JACK O’DONOGHUE HAS seen plenty of change in Munster in the 11 years since his senior debut.
That’s sport. People come and go. Yet the rate of transition seems to have accelerated over the last two or three seasons. Many longstanding, experienced figures in the Munster changing room have moved on.
Keith Earls, Andrew Conway, Simon Zebo, Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony, Dave Kilcoyne, Rory Scannell, and Stephen Archer had all become synonymous with the province but now they’re ex-Munster players, most of them ex-players altogether.
Back row O’Donoghue is now the second-most capped Munster player in the current squad with 219.
Only 37-year-old tighthead prop John Ryan has made more appearances for the province with 244.
While Munster greats like O’Mahony have moved on, 31-year-old O’Donoghue says that there is no need for worry as the Clayton McMillan era begins this season.
“You don’t try and scramble to try and replace Peter O’Mahony – you won’t get another Peter O’Mahony,” said O’Donoghue this week in Limerick.
“You let someone new who had maybe been working with Pete behind the scenes… I think Pete did an unbelievable job when he stepped down as captain to really help mould and mentor other lads in terms of leadership.
“And people have been learning from him for years. Personally, I’ve been learning from him for years.
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O'Donoghue in action against Gloucester last week. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“It’s great, you’ll see some new faces popping up in terms of leadership roles – certainly off the field and around the building, be it our standards, our mantras and stuff like that, that’s something that we’re really going to drive this season.
“If we can be really good off the field, it leads on to the field and that’s something that Clayton’s really big on.”
O’Donoghue points to the ever-growing leadership skills of Craig Casey as important, with the scrum-half having led Ireland on their summer tour while a big group of senior players were away on Lions duty.
One of those Lions was Tadhg Beirne, who McMillan said is likely to remain as Munster skipper this season.
O’Donoghue picked out JJ Hanrahan, now in his third spell with Munster, as another experienced figure who can help lead the squad.
The Waterford man says those somewhat unheralded leaders are pivotal for any squad, as the now-retired Archer demonstrated in the last few years.
“You know, he’s a quiet man in the background, but he had young lads gravitating towards him. His stories from over the years, people laughed at some of the old people that he played with and stuff like that, but it’s brilliant.
“He’s a big loss, certainly. Some of those South Africa trips and heading out for a few meals, he loves bringing a few of the younger lads with him and stuff.
O'Donoghue is highly experienced. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
“And that’s just the type of group we are now. We’re very much integrated and stuff. There’s no older lads, younger lads. It’s very much mixed in, which is great to see. And it keeps me young, too!”
Munster have always been a group who have tried to keep fun at the heart of their environment, with big shoes to fill in that regard too.
Kilcoyne was a popular figure in both the Munster and Ireland set-ups thanks to his ability to make people laugh.
“You can’t replace Killer,” said O’Donoghue with a smile.
“Gav Coombes will do his best taking over the mic on the bus.”
Yet for all the change in personnel over these last few years, Munster themselves aren’t living in the past.
With McMillan making a big impression on the group during pre-season, there is excitement about kicking on this season under the New Zealander.
Munster haven’t started their last couple of campaigns strongly, so they have put a focus on getting out of the blocks quickly this time. Having had a good tussle with Gloucester last week, they take on Bath in their second pre-season game tomorrow in Cork.
“The excitement around the building, even since the announcement, I think people have been itching to get ready to work with him,” said O’Donoghue of McMillan.
“Everyone started tuning into Chiefs games and stuff like that, seeing how they play and getting a flavour for the type of players that he likes to pick.
“From the get-go, from day one pre-season, he set the stall out and I think there’s been a great mood and there’s been a great energy around the place. We’re really excited.”
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'You won't get another POM... You'll see new faces popping up'
JACK O’DONOGHUE HAS seen plenty of change in Munster in the 11 years since his senior debut.
That’s sport. People come and go. Yet the rate of transition seems to have accelerated over the last two or three seasons. Many longstanding, experienced figures in the Munster changing room have moved on.
Keith Earls, Andrew Conway, Simon Zebo, Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony, Dave Kilcoyne, Rory Scannell, and Stephen Archer had all become synonymous with the province but now they’re ex-Munster players, most of them ex-players altogether.
Back row O’Donoghue is now the second-most capped Munster player in the current squad with 219.
Only 37-year-old tighthead prop John Ryan has made more appearances for the province with 244.
While Munster greats like O’Mahony have moved on, 31-year-old O’Donoghue says that there is no need for worry as the Clayton McMillan era begins this season.
“You don’t try and scramble to try and replace Peter O’Mahony – you won’t get another Peter O’Mahony,” said O’Donoghue this week in Limerick.
“You let someone new who had maybe been working with Pete behind the scenes… I think Pete did an unbelievable job when he stepped down as captain to really help mould and mentor other lads in terms of leadership.
“And people have been learning from him for years. Personally, I’ve been learning from him for years.
“It’s great, you’ll see some new faces popping up in terms of leadership roles – certainly off the field and around the building, be it our standards, our mantras and stuff like that, that’s something that we’re really going to drive this season.
“If we can be really good off the field, it leads on to the field and that’s something that Clayton’s really big on.”
O’Donoghue points to the ever-growing leadership skills of Craig Casey as important, with the scrum-half having led Ireland on their summer tour while a big group of senior players were away on Lions duty.
One of those Lions was Tadhg Beirne, who McMillan said is likely to remain as Munster skipper this season.
O’Donoghue picked out JJ Hanrahan, now in his third spell with Munster, as another experienced figure who can help lead the squad.
The Waterford man says those somewhat unheralded leaders are pivotal for any squad, as the now-retired Archer demonstrated in the last few years.
“You know, he’s a quiet man in the background, but he had young lads gravitating towards him. His stories from over the years, people laughed at some of the old people that he played with and stuff like that, but it’s brilliant.
“He’s a big loss, certainly. Some of those South Africa trips and heading out for a few meals, he loves bringing a few of the younger lads with him and stuff.
“And that’s just the type of group we are now. We’re very much integrated and stuff. There’s no older lads, younger lads. It’s very much mixed in, which is great to see. And it keeps me young, too!”
Munster have always been a group who have tried to keep fun at the heart of their environment, with big shoes to fill in that regard too.
Kilcoyne was a popular figure in both the Munster and Ireland set-ups thanks to his ability to make people laugh.
“You can’t replace Killer,” said O’Donoghue with a smile.
“Gav Coombes will do his best taking over the mic on the bus.”
Yet for all the change in personnel over these last few years, Munster themselves aren’t living in the past.
With McMillan making a big impression on the group during pre-season, there is excitement about kicking on this season under the New Zealander.
Munster haven’t started their last couple of campaigns strongly, so they have put a focus on getting out of the blocks quickly this time. Having had a good tussle with Gloucester last week, they take on Bath in their second pre-season game tomorrow in Cork.
“The excitement around the building, even since the announcement, I think people have been itching to get ready to work with him,” said O’Donoghue of McMillan.
“Everyone started tuning into Chiefs games and stuff like that, seeing how they play and getting a flavour for the type of players that he likes to pick.
“From the get-go, from day one pre-season, he set the stall out and I think there’s been a great mood and there’s been a great energy around the place. We’re really excited.”
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Clayton McMillan experience Jack O'Donoghue Munster