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.
And this my friends……..
@Ray Ridge: Gave you a thumbs up Ray, cos I get a bit of craic outta you.
Anyway, if Liverpool win tomorrow, one more win very likely do it.
@ecrowley ecrowley: if only equalling arsenal’s results till they run out of games,so be it, tomorrow and next weekend the handiest of what’s left,two wins and I might lay of the anxiety tablets.
@Deano74: Ah it’s defo done pal, but I’d like it confirmed sooner than later.
@ecrowley ecrowley: I know,it’s like waiting on a bus,you know it’s coming,but you just want it here.
@Deano74: exactamundo
@ecrowley ecrowley: hope Ray doesn’t support Liverpool!?
@Deano74: Can you give them to me
@Tom Murphy: Arsenal fan i think
@Ray Ridge: friends???
@ecrowley ecrowley: Tbh I don’t Liverpool need to win another game in order to lift the trophy.
@SEAN: You’re a great friend of mine Seanie.
If Arsenal wet themselves against Madrid Wednesday night it won’t surprise me one bit.
The league is done and everyone knows it. Liverpool probably don’t even need another point the way Arsenal are going.
Main thing, no injuries ahead of the Madrid game. Pity they couldn’t rest more but it is what it is. Hopefully they played within themselves and are primed for Wednesday.
Hopefully Mbappe can do an Origi on them next Wednesday!
@Dan The Man: Hope arsenal go through
Hardly a slip up in fairness…..
@Paul Linehan: in the context of the title race of course it is. If Liverpool fail to capitalise on it tomorrow that’s an even bigger slip up
@Michael Mullins: what title race? It’s done since end of march.
@Paul Mallon: grand for us to say that here. Doubt that’s what Arteta is telling them before matches
@Michael Mullins: I’m sure Arsenal have a more realistic target in mind to be bothered by something they blew a long time ago.
Looked as of though the exertions against Real the other night caught up with Arsenal not only physically but mentally and emotionally too. Here’s hoping that they can raise their game again next week in bernabau otherwise they be in for one long long night
@Jed Ward: arsenal score in the 90 mins and it’s well done,at 3 nil it should be,but I seem to vaguely remember a certain side overcome a 3 nil against another Spanish heavy weight,best of luck anyway,enjoy.
@Jed Ward: Arsenal will go through
@SEAN: €1,000 says Real will go through
If Arsenal want CL trophy they’ll have to rest their first 11 regularly now come PL games as pathway to that trophy is probably PSG in semi and most probably Barcelona in the final. Gunners won’t half deserve trophy if they can put out Madrid and also those teams.
Same old arsenal
How poor are this Arsenal side
@james quinn: Apparently Arsenal have spent 1.4 billion since 2017. Klopp lifted how many trophies with about 1/30th of that budget and assisted Slot with another!
@Dan The Man: Yep. With City in a title race, Liverpool were winning nearly every game after xmas and twice came up 1 point short getting the likes of 97 points. With Arsenal u just know they can’t put a string of wins together. They needn’t use Europe as an excuse. Klopp won a Champions League and still got close to 100 points. Levels to this game.
@james quinn: Still poor enough to beat the champions league winner 3 zip
@Dan The Man: klopps net spend was roughly just shy of 350 million,in 9 years, Artetas net spend is roughly 540 million in five years.