JOHN MULDOON HAS accepted Pat Lam’s offer to captain Connacht again for the 2016/17 season.
The 33-year-old led the western province to the Guinness Pro12 title last season, their first-ever trophy.
Muldoon’s first stint as Connacht’s official captain was between 2008 and 2011, before he returned to the role under Lam ahead of the 2014/15 season. The back row has made a record-setting 275 appearances for the province since his debut in 2003.
Capped three times by Ireland, Muldoon has been superb for Connacht since Lam’s arrival in 2013, with the Portumna man thriving in the province’s exciting style of attacking rugby.
Last season saw Muldoon sign a one-year contract extension with Connacht, ensuring he will be with the westerners until the summer of 2017 at least. Muldoon will lead the province on their return to the Champions Cup this season.
“No, I didn’t think about it,” said Muldoon of accepting the offer from Lam. “Pat asked me after about three or four days of pre-season, asked me to think about it. I said, ‘OK, I’ve thought about it!’
On a serious note, he asked me if I was happy to do it. I said, ‘Do you want me to do it?’ He said, ‘Of course,’ and we shook hands. That was about it.
“Me and Pat have a very transparent relationship. If I’m not happy with something or I think something, I’ll say it to him. He knows I’ll say it to him. He will say stuff to me, so I think it was a very similar conversation along the lines of my contract negotiation.
“When you’re younger you try and play your cards a little closer to your chest but I don’t want to go anywhere else and I’m happy to be captain as long as I’m good enough to be on the pitch.
“When you start getting older that’s the key thing – are you providing enough around the environment and, more importantly, are you providing enough around the pitch? If you are and it’s working, keep it the same.”
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