'We'll have to be at our best to do a job up there': Fineen Wycherley ready for Leinster challenge after Páirc bow

The lock came off the bench to score a crucial second-half try as Munster staved off a comeback from Racing 92 on Leeside

Fineen Wycherley during a Munster Rugby squad training at the University of Limerick. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile.

From Páirc Uí Chaoimh to Aviva Stadium, the big games keep coming for Munster Rugby and Fineen Wycherley is grateful his team could gear up for this Saturday’s URC derby with Leinster by going toe to toe with Racing 92 on Leeside.

The lock came off the bench to score a crucial second-half try as Munster staved off a comeback from their Champions Cup pool rivals, who had trailed 14-6 at the interval but had clawed their way back into the contest at 21-18.

Wycherley struck on the hour and fellow replacement JJ Hanrahan converted. Another try for the visitors followed but Craig Casey’s 78th minute try sealed a valuable 33-25 opening pool victory.

Confidence is high following that win and none more so than for Wycherley, 28, and his younger brother Josh, a fellow replacement, who was first to congratulate him after he took an expertly delayed pass from scrum-half Casey on a perfect running line to crash over for that crucial score deep into the second half.

Fineen had long given up on his childhood dream of playing at Pairc Ui Chaoimh before Munster’s attention turned towards the home of Cork GAA.

Despite following his older brothers into Gaelic games at Kealkill’s St Colum’s in Bantry Bay, he said: “I was never that good. I played underage with them, hurling, football, all the way up. But when I got to 16 really, I wanted to just fully commit to Munster and fully commit to rugby.

“I didn't think I'd ever actually really play there, to be honest, because I definitely wasn't going to play hurling football or hurling. So it's mental, really, that all these years later, you get an opportunity to play there in rugby.

“My older brothers were probably more into football and hurling than me, and they would have gone to games in Páirc Uí Chaoimh when we were younger.

“But getting the chance to play there is special. It's some stadium, unbelievable. In particular as well, when it's your own county and stuff, and there's people that are living in the city that you went to school with and people coming up from home, because it can be quite difficult to get to the Limerick games.

“I just think it makes it a bit more exciting and a bit more pressure on you to perform, definitely.”

Wycherley is an advocate of more games being played in his home county.

“People don't realise how difficult it is to get to the games in Limerick, especially for people that are from West Kerry and West Cork and those kind of parts,” he said.

“For us, growing up, it would have been a two-and-a-half, three-hour journey, and it's not easy for people if there's a late game on a Saturday night to get to those games.

“I definitely think sharing the load between both counties is very important, and I think, if anything, we should see it as a positive in the province, to be able to give other parts of the province an opportunity to go and watch big games.”

This Saturday, though, it is Dublin where his focus lies, with a trip to face the defending URC champions. Wycherley believes Munster have been ideally prepared for the challenge ahead.

“Oh yeah, massively,” Wycherley said. “Two really good teams and I think the first couple of rounds that we've had have been some of the best teams in the competition from last year.

“But we know ourselves there's another massive step this weekend, especially away from home. We'll have to be at our best to do a job up there, definitely.”