AS PETER DOOLEY pulled into the long drive that leads up to Carton House on Tuesday morning, he felt the butterflies in his stomach. This was a very new experience, but one he had been working towards for years.
Dooley, 26, has an impressive 93 caps for Leinster to his name, making his debut all the way back in October 2014. Yet until this week he had never been part of an Ireland squad.
With that in mind, he’s made an effort to make the right impressions. He was sure to get in early for Tuesday’s first day in camp “to avoid any disturbances”, and spent the weekend swotting up on some of the new plays he’ll be working on after getting a heads-up from some of the more familiar faces in the Ireland camp.
“It was the first weekend of study I’ve done in a while,” Dooley says. “It reminded me of my college days. It was good to get stuck into it straight away.”
The obvious question is the one so many of Andy Farrell’s squad have been asked over the last week. Did he ever think the Ireland call would come?
“I wouldn’t say (it feels) overdue but sometimes you’d be like, ‘Would I ever get a call-up?’ But when you get it, it’s a bit of a shock.
“I suppose . It’s nice to get in here but you want to play and get capped. Hopefully that dream becomes a reality.”
While Farrell is working with an experimental squad this summer, Dooley is certainly there on merit. The loosehead featured 17 times for Leinster this season and remains a solid performer for the province, crafting his trade alongside masters of the front row like Cian Healy, and previously, Jack McGrath.
Their presence limited Dooley’s opportunities, but provided world class education.
“You’re human, you’re not playing the big games and everyone wants to play the big games,” Dooley says.
“I think with the prop you come into your prime when you are 25 to 30, obviously Cian is just a freak being around as long as he has but hopefully just biding my time now and sticking with it (pays off). Having them two lads in Cian and Jack when he was in Leinster, they were great mentors, different players and you learn so much from both of them which obviously helped.
“Now I feel in my prime and hopefully that stands to me.”
An international cap for Dooley would represent the latest sporting milestone for his hometown, Birr. Leinster teammate Michael Milne has been making inroads with the province this season while Jack Regan recently signed for the Ospreys following an impressive stint playing in New Zealand.
Yeah, it’s unreal for a small club like Birr in a big hurling town, there is myself, Shane Delahunt is only five minutes out the road, Mikey Milne, Jack Regan and then we’ve Ronan Loughnane is playing with the Ireland Under-20s as hooker at the minute. It’s mad to think a small town like Birr can produce players like that I suppose.”
Dooley played plenty of hurling himself growing up before committing to the oval ball, lining out at centre-half back right up to minor level.
Once a nimble number eight, the powerful prop puts his athletic prowess down to good genes.
“I suppose an ounce of breeding is as good as a tonne of feeding is the saying,” Dooley says.
“My Dad is 6’4”, 24 stone, my Mum is tiny… My Dad would have played with Roscrea all up along and I would remember being in Roscrea clubhouse after matches. His friends would all teach me tricks of the trade. But my Mum would have played hockey in school in town and stuff. So she credits me with my speed, not that I have much of it left. I used to be quick enough.
“And my Dad with my rugby prowess. He does see some bits of him in me, but he’d a bit of a streak in him where I don’t think I’d be like that.”
The plan for the next couple of weeks is a simple one. Get stuck in, do the work, try to make the right impression.
“You’ve to hit the ground running,” Dooley says.
“That’s why I got a head-start on some of the plays, you want to get into it and know the language. That’s why you’re up asking the coaches about every bit of detail, not pestering them but they like you to show that you’re willing to learn.
“When you get that opportunity, you have to make the most of it and that’s what I’m hoping to do.”
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
Bernard Jackman, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey discuss Ireland’s Sevens success, the retirement of Connacht’s Seán O’Brien, the introduction of the 50/22 law at Test level, Noel McNamara’s move to the Sharks, this weekend’s English and French league finals, and the Lions’ opener against the returning Japanese.
