'Universally respected' Peter O'Mahony a 'great option' for next Ireland captain

Munster coach Denis Leamy emphasised Peter O'Mahony's status among his peers as a reason for his potential elevation to the national team captaincy.

POTENTIAL CAPTAIN: Peter O'Mahony. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

The name of Johnny Sexton’s successor as Ireland captain may not be revealed until the New Year but Denis Leamy believes Munster skipper Peter O’Mahony would be the ideal man to lead the national team into a new era.

Ireland boss Andy Farrell is unlikely to name his captain for the 2024 Six Nations too far ahead of the championship opener against France in Marseille on Friday, February 2 though there are plenty of candidates within the existing leadership group that supported Sexton through his four-year term that began in 2019. 

James Ryan was a regular deputy for Sexton at Test level and has succeeded the former fly-half as Leinster co-captain alongside national team-mate Garry Ringrose while Iain Henderson is the current Ulster captain.

O’Mahony, 34, celebrated a decade as Munster skipper this summer but cut a devasted figure on the night of Ireland’s exit from the 2023 World Cup, expressing his desire to make a decision on his international future at the end of this season in the immediate aftermath of the narrow quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in Paris last month.

Yet Munster defence coach and former team-mate Leamy has seen the lift O’Mahony and his fellow senior Ireland World Cup team-mates Conor Murray and Tadhg Beirne have brought to training at the province since their return from post-World Cup breaks and he yesterday endorsed the flanker’s suitability as Ireland’s next captain in the wake of Sexton’s retirement.

The trio could all return to provincial colours this Saturday evening when Munster welcome URC rivals Stormers to Thomond Park for a first meeting since last season’s Grand Final in Cape Town, when O’Mahony led his side to victory over the 2022 champions to end a 12-year trophy drought.

Their returns will be assessed on a case-by-case basis ahead of Friday’s team announcement for the round-five clash but as far as leadership is concerned, the Munster assistant is in no doubt about O’Mahony’s suitability to take up a role he has sporadically undertaken for his country since the 2013 tour to North America, as well as leading the British & Irish Lions in the opening Test against the All Blacks in 2017.

O’Mahony earned his 100th cap against Scotland in Ireland’s final World Cup pool game last month, an occasion that was marked by an outpouring of respect and affection from his Test squad mates, also reflected in his position as chairman of Rugby Players Ireland, and Leamy emphasised that status among his peers as a reason for his potential elevation to the national team captaincy.

"He's respected universally among the Irish players, I know that for a fact, having worked with the Leinster players and the esteem they hold him in which is a great thing to see that first hand,” Leamy said yesterday.

"I'm sure right throughout the provinces, in Connacht and Ulster, that would be the same. I suppose he's achieved so much in the game, he brings that edge and standard setting that's so important as a captain and a leader.

"And yeah, if Ireland were to go down that road he's obviously been a Lions Test captain as well, there's a huge amount of pedigree there.

"It's a great option for Ireland, for Andy, and he'll make that decision in due course."

For the present, Leamy has been delighted to see O’Mahony and the other Ireland players back in the Munster fold, though a decision on their availability this weekend is yet to be made.

"The boys are training. Conor, Peter and Tadhg are back. We just have to see, there's a few bumps and bruises there, a few lads who we just have to see how they come through.

"Certainly with Conor and Tadhg.... Pete, we'll assess them after today and see where they're at with regard to selection off the back of that."

Also taken into account will be their mental recovery from such a recent World Cup disappointment, a subject about which 57-cap former Test back-rower Leamy has experience as veteran of the 2007 and 2011 campaigns.

"It's tough, isn't it? You have to be very empathetic in terms of... God, that defeat to New Zealand... Personally, I don't think I've been so disappointed about an Irish result since I played myself; it was gut-wrenching.

"The whole country was in a bit of mourning, you've got to respect and understand the boys and, it's going to take a bit of time to get over that.

"They've had a few weeks, they're starting to get their head around it.

"They've been brilliant since they came back in, it's just they're top players who have trained well. The knowledge they have, the knowledge and confidence they give the group, the grounding they give everyone is phenomenal.

"It takes a little bit of time.

"The boys, they've so many caps and experience and they know how to deal with it.

"They're equipped to deal with this, so they'll do the job when asked. They'll step up and be really good again.

"You can't underestimate the quality they bring as people and as players; their understanding of the game, their ability to go out and impact the game, deliver performances - it's hugely exciting.

"We've a lovely mix now, just to see (Stephen) Archer, John Ryan, Pete, Conor and then these young guys who are fresh out of school; Ben O'Connor did his Leaving Cert six months' ago and they're all mixing together, gelling together and learning off each other.

"It's a brilliant environment to be involved in."