Peter Malone: Paul O’Connell is helping Munster players get to the next level

Paul O’Connell’s low key but significant advisory role with the academy and the general improvement of the provincial squad are two of the principle reasons Munster A’s participation in the B&I Cup is worthwhile and capable of benefiting the squad in different ways, head coach Peter Malone believes.

Munster take on Doncaster Knights, whom they defeated away last weekend, at Bandon RFC tomorrow night (7pm), with a place in the knockout stages of the competition already assured.

Munster lost their first outing of the season to London Welsh, who have since been disqualified having gone into liquidation, and in the meantime Munster have run up wins over Rotherham, twice, and Doncaster.

“Since the London Welsh defeat, we’ve been good, two wins against Rotherham and then the best of the campaign so far last week against Doncaster who have been going well in the English championship,” Malone explains. “I was very happy with the performance and result. The reasons for our improvement are game time and the fact that we have bodies fit and available, senior players in the mix and a lot of the academy guys stepping up. We made Robin Copeland captain and he had a good game over in Doncaster. It means he can put his hand up to Rassie and say, ‘pick me’.”

Then there’s Paul O’Connell’s role as confidant and inspirational figure to the province’s up and coming brigade.

“He’s doing a lot of work with our academy guys,” says Malone. “He has probably sat down with every one of them by this stage of the season as an advisor as to how develop themselves off the field and how to plan and develop themselves to get to the next level. He’s very professional, it’s about setting goals and targets for yourself and sticking to that every day. There are no short cuts would be his message.”

Peter Malone enjoyed an outstanding career himself with Bruff and Garryowen and so is well aware that the clubs have not exactly been admirers of the B&I Cup.

“Clubs do not like it, and it does get a negative press,” he accepts. “But I would say it’s good for finding out where guys stand. It is a step up and that Doncaster team would probably compete with Zebre and Treviso at the foot of the PRO12. It gives our guys the chance to step into that lower level of professional rugby and see if they can handle and deal with the physicality and pressure. If they can’t deal with that, the skills and the talents won’t be any good.

“Another good thing this year is there is no conflict with the All-Ireland League. Our guys are fit and healthy because they’re playing a lot of club rugby and now they’re getting a taste of the B&I Cup. I think there is a benefit of playing that middle tier of rugby, I don’t want a whole season of it but I think the six or eight games are good value.”

Malone also sees benefits in bringing the B&I games outside of the mainstream venues: “We’re in Bandon this week after Midleton and Ennis and previous years in Clonmel and Waterford,” explains Malone. “The last time we were in Bandon, Darren Sweetnam announced himself on the stage against Stirling County.

“We have a few West Cork lads, Fineen Wycherley and Gavin Coombes both played on Saturday and those in the sub academy like Liam Coombes, Dave McCarthy and Dylan Murphy.

“We always thought Darren would be a professional. Sometimes, a switch can flick and a guy can move from an academy or club player to a top level if they do the right things. Darren Sweetnam put a lot of work into getting the basics right, the tackling, the high ball stuff, in his last year in the academy, and his first as a professional and he’s reaping the benefits of that now.”