Darren Sweetnam is ‘suddenly one of the go-to men’, says Munster boss

Munster Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus will be looking to former Cork hurler Darren Sweetnam to provide the X Factor for Munster on Saturday afternoon in Thomond Park, writes Seán McCarthy.

The Reds face Edinburgh and Erasmus will be looking to Sweetnam to get over the try line again this week.

Erasmus has name-checked the west Corkman a lot of times in recent weeks and reckons he is in a good place heading into tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash, 3pm, and described him as one of his go-to men.

“I think although we’re struggling at times a little bit, we’re biting the bullet and getting through tough games, we’re scrapping through and it builds confidence.

“With a guy like Darren Sweetnam, suddenly he is really one of the go-to men.

“I came in and saw him – I’m now here 14, 15, 16 weeks – and he was just one of the stand-out guys with that sort of ability,” said Erasmus.

“I think the jury was always out as to why he hadn’t made it, and the answer is that he hadn’t had that long a training age or playing age in rugby union and I guess he’s just catching up now.

“I know he’s been playing for a while but he’s handling it physically, he’s got bigger than last year and I think mentally he’s in a very good place.

“He could have been very easily not been in as good a place mentally on Saturday when that try wasn’t scored, when he knocked it backwards.

“But for sure he is standing up to the challenge and I think we’ve really got a guy who has got some X factor going for us.”

This article first appeared in the Evening Echo.