There were some almighty highs and depressing lows for Irish rugby in 2011 and we herald some of the standout individual performances from throughout the year.
5. Conor Murray, Munster v Leinster, Magners League Final
To suddenly propel yourself from promising talent to Ireland’s first choice scrum half in a matter of months takes some doing, but that’s what Murray managed in 2011. The 22-year old made the most of his opportunity with his province during the Six Nations and held on to his place thereafter and along with the likes of Peter O’Mahony, has provided proof that the talk of the lack of young talent in Munster was rubbish after all.
The performance that made plenty of people stand up and take notice was against Leinster in the Magners League Final in Thomond in May. Sure, the Blues were only a week after winning the Heineken Cup, but they were up for this one. David Wallace got the official man of the match gong, but Murray’s brashness and enthusiasm didn’t escape the attention of Irish captain Brian O’Driscoll (who openly praised Murray afterwards), nor for that matter, Declan Kidney.
4. Ronan O’Gara, Munster v Northampton, Heineken Cup
At 34, you’d think that Ronan O’Gara might be content to breezily see out the last few days of his career, but that’s not his style. Instead, he’s playing some of the best rugby of his career. After reclaiming the Irish number ten jersey in New Zealand, O’Gara is still in fine fettle for Munster and was more than decent when the Saints came to Thomond earlier in the season.
But this game was all about THAT kick. How many times have we seen kickers baulk at the pressure and refuse to drop into the pocket (Stephen Jones, anyone?). O’Gara, as Paul O’Connell has since suggested, nearly prefers it that way. Four minutes into injury time? 41 phases? Nearly 40 metres out into a tough breeze? Easy.
And then to go and do it all again a week later? The man has balls as big as houses.
3. Stephen Ferris, Ireland v Australia, Rugby World Cup
It’s hard to believe now, but not long before the World Cup there were a few Irish followers who had given up on Stephen Ferris such were the extent of his injury problems. It wasn’t long before the big man banished any such concerns and against Australia he was at his rampaging best.
He made some significant ball carries and was a tackling machine for those mighty 80 minutes in Auckland, but his performance was typified when he picked up Will Genia, carried him for about 15 yards and won a penalty as a result. Truly inspiring stuff.
2. Sean O’Brien, Ireland v Australia, Rugby World Cup
They mightn’t have known much about Sean O’Brien in the southern hemisphere before the World Cup, but it didn’t take long for him to make his mark and for a while he was the name on everybody’s lips in New Zealand. Maintaining the form that saw him win a truckload of awards last season, O’Brien was a revelation and delivered a series of displays that prompted Chuck Norris-style odes to his brilliance.
O’Brien set the marker down in the first minute against the Wallabies when he got a bit riled up after winning an early penalty and he never let up afterwards, combining menacingly with Ferris for Irish rugby’s very own version of the Bash Brothers (The Mighty Ducks, anyone??).
1. Jonathan Sexton, Leinster v Northampton, Heineken Cup Final
When Leinster were 22-6 down at half-time in the Heineken Cup Final, it wasn’t captain Leo Cullen or Irish skipper Brian O’Driscoll that provided much-needed words of inspiration but Jonny Sexton, with the self-confessed Manchester United fan using the example of Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League Final comeback as evidence that it could be done.
Building on a magnificent showing against England in the Six Nations, Sexton was immense with two tries and 28 points in total as Leinster revived themselves to win perhaps the greatest ever Heineken Cup Final. At the time, the debate over the Ireland number ten shirt seemed dead and buried, but then Ronan O’Gara is not a man to give something up without a fight.
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