YOU DON’T RATTLE Peter O’Mahony easily. But if you know the buttons to push you just might see him flinch.
In the week of a big game, the Munster captain has a stony-faced concentration about him. And so the gathered media, who love to talk about pressure, pain and all that kind of nonsense, get rebuffed with a simple ‘get on with it’.
With three of Ireland’s four TV broadcasters on top of the rights holders from across the water, all ready to put the spotlight on the blindside one remark does manage to shake his game-face off.
‘What’s up with your hair, Pete?’
‘What the…?’
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There was nothing untoward up with his hair. Back to the serious business of beating Saracens and extending the Munster interest in this remodelled competition deep in to 2015.
“It’s cup rugby come Saturday. It’s win or bust, cup rugby, there’s nothing goes past Saturday,” says the captain.
“They were an important few weeks in the Pro12, but it was always there in the back of our minds to be preparing – we trained on the 3G [pitch in UL] a few times, getting ready for it. It’s a big week for the club certainly.”
That artificial surface is a big talking point for some players and coaches within the Munster camp. However, as a man who can cover the ground efficiently and isn’t expecting to kick the ball, O’Mahony tallies the impact of the surface on his gameplan to a nice round figure, “Zero”.
What will have a say in the outcome is his performance, and how he matches up with the Saracens back row. A game that doesn’t count the breakdown as a deciding factor is an extreme rarity (if it even exists), but on a hard surface that promises a clean dry ball, the tackle area will be 9/10s of the law.
“It’s such a cliché, but we’ve got to get go-forward ball,” says the 25-year-old captain in that trademark matter-of-fact way of his.
When they’ve got the ball we’ve got to chop them and stop them at source. Their whole back row is very important to how they play both sides of the ball. So we’ll have to do our best to keep them quiet. As a team they’re very impressive as well, so we’ll need a big performance from everyone.
In Munster Rugby ‘everyone’ means absolutely everyone, not just the men on the pitch or with dressing room access. Munster aren’t better when they’re bitter, they’re better when in complete harmony with their supporters.
So as the playing staff sets about ransacking Saracens’ latest attempt at European glory, it’s curious that the hosts have generously added grist to the mill for away fans by inserting cunning obstacles in the way of non-sanctioned ticket sales. Obstacles like suspicious treatment of people with an Irish accent calling looking for tickets.
“You can be fairly sure they’ve been putting on fake English accents to get them,” smiles O’Mahony at the thought of some red-shirted hybrid between Dick van Dyke and Fonejacker.
“It’s unbelievable. I don’t know how they get the tickets, but they show up for us every time. We can’t get around to everyone to say thank you, but we’d love to. It’s hugely important for us and we’ve no doubt they’ll be there on Saturday.”
O’Mahony won’t be letting his hair, or anyone else, down any time soon.
Ya Munster fans are going to flock to Italy 3 weeks after Christmas to watch them bulldoze the weakest team in the league or maybe there going to keep there money for the biggest game of the session.
Try again there robsonkeane your not getting old at all !
What about TOD probably the best backrow player in Ireland at the moment .
Most important player for Munster is Murray do god I hope he’s fit for this game!
Sean pol too be honest I really think Copeland is the best no.8 in Munster and for that matter in Ireland. He’s better than mouse eyes heaslip all day. Watch this space Copeland for the World Cup as no.8 and mouse eyes for the midweek games! You heard it first here!
Didn’t Copeland leave Leinster to play in second tier rugby in England, because Ryan and Ruddock were ahead of him? Don’t get me wrong, he is great player and doing a great job in Munster, but there are so many great backrows in both provinces that I doubt he’ll make the WC
Ah for the love of God. It wouldn’t have taken him too long to thank all the great Munster fans who went to Italy last week for the Zebre match. Every single time they’ve an away game in Europe this sort of guff is trotted out.
More bullshit from the munster brigade
“They show up for us every time”
No they do not.They show up when there’s a high profile game on or the chance of a piss up on a jolly boys outing.
That is all.
Hate to have too p11ss on your corn flakes but I’ve too keep repeating myself too ye imbasiles every week, so please go too the pro-12 site read the attendances for the current season and Munster are top attended team with top numbers for 7/12 pro-12 games so far. Also both H-Cup games sold out.
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Ya Munster fans are going to flock to Italy 3 weeks after Christmas to watch them bulldoze the weakest team in the league or maybe there going to keep there money for the biggest game of the session.
Try again there robsonkeane your not getting old at all !
Cj , pom, POC are all tanks , should be an epic game, come on munster!
What about TOD probably the best backrow player in Ireland at the moment .
Most important player for Munster is Murray do god I hope he’s fit for this game!
Sean pol too be honest I really think Copeland is the best no.8 in Munster and for that matter in Ireland. He’s better than mouse eyes heaslip all day. Watch this space Copeland for the World Cup as no.8 and mouse eyes for the midweek games! You heard it first here!
Didn’t Copeland leave Leinster to play in second tier rugby in England, because Ryan and Ruddock were ahead of him? Don’t get me wrong, he is great player and doing a great job in Munster, but there are so many great backrows in both provinces that I doubt he’ll make the WC
True rudiger but he left as a second row and converted to a no.8 and it’s a perfect fit! All I’m saying is watch this space!
A predictive text you have made a mockery of me once again.
Still do try harder Robson your beyond predictable
Just don’t feed it man.
Ah for the love of God. It wouldn’t have taken him too long to thank all the great Munster fans who went to Italy last week for the Zebre match. Every single time they’ve an away game in Europe this sort of guff is trotted out.
Christ your full of shite
Robson your really trying hard to be the scores no1 troll
Fingers crossed for Murray to make it!
Biggest game of the session?? At least you are finally coming round to admitting these weekends are little more than a booze up jaunt.
The session will be after the match.
More bullshit from the munster brigade
“They show up for us every time”
No they do not.They show up when there’s a high profile game on or the chance of a piss up on a jolly boys outing.
That is all.
Hate to have too p11ss on your corn flakes but I’ve too keep repeating myself too ye imbasiles every week, so please go too the pro-12 site read the attendances for the current season and Munster are top attended team with top numbers for 7/12 pro-12 games so far. Also both H-Cup games sold out.
The best team is going to win this match tomorrow and we the fans know which team that is MUNSTER ABU