the minimum requirement. If you ask a Munster supporter, they aren’t going to say that it would be great to finish top four. They’re used to us winning and that standard has been set and I wouldn’t lie to you by saying that it’s anything different. You need to be ruthless to pick up what you can.

“You’d never spill all your personal goals but of course I want to be competitive with this team and to be starting the games. That’s a big thing. We’re all like that, we’re all clawing for positions within the team. We’ve a massive squad itching for places and making it really hard for coaches. When we did well, it was because of a competitive squad.”

Donncha acknowledges adding his 94 Irish caps “will be tough but it’s a World Cup year. I wouldn’t lie to myself, you have to be playing to a certain high standard to be in the shake and I haven’t probably been at that for the last year. There wasn’t as much game time as you’d like with the level of competition but I’m still hungry for it.

“I would view it as cap one, that’s all I want, to play for Ireland. But I know playing for Ireland is as a result of going well with Munster and if we’re successful here, it falls out the back. It’s preparing well, training well, looking after yourself, doing the right things.”