Murray Kinsella reports from St. George’s Park
SATURDAY WAS ANOTHER proud day for the Kearney family.
The Louth clan has had a fair few of them at this stage, but Rob and Dave starting together in Ireland’s back three in a World Cup game was the latest milestone.
Both brothers delivered for Joe Schmidt, the younger sibling finishing off a superb Ireland attack, while Rob hit ferociously in defence – three brilliant hits in the space of eight seconds in the second half the clear highlight in that regard.
While Rob had an injury concern before the tournament began with bruising of his knee, he returned to his relatively established starting berth at fullback against the Canadians with eagerness.
Out on the right wing, Dave’s superb form continued. No surprise there for those from the Cooley Peninsula.
“I’m really happy to see him (Dave) get what he deserves,” said Rob at Ireland’s base in St. George’s Park this afternoon. “Maybe I’m a little bit biased but he was always very much a part of the team in my mind.
I think had it not been for that injury he picked up against Wasps last year (for Leinster in the Champions Cup in January, 2015), he may well have featured in the Six Nations and I think his performances in the Six Nations two years ago were very, very good.
“I’m delighted he has gotten his opportunity given the competition for that wing spot was so massive. He needed to take his opportunities, he did and it was nice to see him score a try at the weekend.”
26-year-old Dave looks a different beast in a physical sense since the beginning of the new season, although we saw signs of that growth at the tail end of 2014/15 with Leinster.
Rob, now 29, says his younger brother is getting just reward for his efforts over the summer in training, even before Ireland had reconvened for their pre-season. Dave is putting the pressure on his housemate for the title of strongest and fittest in the family.
“Yeah he is, of course!” said Rob. “It was great having him there during the summer, the two of us trained a fair bit. There were a couple of days when I wasn’t necessarily up for a few sessions and he dragged me along and vice versa.
Athletically, he’s definitely kicked on.”
The sheer level of competition in Ireland’s back three was partly why the Kearney brothers felt the need to get out training early and return to Ireland camp in good condition.
“We both knew it,” said Rob. “The back three is maybe even more competitive than the back row.
“Before the pre-season started we knew there were not too many places up for grabs there and we needed to hit the ground running in week one of pre-season, as opposed to waiting two or three weeks and having to play a little bit of catch-up.
“It was something that the two of us definitely highlighted.”
