Munster's O'Leary to consider French move.

[The Word Is Born]

Or they also think "Le Tomás? Demi de mélée? Sacre bleu, non!"

[Thomond78]

Would be nuts not to go in my view. More money, better weather, better rugby and better looking women. Whats not to like.

A wide and varied selection of frothingly-mental Georgian, Romanian, South African, Islander and Argentian nutjobs with a talent for, taste for and frequent licence to maim as they see fit...?

[Thomond78]

Or they also think "Le Tomás? Demi de mélée? Sacre bleu, non!"

"Un hurrrr-leeeeeey? Quoi? Est-ce que c'est l'arriere de Munster...?"

[Point]

He's off to London Irish.

[McCloud]

Returning Exile O'Leary sets sights on Irish recall


By Ruaidhri O'Connor
Friday August 24 2012




TOMAS O'LEARY hasn't been away long enough for tonight's return to Cork to constitute a reunion with his old Munster team-mates, but it is perhaps fitting that the scrum-half should gear up for his new adventure on home soil.


Musgrave Park was where the young No 9 made his name as a schools star with a familiar name -- the son of a local hurling legend with pace to burn and an imposing physique.


His star burned bright early on as a professional and he soared the heights, but somewhere along the way the light went out for club and country, and the 28-year-old has moved out of his comfort-zone in order to reignite his career.


Four years ago he was on the cusp of his greatest season after finally ousting Peter Stringer and winning the Heineken Cup as Munster's first choice No 9.


Having earned the faith of Declan Kidney, he was entrusted with the international jersey in 2008-09 and was central to the Grand Slam effort; he was set to battle it out with Mike Phillips for the Lions jersey until a broken ankle ruled him out of the tour of South Africa.


He never really hit those heights again and, after the emergence of Conor Murray saw him relegated to second fiddle for the province and Kidney's last-minute decision to leave him out of last year's World Cup squad, O'Leary resolved to move abroad. London Irish came calling and tonight (kick-off 7.30) he will return to the old sod in an unfamiliar green jersey.


He has started both of the Exiles' games so far this season and wears the No 9 again tonight as he looks to put the "frustration" of the last 18 months behind him.


"I was looking for a change. The last year and a half at Munster was pretty frustrating in terms of knocks and bangs and selection issues," he admitted.


"I was not playing enough rugby and I am 29 in October. I want to be playing a lot at this stage in my career. I am going into my prime and I feel I have a lot to contribute, so I wanted to play regularly with a good side. London Irish fit that bill."


Tonight, O'Leary will come up against a familiar face in Duncan Williams, who was two years below him at Cork's Christian Brother College and has moved up in the pecking order as a result of his departure.


Elsewhere, there are a few more unfamiliar faces, with Casey Laulala and James Downey starting in the centre, while another new signing starts at openside in former Ulster man Sean Dougall.


Doug Howlett gets a chance to audition for the role of Munster captain after new coach Rob Penney confirmed that Paul O'Connell would step down this season, and the former All Black leads a formidable looking home side.


Campaign


For O'Leary, it is a chance to visit home -- he will stay for the weekend -- ahead of a long and gruelling Premiership campaign. His new league will be relentless and he will no longer be protected by his status as an Ireland international.


But although he will be somewhat out of sight in London, he is hoping that his move can put him back in the frame for an international recall.


"I'd love to play for Ireland again. Coming over here, it might be more difficult for me to break back into the side, but if I can play well enough with Irish and get a regular run of games I might put myself back in the minds of selectors back home," he said.


"If it doesn't work out it doesn't work out, but hopefully I can play well enough to give them something to think about."


Verdict: Munster


MUNSTER -- D Hurley; D Howlett (capt), C Laulala, J Downey, J Murphy; I Keatley, D Williams; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D Foley, B Holland; D O'Callaghan, S Dougall, J Coughlan. Reps: M Horan, S Henry, S Archer, P Donnellan, T O'Donnell, P Butler, P Stringer, S Deasy, S Scanlon, L O'Dea.


LONDON IRISH -- T Homer; T Ojo, J Joseph, J Ansbro, S Tagicakibau; S Shlinger, T O'Leary; M Lahiff, S Lawson, L Halavatua; B Evans (capt), G Skivington; J Gibson, O Treviranus, J Fisher. Reps: S Malton, H Aulika, J Sandford, G Ellis, A Gray, D Allinson, C Gaston, M Ward, F Horan, M Yarde, K Low.


- Ruaidhri O'Connor


Irish Independent