IT’S IMPOSSIBLE FOR Fineen Wycherley to forget the first home game he ever started for Munster.

Both because they beat Leinster at Thomond Park that day in December 2018, but also because an image of him tangling with Johnny Sexton became such an instant classic.

Bantry man Wycherley had started making appearances for Munster over the previous two seasons, yet 2018/19 was his big breakthrough campaign.

And that moment with Sexton was a memorable one. Just two minutes into the game, the Munster blindside flanker smashed the Leinster out-half just after he passed. Sexton took exception and pulled off Wycherley’s scrum cap, throwing it in his face. 

Wycherley went back at him and as he stood up, the Munster man dragged Sexton off the ground with him. 

It set the tone for an ill-tempered affair in which Munster claimed a win over their rivals. As he celebrated with his team-mates, Wycherley didn’t realise just how much supporters would seize on that moment with Sexton.

“It didn’t really register with me and even coming off the pitch, I was just delighted we got the win, but a few people were kind of moving their phones up and showing me stuff as I was going through to my parents,” said Wycherley as Munster prepare to visit Leinster at Croke Park on Saturday.

“And it was only when I got to them that I actually realised what they were trying to show me.

“I didn’t realise it was a big deal because I didn’t know anything about it, but it was more all my aunties and uncles and stuff and dad, and they had all their friends screenshotting and sending the photo to them with a load of different memes and stuff like that.

“But yeah, that was obviously a great night and we’ll try to reenact that.”

Gary Carr / INPHO Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO

When the celebrations died down and he had a minute to himself, Wycherley saw that his own phone was full of WhatsApp messages with the same screenshots and memes.

He was happy that people “got a good old giggle” out of him simply doing what he felt was his job out on the pitch.

Wycherley was the young buck of the team back then and he fed off the feeling of intense rivalry with Leinster. Nearly seven years on, he is hardly a veteran player at the age of 27, but he has built plenty of experience and now sits on a tally of 133 caps for Munster.

Wycherley’s role as a lineout caller for Munster means he has lots of responsibility within the squad now, with new head coach Clayton McMillan praising him after last weekend’s win over Edinburgh.

“You don’t really have to be a leader but you naturally fall into that category because you need to know everyone’s role and you need to know your own role, and you’re constantly talking as the game’s going on, making decisions with 10s and captains and stuff like that,” said Wycherley.

After a good start in their opening two games of the URC season, Munster’s lineout had a wobbly first half last time out against Edinburgh.

Munster forwards coach Alex Codling is a “perfectionist” who “works so hard in the background, more than any other set-piece coach I’ve ever worked with,” according to Wycherley, so they’re confident it was only a blip.

“At times, we did very well,” said Wycherley.

Wycherley faces strong competition in the second row. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

“There were one or two lapses of concentration, people not knowing their role or maybe missing out in a split second, and that makes all the difference against a team like Edinburgh, who are very good defensively.”

It remains to be seen if he’s involved against Leinster this weekend – with Tadhg Beirne, Jean Kleyn, and Edwin Edogbo all vying for second row slots – but Wycherley said there is still a special feeling in these inter-pro weeks.

“These weeks are different, alright. We try not to make it, but it just happens.

“We know what’s on the line and we know who we’re playing and the history behind it and how important it is to us and how important it is to them, so it does naturally kind of happen.”