Back to basics as Peter O’Mahony returns to Munster duty

In a shock development, Peter O’Mahony was yesterday released from the Irish camp preparing for Saturday’s clash with Australia and will now lead Munster against Treviso in the Guinness PRO12 at Thomond Park on the same day.

There was general expectation that O’Mahony would, at the very least, be a member of the 23-strong Irish squad for the Wallabies game, all the more so because of a doubt about the fitness of CJ Stander who suffered a concussion in last week’s game against New Zealand. It now looks as if Stander will be available to face the Aussies and that Josh Van Der Flier will either start that game or come in off the bench as he did so effectively against the All Blacks.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt obviously believes that O’Mahony, who captained Ireland to a big win over Canada a couple of weeks ago and looked in outstanding fettle in doing so, would benefit from more game-time as he fights his way back to full match fitness. However, one can only imagine the frustration the Cork Constitution man is enduring given the brave, 12-month long battle he had to wage to shake off the effects of a serious knee injury. A PRO12 encounter with Treviso in front of a sparsely attended Thomond Park is a long way short of an all-out Test match against the Grand Slam-seeking Wallabies at a sold-out Aviva Stadium.