Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
2015 was bleak but 2019’s Black
PETE CAN’T WAIT FOR SHOT AT CHAMPIONS
THIS week in Tokyo means everything to Peter O’mahony.
That’s because in the lead up to the 2015 World Cup quarter-final with Argentina, the Munster man was at home in Cork nursing broken dreams.
He had suffered a cruciate ligament injury in the final pool game against France, a setback he recently admitted took him a good two years to fully recover from.
“It’s very special,” he admitted yesterday ahead of a last eight clash with world champs New Zealand. “It’s nice to get a shot at the biggest week of all of our careers. Certainly in my career it’s the biggest week.
“I haven’t had this opportunity before so, pending selection, it would be a huge honour. These are the weeks you’ve trained and worked so hard for. We’re playing arguably the best team in the world for a long time now but we’ve given ourselves a shot and we’ll try and enjoy it. It’s the week you want to be sticking your hand up for.”
O’mahony is good value when he speaks during the really big weeks.
His understanding of what’s required underlines the task that faces an Ireland team that was on top of the world last year but has not maintained those standards in 2019.
His first time facing the All Blacks was in Auckland seven years ago, a 42-10 hammering dished out to the tourists in Auckland.
Five years later he captained the Lions against them in the same city, then was dropped for the final two Tests by Warren Gatland.
To go with the lows was the high of Chicago in 2016, when he was part of that inspired figure of eight formation in tribute to the late Anthony Foley that lined up against the Haka.
“It’s an incredible buzz to stand opposite it and accept their challenge,” admitted the
30-year-old.
“Every time you play them it’s probably got to be a step up from your best. They draw that out of teams, through their quality and their performances.”