IT SEEMS LIKE a life-time ago but Craig Gilroy streaked free for his wonder try against Munster in the Heineken Cup quarter final only 363 days ago.
Now established in the Irish and Ulster teams, the 22-year-old left six Munster players in his wake and dived over for a memorable five points.
South African scrum-half Ruan Pienaar initiated the backline move on 8 April last year and, almost a year to the day, smiles widely when the try is brought up.
Pienaar confesses he never considered that Gilroy, taking the ball just pass his side’s 10-metre line, would ever go on to dive over for a score that would make it 13-0 after 17 minutes.
“No,” he told TheScore.ie, “and a couple of the guys will probably say he should have passed and made it difficult for himself.
“It was a fantastic individual try and he has scored a couple more like that since the Munster game. We’re very happy to have him in our team.”
YouTube credit: TheUAFC
Speaking about Gilroy’s development in the past 12 months, Pienaar said, “He’s got incredible speed and incredible feet. He’s a nightmare for anyone to be up against.
“It’s great to see him developing so well and he’s just getting better every season.
“With Andrew Trimble doing well and Tommy Bowe coming back, it is great to have that competition in the side and the guys pushing each other.”
*TheScore.ie will be liveblogging all the action at Twickenham from 6pm this evening
