mobanmarketONE OF THE biggest challenges of the Rugby World Cup revolves around the number 31.
World Rugby’s official limit for squad sizes is the bane of most World Cup coaches’ existences, forcing them to cut their options in certain areas of the pitch in order to have a little more depth in others.
Last Saturday after Ireland’s warm-up win over Italy, Joe Schmidt touched on the importance of players being versatile, reminding us that centre Garry Ringrose has experience on the wing.
O’Mahony is an ambassador for Marks & Spencer. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
With opensides Dan Leavy and Sean O’Brien both ruled out of the World Cup due to injury, the back row options will need to be adaptable in Japan too, something Peter O’Mahony is cognisant of.
Though he smiles and says, “I don’t think so” when jokingly asked if he’s ready to fill in at out-half, where he briefly played as a schoolboy, O’Mahony understands the need for versatility.
Recognised as Ireland’s first-choice blindside flanker, the Munster captain is prepared to shift across to the openside if required, as he did last summer for Ireland’s third Test against the Wallabies in Australia, albeit lasting half an hour before being forced off injured following an aerial challenge from Israel Folau.
During this year’s Six Nations, it was CJ Stander who shifted to openside twice upon the introduction of number eight Jack Conan off the bench, and Ireland’s back rows are continuing to prep for any such moves.
“You can’t nail your name to the cross and say, ‘I’m a six,’ particularly at a World Cup with a tightish squad,” explains O’Mahony, who was a number eight as he came through the underage ranks with Munster.
“I don’t think there’s anyone really who can play only one position, you’ve got to mix and match.
“We’ve done that a bit in training over the last few weeks. If there aren’t guys available for whatever reason, guys missing a session or whatever, we’ve been swapping around a bit and getting as comfortable as possible.
“It’s a long way to drag someone [to Japan] if needed. Particularly for training, it’s important that you have two 15s training either side of the ball, so you’ve got to be good in all the positions.”
O’Mahony wore the 7 shirt in Australia last summer. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO
While some will be challenged more than others – Ian Madigan had to learn Ireland’s scrum-half roles for the last World Cup – O’Mahony says the shift from six to seven doesn’t involve too much change.
“For me, personally, there isn’t a huge amount because naturally, I’d stay in the lineout,” says the Cork man.
“The big thing would be the movement of the lineout, so a lot of times the seven will drop out on shortened lineouts, whereas I wouldn’t drop out, even if I was at seven.