ONE THING YOU might not know about Gavin Coombes is that he is rated as one of the bigger characters in the Munster squad.
He’s known for his dry Cork humour, regularly telling jokes from the top of the team bus, and generally thriving among the slagging that has always been part of life in Munster.
Second row Jean Kleyn has even suggested that Coombes is the top dog when it comes to the craic but the Skibbereen man isn’t accepting that honour.
“I don’t know, I think Zebo is the biggest character in the squad, I won’t challenge him on that,” says Coombes upon hearing Kleyn’s assessment.
26-year-old Coombes is happier to talk about how he feels so at home in this Munster group. He made his senior debut in 2018 and is now only 10 appearances off being a centurion for his province.
Having played a key role in last season’s URC title success, Coombes is part of the furniture.
“I think everyone in here is friends with each other and there’s no cliques or anything, everyone gets on, so it’s enjoyable to come in everyday and you don’t want to leave the building because you want the craic,” he says. “What we have here is special.
“Even you look at lads I would have looked up to my whole time through youth rugby, Pete [O'Mahony] and Conor Murray, and now they’re your friends and you’re slagging them and they’re slagging you and I think it’s great. The culture here we’ve built over the last couple of years is important but we have to bring it onto the pitch as well.”
Coombes is someone they all look to on the pitch thanks to his relentless ball-carrying and tackling.
He has started all 17 of Munster’s games so far this season, completing the full 80 minutes in all but three of them.
“My body hasn’t broken down yet,” says Coombes, who points out that he had a good break during the Six Nations period.
“As long as that feels good, you want to play. I don’t know anyone who wants the weekend off if they’re feeling good. I love it.”
Three of his starts this season have come in the second row and Coombes has also moved there from his usual role at number eight on other occasions.
Injury issues at lock forced Munster’s hand in December and early January but Coombes looks on the positive side of being asked to shift from his best position.
“It’s not much of a change in our systems in general phase play, it’s just set-piece where it changes and for me it’s not that much of a difference,” he says.
“Just the scrumming, taking it out of your legs a bit.
“I suppose you get a bit of a rest when the ball goes wide.
“I’m happy to do it, earlier in my career I got a lot of opportunities on the bench because I was covering second row. It’s been a big part of getting me where I am, so if the team needs me there I’m happy to play there.”
He’s undoubtedly happiest in the number eight shirt, which he has made his own since the retirement of CJ Stander in 2021.
Coombes only turned 26 last December so he’s no veteran yet and he believes he still has his best rugby ahead.
“I think there’s a lot more in me to achieve and probably rugby-wise a lot more in me,” says Coombes.
“I’ve had the privilege now of working with Denis Leamy, Andi Kyriacou, Mossy [Lawlor] and Prendy [Mike Prendergast] for the last year and I feel like my game has gone up another level but for me, it’s about making sure it’s about making sure that I get to learn as much as possible and not rest on my laurels.
“I want to become the best version I can be of myself and obviously I want to add to those two caps that I have for Ireland.”
Coombes’ international career has yet to take off.
He won his two caps in the summer of 2021 when several Ireland frontliners were away with the Lions. Coombes was part of last year’s extended World Cup training squad but missed out on involvement in France, then was left out of Andy Farrell’s recent Six Nations squad.
Limerick-based Ireland forwards coach Paul O’Connell is the point of contact as Coombes does his best to get back into the Test mix.
“I chat a bit with Paulie and stuff, I would have chatted with Faz just before or when I left the squad in the summer but Paulie is handy because he’s local in Limerick so I’ve had a few chats with him.
“I think when you’re working alongside the lads here and Denis [Leamy] has played in my position, he’s a legend in the club and in Irish rugby, it’s a huge asset I have on my doorstep. Working with him has definitely improved my game and I just want to continue that, just keep working towards the goals I’ve set myself.”
Coombes says he doesn’t spend much time thinking about his Ireland prospects, instead focusing on how he can perform for Munster.
He knows the presence of Caelan Doris and Jack Conan at number eight in the Ireland squad makes his life tougher.
“I can only work on myself, I can’t affect what other people are doing and the competition in the Irish back row is probably the most hotly contested in world rugby if you look at it.
“You’ve got some of the best players in the world there, so for me it’s about how can I be better than them and stay better than them.
“I think that’s the only way you get into these squads is if you show up on the big days like Sunday and go on to win trophies and prove that your good enough to be in that squad.”
A monstrous performance in Northampton this weekend would help Coombes state his case, even if he’s only thinking about Munster and their chances of advancing into the Champions Cup quarter-finals.
Coomes likes the fact that there’s a rivalry with the Saints, that the English side’s win in Thomond Park in January adds extra bite to this Round of 16 tie.
He loves the Champions Cup too. Coombes watched the 2006 and 2008 finals that Munster won with his family – one at his cousin Liam’s house, the other after a communion – and those glory days ignited his dream of playing for Munster.
He doesn’t think that history creates pressure for the current team, but it does inspire him.
“We want to build our own legacy, be the lads on the wall,” says Coombes.
“Last year was a good building block, but the crown jewel is Europe. If you can win Europe in this club, you’ll be remembered for the rest of your life.”
