SCRAPPING FOR THE ball at the breakdown is a way of life in Munster, and an art in which Tommy O’Donnell is increasingly excelling.
While Laurent Cardona’s refereeing of the area at the AJ Bell Stadium last weekend meant Anthony Foley’s side had a rare barren day in terms of turnovers and spoiling, competing on the deck will always be a foundational block in their approach to the game.
Former masters like Foley himself and Alan Quinlan have worn the breakdown path in the southern province, while current players such as Peter O’Mahony, Paul O’Connell, Damien Varley and BJ Botha are carrying the torch now.
Tipperary native O’Donnell is also among the leading figures at the breakdown for Munster, as demonstrated by his havoc-causing display there against Leinster three weeks ago.
The 27-year-old looks a more rounded player than ever, with his long-standing ball-carrying ability and work rate having been supplemented by an increased focus on scrapping for those vital poaches.
It’s really down to attitude,” says O’Donnell. “With the breakdown as a seven, you really have to have the attitude that you’re going to live in there. I suppose that’s one thing I’ve gone about this season, just adding little things into it.
“If I’ve tackled a guy and I feel I can impact on the ruck, I’m going to stay in there and live in there until at least two or three bodies take me out of there. Anthony has the phrase that if you’re going to add to the ruck, add time to their ball.”
When we speak of decision-making in rugby, we so often refer to the attacking side of the game. But there are equally crucial calls to be made around the post-tackle zone in defence, and under intense time pressure.
“It all depends on the quality work at the front end of the tackle,” says O’Donnell. “If I’m coming from a line-out and my centres have conceded a little bit of ground, say, it depends on just having a sniff of the ball.
“It’s a snap decision, in a couple of milliseconds and you just make that call. Sometimes if you commit hard enough, you’re going to annoy someone or get in under their shoulder and make yourself a nuisance.”
On the flip side of the breakdown, O’Donnell is often tasked with being first man on the scene when one of his Munster teammates is tackled. The openside flanker must remove the early threats as the opposition look to pilfer the ball themselves.
Saracens’ Kelly Brown will be “quite a nuisance at the breakdown” at Thomond Park on Friday evening, but O’Donnell points out that focusing on one individual threat is not the best way to ensure he helps his side to get quick ball in attack.
You have to approach it with the real physical mentality,” says O’Donnell. “If you’re going in looking for just one person, you’ll get sidetracked. You have to just go at it.”
Away from the breakdown, O’Donnell has been a strong ball-carrier since first breaking through with Munster. His history at No. 8 and blindside flanker has seen him feature more prominently with ball in hand, but that’s not to say he is doing less in attack now.
The UL Bohs back row happily admits that CJ Stander is stealing everyone’s ball-carrying thunder at present, while also pointing out that his chances for the big busts will arrive again soon.
“It all depends on the game. I’m still getting up around 10 carries a game. If I can turn one or two of those into a longer carry or a linebreak, things get rolling. Some days it’s hard to break the line, but other days you can just slip past tackles.
“CJ is incredible,” continues O’Donnell. “There were a couple of tackles [against Sale] where he smacked and his leg drive just took over, he was gone through the hit and up the field.
He has incredible pace and power, I think we saw that from when he first came in. It really is great to see him excelling this year and getting the amount of carries he’s getting. His work rate has gone through the roof.”
While O’Donnell has started the campaign impressively enough to be recalled to Joe Schmidt’s Ireland squad after missing out on the June tour to Argentina, the 27-year-old is not quite content yet: “I wouldn’t say I’m playing to the best of my ability.”
He is positively relishing the prospect of welcoming a powerful Saracens side to Limerick this weekend, however, looking for that next step towards finding his peak form.
Brown, Billy Vunipola and Alistair Hargreaves against O’Donnell, Stander and O’Connell, among many other clashes.
“It’s what European rugby is,” smiles the Munster openside.
Having a great session so far but with the depth of backrowers it will be very hard for him to make the Ireland match day squad
Lets see can we get to 10 post before Paul the “bandwagon” Sheehan post some crap about Munster supporters
I’d have him over Heaslip – he’s not exactly impressing.
Heaslip was top class last Sunday. With SOB out he has returned to heaslip been the main go forward player and I think this suits him better
But Heaslip is an 8 and TO’D is a 7. Don’t think he’s ever played 8 so wanting him over Heaslip is absolutely crazy.
