IRELAND WINGER FERGUS MCFADDEN was asked on Thursday about the merits of playing in a back three with Munster’s Denis Hurley.
“Denis has got a lot of experience,” said McFadden. “You can just think back for when I was watching him when Munster won that Heineken Cup back in 2006. He’s got a wealth of experience.”
The Leinster man was referring to the 2008 final when Hurley started at fullback for the 16-13 win over Toulouse.
The Cork native was 23 as Munster lifted the cup at the Millennium Stadium. McFadden, that young pup, was 21.
Four years on and McFadden is on the cusp of a permanent starting role for Declan Kidney’s side while the inclusion of Hurley in the Ireland squad drew murmurs of disquiet and calls for the next generation of young guns to be selected.
Hurley, though, is determined to take his second chance with the national team [he earned his solitary cap in 2009] and give Kidney something to think about ahead of the Argentina match next Saturday.
“Getting a green jersey is a good honour,” he said, “and I’m excited to get out there play.”
The elder statesman
With a backline containing Paddy Jackson, 20, Darren Cave, 25, McFadden, 26, and a couple of 21-year-olds in Craig Gilroy and Luke Marshall, Hurley truly is the voice of experience at 15.
He performed admirably as a first-half replacement for Munster against Racing Metro in Paris and teamed up well with Simon Zebo against Edinburgh the following week.
The training, at Carton House and at the University of Limerick campus, has been encouraging, he says, and has given him a glimpse of Ireland’s attacking future.
“They’re great young talents,” said Hurley. “What we’ve done in training so far has emulated the skills that they have. I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do against Fiji.”
He added, “On some days Fiji could probably beat the best in the world, other days it could fall right for the opposition.
“We have to make sure we’re on top of them all day and give them no easy outs.”
TheScore.ie will be covering Ireland v Fiji live from 5:00pm.
