‘We’ve pushed ourselves to the limits’

Down time and perfect preparation means the classy second-row is ready to take his next chance in red, writes Daragh Small

Two years after his return to Munster from Worcester Warriors, Darren O’Shea is primed for a huge season in Limerick. He has never been pushed to his limits like this before in pre-season. His previous couple of campaigns failed to ignite, but after 23 appearances back in red, which included his Champions Cup bow, the Corkonian is desperate to make an impression in 2018-’19. Things have changed off the field and he now lives with Munster teammate Rory Scannell in Castletroy, while his busy summer saw him take in a wedding in Greece and a trip to Jamaica with his girlfriend. It was a vital getaway for the 25-yearold, who still holds strong ties with his former Worcester team-mates – it was Ryan Mills’s wedding he attended in June. But O’Shea has long since moved on from his days at Sixways and it’s all Munster again this term for a revitalised lock. “After the long season, we didn’t come away with any silverware, so it was nice to switch off and get away from everything,” says O’Shea. “I try and stay away from all rugby stuff when I’m on holidays, other than the Irish matches and stuff usually, but in fairness this time I was on a completely different time from Australia. “But I was clipping away the whole time. I was nervous about coming back for pre-season. We have programmes and stuff. I didn’t take any break from training. I kept gyming and doing fitness. I wanted to come back in the best physical shape possible. “I was buzzing to get going again. From not thinking about it for so long. You are nervous starting up again. But you get excited to see the lads again. “And you want to get ready for the season ahead again.” O’Shea’s adventures kept him away until the end of June when the dreaded slog of pre-season kicked into gear in Limerick. A week away at the Fota Island Resort was a welcome reprieve, but the team were put through their paces there too.

Dividends

But all of the heavy lifting and hard running pays dividends at the tail end of the season, and O’Shea is completely cognisant of that too. “We have been pushed to our limits physically over pre-season, but to the right amount. The S&C staff have been brilliant,” says O’Shea. “We have been working a lot on our decision-making under fatigue. I found that the biggest help. They push your body to the limit and then you think as well. “We aren’t just like robots. We had match scenarios under fatigue. It eliminates the slog of doing fitness. There is a rugby element to it too. “That’s a great way of improving our skills under pressure. It’s all realistic and hopefully that will stand to us this season. “For me, it’s probably 50-50. I still have to be able to call lineouts and make the right decisions, even though I might be wrecked. “I still have to be able to think. Some of the lads can just put their head down and drive on. But I have to be able to make decisions.” It was a difficult 2017-’18 for Munster again, and their failure to reach either the Champions Cup or Guinness PRO14 finals means their wait for silverware continues. Outside of their B&I Cup team, Munster have failed to win a trophy at senior level since they defeated Leinster in the 2011 Celtic League Grand Final at Thomond Park. That 19-9 victory on May 28, seven years ago, seems so long ago for a province of their calibre. And their wait in Europe extends back to 2008. No one could have foreseen the barren spell that followed back then. But after his first full pre-season in charge, head coach Johann van Graan has had a big influence. And that has impacted on his players massively. O’Shea is one of those who feels much more confident about his chances this time around. “I am in a better place because last pre-season I was coming back into the squad whereas lads had the two games under their belts,” he says. “This year I can start a lot better as I am getting my first pre-season under my belt in a while. The goal is obviously to try and play as many games as I can. “And hopefully trying to work towards winning something this year.” Former Leinster and Scarlets player Tadhg Beirne has entered the fray this