This is exactly what you need against the All Blacks.
Munster’s performance in their 41-16 victory over Toulouse was not perfect by any means.
Peter O’Mahony, their captain, was not perfect either but he was not far off. O’Mahony left the fray with Munster 24-9 ahead and 30 minutes left on the clock. He admitted to not feeling assured of victory until Darren Sweetnam’s 75th minute try.
He need not have worried so much. This Munster squad is streets, and feats, ahead of the 2015/16 version and, clearly forward passes aside, they rarely looked in trouble against Toulouse.
O’Mahony would have liked to have seen out the game on the pitch but his 50 minutes on it were pure class. He won two turnovers in the loose and another two from imperious lineout steals.
O Mahony…. #BeastMode #MUNvTOU pic.twitter.com/i8TCmRbu6w
— Irish Biltong Co. 🏆 (@Irishbiltong) April 1, 2017
O’Mahony tried to deflect any praise for those steals, insisting he just does whatever Billy Holland or Donnacha Ryan bark at him. Still, his vertical leap is something to behold and has surely been noted by British & Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland.
While Tommy O’Donnell [17] topped the tackle count, O’Mahony stuck each of his four hits and made them count. He was a pure nuisance on the deck and he got through a mountain of defensive work.
Perhaps that might explain the odd statistic that sees O’Mahony listed as the one player from both starting XVs with the least amount of ball carries. The flanker is down for four possessions, only one of which he took into contact.
Only Holland and Toulouse scrum-half Sebastien Bezy [both with two] are anywhere near him. Ask O’Mahony about the anomaly and he talks about occupying the channels and backing up his teammates. We’re not arguing.
One thing is for sure, though. O’Mahony surely has to be in the conversation for Lions back rows ahead of Warren Gatland’s April 19 squad announcement.
https://twitter.com/DubClogg/status/848235122533027840
Warburton odds on favourite for #Lions captain. He's not even playing the same sport as Peter O'Mahony #MUNvTOU #GLOvCAR
— Shane Madden (@Shane_Madden92) April 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/ianbaglow/status/848231563431227393
Peter O'Mahony for the lions 🦁 #alldaylong #MUNvTOU #ChampionsCup
— Jack Murray (@mediamurray) April 1, 2017
The movement is gathering momentum.
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