'It's a credit to Tom' - O'Riordan channels mentor Tierney in emotional Munster bow

THICK OF IT: Jake O'Riordan of Munster during the United Rugby Championship match between Munster and Connacht at Thomond Park in Limerick. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

There was pride and emotion at Thomond Park as Jake O’Riordan entered the fray for a senior Munster debut.

The academy scrum-half’s entrance alongside fly-half Tony Butler was to a certain extent a throw of the dice from head coach Clayton McMillan, whose side was trailing Connacht 15-12 with 18 minutes remaining.

McMillan admitted the 21-year-old’s debut could have gone one of three ways, the Limerick youngster overplaying, underplaying or doing just the right thing and he was delighted to confirm he got the latter as Munster found a way to win Saturday’s URC derby 17-15.

The emotion was revealed by captain Jack O’Donoghue, who spoke of the mentoring O’Riordan had received from former Ireland scrum-half and Munster-based National Talent Coach Tom Tierney, who passed away at the age of 46 in February 2023.

“He would have worked a lot with the late Tom Tierney, and I think it's a credit to Tom, having a young lad like that come in and slip in seamlessly,” O’Donoghue said of O’Riordan.

“He was quite emotional after the game because you remember someone like that who put a lot of time and effort into him. I'm delighted for him.” 

Tierney would undoubtedly have been equally delighted by his pupil’s performance, which also impressed Muster’s head coach for the way he got on with doing the basics well as his team went in search of a fifth straight victory.

“I couldn't be prouder of the young man,” McMillan said. “I thought the risk when you're that young and you come in at such a pivotal time in the game is that you either overplay or underplay. Overplay, you start imagining things are there that aren't there, and when you underplay, you're shying away from the big moments.

“I thought that he just went out and just did his job, he was quick to rucks, and he was accurate. The boys really celebrated his first kick tonight. It was fantastic to see his family in there. They're all emotional, and it reminds you why you're involved in this game, to see families and players sharing that emotion and realising how special it is.

“Not many people get to pull on the jersey, and he's done it tonight, and on the evidence of that, he's got a big future ahead of him.”