FOR ALL THE injury troubles Munster have endured over the course of the season, a handful of key players provided an important backbone as the province rode out some mid-season struggles to finish the URC regular season on a high – taking 44 points from a possible 45 across a nine-game winning run that saw them finish top of the URC table.
Winger Shane Daly has been at the heart of that effort, starting all of Munster’s 18 regular season URC games, playing 1,415 minutes of a possible 1,440.
He was similarly influential to last year’s URC success – his 1,800 minutes on the pitch the most by any Munster player last season.
The Corkman’s consistency and durability has seen him quietly become one of the province’s most important players under Graham Rowntree.
A product of Highfield RFC, PBC and Cork Constitution, Daly spent three years in the Munster Academy before earning a senior contract in 2019.
He was no stranger to the first team under Johann van Graan but Daly has hit another level since Rowntree took over as head coach in 2022, with the former Leicester and England prop showing faith in him right from the start of his tenure.
Before Rowntree’s promotion to the top job, Daly had never bettered 13 starts in one season (2019/20). He started 22 games in Rowntree’s first year in charge and is already on 21 this season – with three more potentially to come as Munster aim to defend their URC title.
The 27-year-old has credited attack coach Mike Prendergast and skills coach Mossy Lawler with helping him improve his overall game, with Daly and fellow winger Calvin Nash both thriving in Munster’s attacking system.
Having started this season playing most his rugby at fullback, since the St. Stephen’s Day defeat to Leinster all 13 of Daly’s starts have come on the wing – his relocation coinciding with Simon Zebo putting together an impressive run of form at 15.
The Zebo-Daly-Nash back three has been working nicely for all involved. Daly is on a career-best run of seven tries this season, with most of his tries coming through bursts on pace on the edges.
A quality attacker, the former Sevens player brings pace and skill to the backline. Daly is third on the URC charts for both most clean breaks (22) and most metres made (950) this season.
But the Munster coaching staff have been just as pleased with his workrate and defensive efforts – with the home support getting a big lift out of his driving hit on scrum-half John Cooney during Saturday’s defeat of Ulster.
“Shane’s Mr Reliable, isn’t he?” says defence coach Denis Leamy.
“He’s a fantastic rugby player. Very, very smart. I consider him a really good defender.
“He’s been doing some excellent things on the edges for us over the last 18 months. His ability to judge the backfield, to field the play and obviously defend in the front line as well and his ability to stay calm, not show too many early pictures and almost tell lies in what he’s doing (stands out).
Shane is a top class player in fairness to him. He’s one of the smartest players I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”
Another strong run of performances in the URC playoffs would surely keep him in the Ireland conversation before Andy Farrell names his squad to tour South Africa this summer.
With Leinster fullback Hugo Keenan away on Sevens duty and Connacht winger Mack Hansen yet to return from the shoulder injury which has kept him sidelined since January, Farrell might be casting his net a little wider when it comes to selecting his back three options.
Daly was capped twice by Farrell (in 2020 and 2021) and was part of the Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa in 2022 before playing for Ireland A against a New Zealand XV that November.
He’s found it hard to work his way back into Farrell’s plans since, but after another strong season with Munster the Ireland coaches might feel Daly is worth another look at international level.
