On the day he celebrates his 27th birthday, Rob Kearney is our latest Heineken Hero. With three winner’s medals in four years, he has been a model of consistency in a star-studded Leinster side.
By Declan Whooley
If Rob Kearney was to call it quits in the morning – we sincerely hope he doesn’t of course – then he could look back with great pride on what he has achieved in the game. He has 46 caps for Ireland, a Grand Slam and a key part of the Lions Test team during the 2009 Tour. And that is before we ever look at his career at Leinster.
A product of the rugby hot-bed that is Clongowes Wood, the Louth man played for UCD and underage Leinster sides before making his senior bow in a pre-season game with Parma. Scoring a hat-trick on that day was an impressive debut, regardless of the quality of the opposition.
Now Leinster’s tried-and-trusted full-back, he saw more game time initially as a winger, with his Celtic League debut coming in two-point defeat to the Ospreys in 2005. A sign of the trust invested in him by management was highlighted by the fact that in the absence of regular goal-kicker Felipe Contepomi, Kearney was called upon on occasions to take over the kicking duties.
Bursting onto the scene in 2005
The Louth man’s debut in the Europe’s premier competition in the opening pool game of 2005/06, a 20-22 home defeat against Bath, with on the left wing. That campaign would end in a thumping defeat at the hands of Munster in the semi-final at Lansdowne Road, though Kearney was a non-used sub on the day.
Munster would win the competition twice in three seasons and faced Leinster again in a semi-final in 2008, this time in Croke Park. Kearney, who had played at full-back in the ‘Bloodgate’ quarter-final against Harlequins, missed the game through injury as Leinster turned the tables on the rivals.
The form of Isa Nacewa meant that Kearney had to be content with a place on the bench for the 19-16 win over Leicester at Murrayfield. The following season, he established himself as first-choice full-back, with Nacewa showing his versatility on the wing. 2009 was a great year for Ireland nd Kearney also enjoyed a Lions Tour, but in the Heineken Cup Leinster fell short, succumbing away to a powerful Toulouse side in what was perhaps the most difficult away fixture possible in the competition.
What followed was nothing short of domination, that magnificent comeback against the Northampton Saints in the 2011 decider, while Ulster were blitzed 42-14 in 2012. A star performer throughout, his finest hour individually was perhaps in the epic four-point away win at Clermont in the semi-final.
Nothing short of a fortress, it witnessed the game of the tournament between the two heavyweights of the competition. Kearney defensively was supreme again, along with his colleagues, but his monster drop-goal was a moment of real class in such a pressurised environment, helping the champions to an incredibly hard-fought victory.
His efforts that season were rightly recognised when he was named as ERC Player of the Year for 2012. He started every game for Leinster in Europe, scoring six tries in the process.
This year has been a disappointment for all concerned with Leinster, a difficult group saw their dreams of a historic three-in-a-row die at the Pool stage. One of the shining lights in the European game, Kearney has amassed 17 tries in his 45 appearances in the competition so far.
Leinster fans will hope to see him add to that statistic over the coming seasons.
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