I would have him as second choice 7 behind Henry atm. I think Ryan has had his best ever run in a leinster jersey, it’s so refreshing to see him stay fit, but TO’D is a more rounded player. Not as destructive in the tackle but a better poacher. His link play is better than Ryan’s as well who plays like 6 in attack.
The bitterness is strong in this one.
Tod has played 8
Maybe a backrow of Tod, pom and Heaslip for the Australia game could work well might need more power for south Africa do
Sean i really seem to have hit a nerve with you on this.That suggests to me that my comments are very close to the truth because if they were way off they would not elicit the same levels of vitriol that has been directed my way.
Look on it as me doing you lot a favour as it may make you think twice before ye embarrass yourselves spouting your red army pashun gibberish the next time you manage to fill the toyota arena.
That is all.
Toyota have nothing to do with Munster Mr Waaaaaterford !
I’ve never spouted any such red army crap .
I’m a long standing sessions tickets holder with Munster and massive Ireland supporter.
Belive me I know there is bandwagon fans I’ve meet them in every rugby ground in Ireland .This not an issue Exclusive to Munster rugby .
Your constant post about the Munster bandwagon is just getting very old.
I’m posting here to talk to other rugby fans about the game we love not to bicker with a sad troll who is hung up on 1 subject and drags the tread in to the mud every chance he gets.
Well said Sean. It’s getting very old. A lot of so called rugby supporters on here spouting the same old s**t in every article posted. I’m not even sure what they are trying to prove any more.
Stupid troll is stupid.
The trolls here are pathetic at least develop your argument lads or find another area topic to troll. I’m all for abit of witty banter between the provinces but ye lads don’t seem to have the intellect to think of something new to troll with
What ar u doin on d twitter and ya meant to b learnin in school? Expect a skelping off ur da wen ya get home
Whayaay.flash just got owned.
Stop creating twitter profiles to back up your own trolling. As I said before. You’re fooling no one.
We’re dishin up d turnips luv
O’Donnell is definitely one of the better if not the best openside in Ireland right now. His movement around the paddock (as the Kiwis like to call the pitch) reminds me a bit of the great All Black openside flanker, Josh Kronfeld
The Kiwis run from the shed out onto the paddock at the start of a match. Just like the cows at home on a Tuesday morning!
Great to see Tommy return to form after a serious case of ‘second season syndrome’. Had to improve at the breakdown to see off Dougall never mind challenge Henry for the Irish jersey. That said given the absence of Sean O’Brien, Cian Healy and any serious ball carrying centre he should really come into consideration for a start over the autumn internationals. Looking at the squad it’s hard to see where the go forward ball will come from, Cronin is an obvious option but that mean sacrificing your line outs, which would be suicidal against the Boks.
Don’t want to post too soon but I think there gone!
Back to the rugby how do you think Munsters backrow will do Friday? Saracens have some power in that department
The backrow will be a lottery. We weren’t allowed compete at all last week which I guess will starve them of info. Garces is the opposite. He allows anything goes at the breakdown. Saffacens are very good, but so are we. Intriguing.
I must say I I’m proper nervous about the game Friday players like TOD Casey Archer Folye need to step up another notch this Saracens pack made easy work of Clermont last session.
Munster need blitz them from the start and let the bench finish them off .
I think will see Hurley at 12 again. Would like to see him get more 1st up ball hopefully he will soften them up for JJ
Seán, I wouldn’t worry too much. Munster have a knack of upping their tempo big time when it comes to the European cup. Ye always seem to peak at the right time. Financially, the further the Irish provinces go in this competition the better, for the development of Irish rugby and keeping our players in Ireland.
Actually no. Believe it or not, a rabo semi and final is worth more bucks. Irfu take most HC prize money
To be fair, a lot of Munster (and other provincial) rugby fans were in their early to late teenage years when rugby really took hold in this country. If you’ve been supporting a team since 2000, that’s 14 years ago which is a hell of a long time. Every team has their bandwagon supporters but you can hardly discuss anything rugby-related on the Score without these two guys yapping on with their bandwagon obsession. We get it. You don’t like it. Anything else to add?
