WHILE SATURDAY’S UNITED Rugby Championship clash between Leinster and the Sharks at the RDS was a landmark 100th appearance for their dependable back-row star Max Deegan, it was also a special day for a player that is familiar to followers of the domestic game in Ireland.
Set to turn 29 in December, Clontarf hooker Dylan Donnellan was visiting a customer as part of his day job as a technical sales specialist in Lennox Laboratory Supplies last Monday when he suddenly received a call asking him to come into the Leinster set-up as cover for the injured John McKee.
With Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher yet to be reintegrated back into the squad following Ireland’s World Cup campaign, he was immediately brought into the matchday 23 for the province’s first home game of the season and was introduced in place of Lee Barron on 67 minutes.
A native of Galway who has also represented Corinthians and Lansdowne in the All-Ireland League, Donnellan has had spells in the professional game in the past with Biarritz Olympique in France and Yorkshire Carnegie in England. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen had previously looked towards the AIL for their friendly encounter against Chile last November and was glad to be able to give Donnellan his provincial bow on Saturday.
“Dylan has done a pre-season with us in the past and it was amazing to see him out there today. He was ready. Always be ready for when the opportunity arises! It’s a fantastic story,” Cullen remarked in the media room at the RDS after Saturday’s game.
“We just mentioned there about Clontarf and the role they play in that as well. I was talking to their head coach Andy Wood during the week. They do a great job, run a great programme and fantastic to see someone like Dylan be able to step in at this level.”
Interestingly, Barron and Donnellan weren’t the only Leinster players to fulfil the duties of a hooker over the course of their 34-13 bonus point victory at the weekend. Much like Josh van der Flier against Scotland in this year’s Six Nations Championship, openside flanker Scott Penny was tasked with being a stand-in line-out thrower while Barron was in the sin-bin at the start of the second half.
A Harry Byrne penalty ensured Leinster had extended their lead to 15-3 by the time Barron had returned and Rob Russell subsequently bagged the first of his two tries on the night seconds after entering the fray as a 53rd minute replacement.
Cullen was pleased with the way his players dealt with their temporary numerical disadvantage in the third-quarter and, having lost out to Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium in their opening game six days earlier, he was also glad to get up and running in the new URC campaign.
“I think we managed that period when we were down to 14 men well. Scott Penny was throwing the ball into the line-out when we were down a hooker and with seven forwards. We managed that pretty well. Harry gets a penalty and then we get back up the other end of the field pretty well and Rob Russell scores that try,” Cullen added.
“Lots of good stuff in the game and plenty for us to get better at, that’s probably what we need to go after. It was good to be off the mark and we’ve got some points on the board now, which is good. Last weekend was a pretty frustrating performance for us.
“It was a frustrating day for the lads, but plenty of good learnings. It has been a short week this week and the lads have worked hard this week. A much better performance across the board as well.”