WITH A POPULATION of around 30,000 people, the southwestern town of Mont-de-Marsan is perhaps best known for its French Air Force base, but Irishman Mark Flanagan has settled happily into his life as a professional rugby player there.
The Westmeath man arrived last summer after signing a two-year contract with the local club, officially named Stade Montois Rugby but more commonly referred to as Mont-de-Marsan, who were relegated into the Pro D2 at the end of the 2012/13 Top 14 season.
An Ireland international at U18, U19 and U20 levels, Flanagan emerged at senior level with Leinster, making a total of nine appearances [six starts] over the course of three years and impressing with his handling skills and mobility from the second row.
However, with competition including his cousin Devin Toner in the locking ranks at the province, Flanagan was gradually squeezed out of the picture and found himself being informed that he would be allowed to leave at the end of last season.
A brief panic ensued, but with the help of his agent, and an opportunistic opening in the second row at Mont-de-Marsan, the 24-year-old agreed to take a leap into the unknown. A risk that is beginning to pay dividends.
“It’s been fantastic, an absolute breath of fresh air. I was just remarking to my dad, Joe, at the weekend about how I’m really enjoying the games. Every weekend, I’m really looking forward to the matches. I’m so happy here.”
While securing a professional deal was a relief for Flanagan, one of the draws in joining Mont-de-Marsan, rather than searching for a chance in the English Championship, was the presence of Scott Murray as the club’s forwards coach.
The 87-times capped Scotland lock is a player who Flanagan would have seen on the television during his youth and, crucially, was a coach who he know could bring his game to the next level.
“That was huge motivation. Myself and Scott get on very well and he’s been a huge mentor for me. He’d have been a similar type of lock to what I am, being really athletic and quite mobile. I was delighted when I heard that he was a coach here.”
What can a relatively inexperienced lock like Flanagan learn from the know-how of an expert such as Murray?
The mental aspect. His mental edge in the contact area, that kind of thing, has really transferred to me. Just your attitude at the breakdown; that’s something he has really pushed. He uses this phrase, ‘if there are guys in the way, just melt them out of the way.’ He’d be a big believer in that.
“Also in technical aspects. He’d take me aside if he saw something that I was doing wrong in the line-out, he’d suggest a small change. In around that kind of area, line-out and breakdown, he’s been immense for me.”
The development in Flanagan’s performances over the course of 18 starts for Mont-de-Marsan has led to much praise from French supporters, while rugby newspaper Midi Olympique recently ran an article on the promise “the green giant” is showing.
At 6ft 7ins, the former St. Finian’s student stands out from the crowd, while his ever-increasing weight [currently pushing above the 110kg mark] means he has been able to cope and then thrive in the bruising French second tier.
“Any time anybody talks about the Pro D2, it’s about the physicality. I speak with my scrum coach and he says it’s all about the scrum. For forwards, it’s all about the scrum, the breakdown and carrying the ball.
“I’m coming up against second rows who are maybe not my height, but they’re carrying 130 kilos, easy. These guys are carrying some serious mass on them. If you compare me to our South Africans, these men are absolute monsters.
“They don’t have to work really hard on their diet or work hard in the gym. I’m in the gym four times a week, every week. Those guys don’t have to do the optional sessions, because their genetics allow them to be that much bigger.”
Away from DNA disadvantages, Flanagan has his own set of unique strengths in the second row. His time as a Westmeath minor footballer has provided him with skill levels that surpass many of his locking peers.
I had two years of minor and the U21s gave me a call, but I was playing Irish U19s at the time and I just did not have the time to give to them. I started with football when I was 11, then took up rugby at 13 or 14.
“I think my core skills come from that football background; the catch and the run. The high ball I’d be quite good under, but also my mobility and agility, I owe a lot of that to my Gaelic background.”
It hasn’t been entirely plain sailing for Flanagan in France, particularly in his maiden few months after moving over. Organising an apartment, setting up bills and often not understanding what people were saying were challenges at first.
“In the earlier months, if I saw my phone go off and it was a French number, I’d be panicking because it wouldn’t be a scripted conversation where I know what they’re going to ask me.
“I’d never pick up the phone because I’d be afraid of the situation I’d put myself in, but now I’m much more comfortable. In terms of changing my attitude as a person, I’ve grown up a huge amount by being out here on my own.”
With his level of French having vastly improved, Flanagan is now a much happier exile, having adapted to the shift in scenery after being “spoiled in Leinster”.
With two games left in Mont-de-Marsan’s season, the club are sitting eighth and plans to bounce straight back up to the Top 14 have had to be shelved. A poor start to the campaign has ultimately been costly, but there have been seven wins in 12 games since January.
I’m hoping next year that we’ll continue this vein of form,” says Flanagan. Indeed, the prospect of the Irishman playing in the Top 14 within two years is not unrealistic.
On a personal note, the opportunity to start senior games every weekend, to grow as a player on the pitch and enjoy new experiences off it, means the Irish lock has no regrets over his move.
With a degree in civil engineering from UCD in his back pocket, the temptation could have been to slip out of rugby after leaving Leinster, but to the gain of Mont-de-Marsan, and possibly Irish rugby again in the future, Flanagan has stayed in the game.
“I said I’d give myself two good years to have a stab at it and see if I’m made of the right stuff, see if I can survive at it. It’s going well so far.”
