“This was the moment that O’Mahony could reinforce what Munster means to the group.”
One week removed from Munster’s thrilling away win over Wasps and Peter O’Mahony is ready to do it all again. Castres are coming to Limerick but many at the club would just as well preferred staying home.
Travel restrictions set down by the French government mean Castres are the only Top 14 side in Champions Cup action. They face a Munster side, in Thomond Park, that are buoyed by that bonus point win over Wasps.
12 Munster youngsters made their senior debuts for the province at the Ricoh Arena, last Sunday, and the likes of Patrick Campbell, Daniel Okeke and Patrick Campbell looked comfortable at that level. Wasps were dealing with Covid issues that led to changes to their squad, on the day, but they had more frontliners available to them than Munster.
Former England and Lions star Will Greenwood was watching that game closely and, in his Daily Telegraph column, not only lavished praise on O’Mahony but pointed out his post-match actions in Coventry.
Peter O’Mahony leading from the front
Will Greenwood noted the Munster captain’s try-saving tackle on Thomas Youngs and his fearsome clear-out on Wasps 10 Jimmy Gopperth, which happened in the lead-up to Campbell’s try, but focused on his actions after the final whistle sounded.
‘Munster live for the European Cup,’ wrote Greenwood, ‘and the final whistle blew and their win was secure, O’Mahony hunted down every kid, every new player, in his squad, to shake their hands, look them in the eye and welcome them to the very proud club of Munstermen who have won in Europe. It was akin to seeing a tribal chief initiating a young hunter into the elders group.
‘Winning together, belonging, the collective spirit – this is what drives teams and you can’t win without it. This was the moment that O’Mahony could reinforce what Munster means to the group, and he did just that.
‘Munster need limbs removed before they will stop trying to win a game in Europe but you don’t turn that level of intensity on and off like a tap. It is passed from player to player, generation to generation. Even so, to fully understand what it means, the young guys need to see, up close and personal, what it means to wear red and what senior players are willing to do for victory.’
Following the game, O’Mahony said the victory – without over 30 senior players – was one of his most enjoyable as Munster captain.
For Greenwood, watching on, the 32-year-old is as key to Munster’s chances of European success as Antoine Dupont is to Toulouse, George Ford to Leicester or Gregory Alldritt to La Rochelle.
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