IRELAND COACH DECLAN KIDNEY named his starting XV and replacements to take on Italy this weekend.
For the first time in 22 Test matches the name Donncha O’Callaghan was missing from the matchday squad.
The Munster man, who turns 34 next Sunday, has appeared 94 times for his country and made four outings with the British & Irish Lions.
He has also appeared over 200 times in the second row for Munster. Speaking about O’Callaghan before the Scotland game, Peter O’Mahony told TheScore.ie:
He’s a great voice, a great level head and he leads by his example, leads by his work on the pitch. And that happens in training (too), it’s not just the 80 minutes, it’s every week in training or the gym.
“He’s a good fella for young lads to look up to and get in and put their head down behind him.”
With Iain Henderson emerging as a lock of genuine talent, Paul O’Connell returning from injury and Devin Toner getting the nod on the bench this week, O’Callaghan could have played his last game in green.
He played the final 13 minutes against France and was commitment personified.
This moment [skip to 2:50], the television coverage of an emotional O’Callaghan during the pre-match anthems, may be the most fitting way to remember a truly dedicated Irishman:
YouTube credit: Joaquin – Eduardo
If this is to be the end of O’Callaghan’s time with the national team, TheScore.ie salutes you.
So a player in a position where it ok to be a bit older ( brad Thorne, most English and French secondrows) is still playing HC rugby and is playing really well this season is told here enjoy today cos no matter what you do it’s your last game!
Really is this how bad our management team is?
If he knew this was coming it would explain why he was so emotional. Perhaps this was well flagged beforehand. I doubt its the last we’ll see of him however… He’s playing some of his best rugby. Think this may be a pretty ordained succession planning decision.
Any other Munster players who the Score wants to usher into retirement?
Does James Downey count?
All you non Irish front-rowers
Don’t think he was told before the France game. Kidney has gone about business in a really shitty way this year.
U think….u don’t know….
I know his mother didn’t know before the squad announcement today and I think she surely would have if Donncha knew.
Only in Ireland is that comment believable…. ;-)
Chris McDonnell – how many non-Irish front rows do you think Munster have? If you mean the only first choice non-Irish front row, BJ Botha, then fair enough. The only other non-Irish front row is du Preez who is a back-up. “All” is a bit misleading don’t you think?
Considering it was in answer to peadar’s believe that the score are retiring munster players it is misleading.
I couldn’t care less how many non Irish players Munster have.
I’ll say one thing if Munster defended like you boys on here they wouldn’t be 6th in the rabbo
we may be 6th in table Chris but our defense is better than Leinster’s. Your point being exactly? It would help if Mannix knew what he was doing and key games like Scarlets at home were won http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/table.php
i absaloutly love Donnacha, hope its not his last game for Ireland…
No good few years left with munster, we have to start a new era and the time has come to bring in the new players. It takes time for players to settle into international rugby we have to start now not in 2015 the year of the World Cup. Couple of exceptions Drico and POC.