Max Deegan: Leinster need to control their emotions against Munster

Deegan's on-pitch experience of Thomond as a pro amounts to just 20 minutes off the bench but he has seen enough of it from both sides of the white lines to know what awaits them on St Stephen’s Day

UP AND RUNNING: Max Deegan during a Leinster Rugby training session at the UCD in Dublin. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Max Deegan doesn’t offer a date or a scoreline or a moment that stands out. He doesn’t need to. His first experience of Thomond Park as a kid wasn’t about the little details. It was the feeling that dug deep into his core and stayed with him.

“I do remember thinking 'Jeez, these people are up for it!'" he remembers.

Deegan could hardly be more Leinster if he was dipped in blue paint. Born in Dublin, he graduated through the ranks of the Wanderers club in Ballsbridge, St Michael’s College, UCD and Lansdowne before climbing up the rungs with the province's pro side.

His dad Aidan was more of a free spirit.

Born in Athlone, he attended Marist College and captained the school to its first Connacht Schools Cup in 1977. Robbie Henshaw was next to achieve that, 35 years later. Deegan Snr repeated the Leaving at Rockwell College and he threw his voice behind Munster when they were winning Heineken Cups.

Where father and son see eye to eye is in their approach to the game. Aidan was a tough-nosed flanker in his day, his career taking in some notable years with Wanderers in the AIL, and Max has appeared 89 times for Leinster across the back row and twice more with Ireland.

“He always feeds that into me,” says the 26-year old ahead of his latest trip to Limerick. “He definitely sends me texts telling me if I did well or poorly. He’s the reason, realistically, why I’m playing rugby.” 

Deegan's on-pitch experience of Thomond as a pro amounts to just 20 minutes off the bench across two visits but he has seen enough of it from both sides of the white lines to know what awaits them on St Stephen’s Day.

They all do. Leinster players and coaches have been talking all week about the Limerick meeting this time four years ago when James Lowe saw red for taking Andrew Conway out in the air and a general air of cordite infiltrated the evening as Munster came away with a nine-point win.

“We talked about being in the blue and the red, blue head and red head. You can’t let that emotion boil over to doing something stupid. There have been games in Munster - the red card is a perfect example.

“It’s not as if someone punched someone, but it does boil over in the breakdown and things like that and you end up doing something stupid. It’s important to bring that aggression, the bit of red, but also seeing the blue when it comes to being composed in what you’re doing.” 

Leinster have invariably found the right pitch for these interpros. Munster have challenged them ten times since that festive cracker in 2018 and their only win in that time was a meaningless Rainbow Cup encounter at the RDS.

There is no doubt but that this one offers a different slant on the story. Deegan isn’t the only one to have perceived an improvement in their attack. He sees small things not so visible to the untrained eye. He sees changes in shape and in running lines in how they will use the full breadth of the pitch.

“Instead of hitting 15 metres from the touchline and coming back, they’ll take the edge. Those small things have a big impact in the game. They’re doing that well and a few lads have done well. Jack Crowley is playing well, (Antoine) Frisch has been a good signing. And then obviously their leaders, Tadhg (Beirne), Pete (O’Mahony) and Joey (Carbery). A good blend of experience with youth coming through.” 

His use of first names when singling out some of Munster’s senior players shows just how interconnected Irish rugby is at the highest level. So many of these are players who rub shoulders in Irish dressing-rooms while Beirne and Carbery once called Leinster’s UCD training base home.

Final trials haven’t been a thing since Deegan’s dad was lacing up his boots but the scent of a provincial rival can’t help but get the blood flowing that bit more for players who are vying for the limited spaces available in Andy Farrell’s thoughts and squad.

Deegan was just worming his way into the Ireland head coach’s inner sanctum, having made his senior debut against Wales in the Six Nations, when Covid struck and shut everything down in the spring of 2020.

The game wasn’t long back up and running when he tore an ACL which banished him to another year, give or take on the sidelines, but 20 minutes against Fiji last month have shown he remains there or thereabouts as we turn into a World Cup year.

Plenty of others will be thinking similar thoughts. Think for instance, of Gavin Coombes who may be wearing the other No.8 jersey on Monday, and his motivation having been released from national camp after a disappointing run against New Zealand ‘A’.

This angle can’t be ignored.

“You’re not focusing on that but at the end of the day the majority of people in the Irish squad will be playing in this game so there is competition within our squad as well as others,” says Deegan.

“It’s a great opportunity to go out there against other back rowers and show what you’ve got compared to them. It’s not a trial game and you can’t judge off one game but it’s as close as you can get really.”