I second that Michael
and I apologize to all the posters on here for feeding these monkey today
Sean . There used to be a rugby forum on the bbc called 606. It had some good moments but also had a lot of wum. Wind up merchants. Really its Best just not to answer thereby excluding them from the dialogue. In the end the babysitter will discover theyre out of bed and turn the computer off.
I miss 606. Mostly…. There were some brilliant wums on it. Intelligent ones. Subtle. Some not so much but lots of great posters from around the world. Redstag. OnASideNote. MBTOG were big munster ones. Mickado from Leinster. Umm from Connacht. Englishmaninwales. Silverghost from NZ. Waleswillwin. Good times.
Stick to your guns Paul Sheehan. The truth will always win out. Everything you say about Munster and their fans (who only discovered rugby football in 2000) is spot on. It drives the Munster fans mad that what you say is actually true, even if it is unpalatable for them to accept. Interesting that they never argue with the valid points you make but instead resort to abuse and name calling. Keep telling it the way it is mate.
RobsonKeane and Paul Sheehan I’m guessing your the same person.
As for backing up anything I say with facts and figures I’ve openly admitted that there is a bandwagon element in Thomond I’m not trying to defend that.
What yee? Seem to not understand is that “red army ” ” Passion ” and ” SUAF” catch phrases where coined by the media of the time of Munsters success in the H-Cup.
But for some reason your pea brains can’t separate the press hype from the real supporters.
The fact is a winning teams brings a crowd there will be gobshits in that crowd it happens in every team not just Munsters which yee happen to be fixated on .
I only really discovered rugby in 1999-2000, then again I was only 8! Not everyone in the world in 30 plus. I suppose you’d only be happy if there was 5000 ‘real fans’ attending Irish games and if we were scraping the arse of the barrel for 15 players. Bandwagon fans are good and bad for a sport but mostly good, and every, now listen to me, EVERY TEAM IN THE WORLD HAS THEM.
Apologies to everyone having to read this but the ba*tards finally got to me
Sorry sean but you mentioned my name on this thread before i had even read it.and then you castigate me for replying.i am entitled to my opinion just as you are entitled to yours but what you are not entitled to is your own version of the facts.Fact is munster fans are bandwagon jumpers like a lot of fans but what separates munster fans from the rest is the notions they have about their special support.and no its not media driven, i have seen these fans on match nights(in pubs) spouting their inane munster bullshit.fair play if you are a genuine fan and if you are my comments are not directed at you but you are getting so worked up about it i suspect you are exactly the kind og chest thumping johnny come lately that i speak of.
That is all.
Calm down sparky .I think you may be having a conniption.
I am calm Paul/Robson. But the fact that you are a giant tool doesn’t help
No I’m not getting worked up at all Paul I’m cool beans .
I see your still singing the same old tune your FACTS as you call them are not facts but your opinion which you are entitle too but opinions are like ass holes everyone has got one.
You pointless and repetitive opinion of Munster supporters is beyond boring change the record man I’m sure I’m not the only poster on here that is feed up of hearing your same old tune.
Where here to talk rugby with real fans new and old not bitche about lads down pub .
Don’t feed the troll….
I know Cian but there are a good few posters on here that are board of the constant ramblings of these trolls
Im one. Ignore them and they’ll go back to their GAA pages and abusing people on twitter.
They can feck off from the GAA Cian
I hear ya but if you look at Robsons twitter you’ll see what I mean.
Guessing wrong so sean.you think i am some lone voice who is sick to the back teeth of being forcefed this tripe from the munster fans,well i have news for you there is loads of us out there.also ill try one last time to explain it to you lot.
I do not care who you support i just dont want to hear how wonderful that support is.
That is all.
Paul your up early today get the 1st shot in good man.
You have been shown up for what you are a troll it’s a simple as that you won’t debate subject of any give storys or your own agenda just repeated the same old lines .
I won’t be drawn into to you deluded little bitter debate anymore .
In your own words Paul
THAT IS ALL
Get over yourself seanie,someone having an opinion which you may find unpalatable does not make them a troll.as for me not debating the stories i am commenting on , when have you ever tried to actually debate with me,its just personal abuse and stamping your feet like a spoilt toddler.You said yourself that you never went in for that munster pashun suaf best fans red army nonsense but i see you are spouting that exact same drivel on todays score.ie.s article on the munster rugby franchise.was that you or did the media make you do it.
That is all.