PLAYING UNDERSTUDY TO Conor Murray – one of the top, if not the best, scrum-halves in the world – must be like being a second choice goalkeeper: opportunities are few and far between.
However, as the Guinness Pro12 returns from a three week hiatus this weekend, Cathal Sheridan is all too aware of the need for him to seize his opportunity when the cat’s away.
Munster, devoid of their Irish internationals, travel to Rodney Parade on Friday evening to face a Newport Gwent Dragons outfit narrowly outside of the European Cup qualifications berths.
And for Sheridan, among others, the game represents a rare opening to stake a claim and make Anthony Foley and his coaching lieutenants sit up and take notice.
“Even with the guys away for the internationals, there are so many guys pushing for positions. It’s a big chance for guys who haven’t played as much recently or the guys just coming back from injury,” he told Limerick’s 95fm.
“It’s a tough squad to get into and you need to take that chance, if you don’t you’ve nobody to blame but yourself.”
Foley has made a host of changes to the side that narrowly defeated Cardiff Blues last time out with Sheridan among those promoted from the replacements bench – he replaces Duncan Williams at scrum-half.
After a three week break for the November series internationals, Munster are hoping to make it four successive Pro12 wins after a slow start to the campaign and Sheridan admits the squad are chomping at the bit to get back onto the field.
“We’ve had a couple of weeks off but it’s important for us as a squad now to get back into the run of things as we’ve two big weeks with the Dragons followed by Ulster, which lead into two European Cup games,” he said.
“It was nice to put the feet up and have a good rest but we know there is a big test ahead of us now and we need to be fully focused.”
It will be Sheridan’s first start of the season after falling behind Duncan Williams in the pecking order to act as subordinate to Murray and he knows it’s not an easy ground to ease yourself back into proceedings.
“I’ve played at the Dragons before. It’s probably one of the hardest grounds to go to and get a win. They fight for every little inch, which is a great trait in a team. It’s probably not going to be one of those games won on skill, more a game that will be won on an extra bit of doggedness.”
The Dragons come into the game on the back of a record 51-35 win over Ospreys last week in the LV Cup. International winger Hallam Amos, who has been released from the Wales camp, starts for the hosts while South African prop Brok Harris will make his first Pro12 start.
Sheridan is under no illusions of the task facing the under-strength Munster squad this evening but after a week of intense preparations, he’s confident they can return home with the points.
“We feel much stronger as a squad,” he affirmed. “Out there today with the internationals away, there were lads hitting the heads off each other, trying to get places for the weekend. If you get the chance, you have to be ready. You might not get another for a couple of weeks, maybe months, even a year depending how things work out.”
As Ireland go in pursuit of a November series clean sweep, Sheridan admits the feel-good factor and winning momentum seeps down to the provinces and gives everyone a boost.
“It gives you great confidence when you see how the lads went up for the internationals and showed they weren’t there to make up the numbers but to be key members of the Irish squad. It gives great belief to the squad down here.
“It filters down through the squad because that’s what all of us are aspiring to do.”
Since making his way through the Thomond Park ranks, Sheridan has been forced to bide his time.
He’s accustomed to waiting in the wings but now that he has forced his way back into the reckoning, he’s not prepared to let it pass.
With reporting from Limerick’s 95fm. You can follow them on Twitter here
