Continued Leinster involvement a must for World Cup hopeful Max Deegan 

FINDING FORM: Max Deegan during a Leinster rugby squad training at UCD. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Players dream of that first cap. They devote their schooldays to it, always striving towards that day when they take to the field at the Aviva Stadium in a green jersey and represent their country.

For most, that turns out to be just a springboard. No-one thinks of the journey ending there, not when they have just left the back roads and found the motorway, but that debut is no guarantee of other days out.

Max Deegan must have felt that he was in on the ground floor of something big when he came off the bench for Peter O’Mahony with nine minutes to go of Ireland’s 24-14 defeat of Wales in Dublin two-and-a-half years ago.

It was only the second game on Andy Farrell’s watch, the start of a new era, but there has been no follow-up as of yet. A year out with injury and Ireland’s ridiculous stocks in the back row go a long way to explaining why.

Cap number two may not be far away now.

That Farrell and his staff see something in him was evident in South Africa recently where he captained Emerging Ireland twice and he took no little confidence from that, and from the engagement it afforded him with the coaches.

Paul O’Connell was particularly good on his role as a leader, how duties at lineouts and on the need to use his speed and athleticism in open play by staying connected to the attack and utilising his assets when the occasion allows.

“I’m feeling good at the moment,” Deegan explained ahead of this week’s URC tie away to Scarlets. 

“I’m looking to keep getting better, I’ve played quite frequently, a couple of times in South Africa, last week (against Munster) and then this week, and hopefully the week after (against New Zealand ‘A’.

“That’s really helping my game. Consistency is good, trying to back up good performance on good performance, rather than good performance on average performance. I’m ready to step in wherever and whenever I’m needed. That confidence I have now is one of the reasons why.” 

He’s at an interesting juncture now. Deegan has just turned 26. His prime years should still be ahead of him and a now 29-year old Josh van der Flier provides an obvious example as to how a player in his neck of the woods can push on to dramatic effect relatively deep into a career.

He looks nailed on for that ‘A’ game against the Kiwis at the RDS this day week but he is one of ten players named in that shadow squad who will likely have club duties to see to this weekend before linking up with Farrell and the 37 men already in Ireland camp come Monday.

That approaching Test window colours Leinster’s trip to Wales given 17 of their clubmates are unavailable due to national commitments and another nine, minimum, have been ruled out due to injuries. 

Leo Cullen has already confirmed that some youngsters will be making debuts so Deegan’s leadership skills will be needed.

All going well he will come through that, figure against the New Zealanders six days later and put his name in the hat for that second hat, most likely against Fiji a week later. 

The longer term goal, as it has to be for all of those involved next month, is the hope of a place in the World Cup squad next year.

“It’s there, it can’t not be, but I’m not going to be anywhere near it if I’m not playing well here at Leinster. That’s by far the most important thing. If I go well here and get my chance and take it then I have a shot at whatever comes with that. I’m feeling really good and confident and going to Scarlets as a really experienced player to deliver a performance.”