Donncha O’Callaghan backs Kilcoyne to shine

EXPERIENCED Munster second-row Donncha O’Callaghan has been hugely impressed by Dave Kilcoyne’s meteoric rise with both the province and Ireland this season.

Kilcoyne, who made his first start for Ireland in Saturday’s uncapped international with Fiji at Thomond Park and Saturday night, had only made one start for Munster before the start of this season.

And O’Callaghan reckons Kilcoyne will only continue to improve. “I thought Dave (Kilcoyne) was great,” said the veteran second row after the game.

“He put in a massive performance. For a loosehead to show that much composure in big games like that and especially against Deacon Manu, a tough operator, it was great for him to put in a big performance.”

O’Callaghan also paid tribute to the contribution recently appointed defence coach Anthony Foley had made since joining the Irish set-up.

“With Anthony Foley there is a bit of a fear factor there too,” O’Callaghan said. No one wants to go in on Monday, because Axel will put you up on the wall and nail you to it! It is a great way to have it because everyone is responsible for their own.

“He holds high standards and that is a great thing from a player’s point of view. I think it is transferring on the pitch; everyone wants to put in a massive performance. No one wants to be highlighted.

“I don’t know if I have done enough to get into the Test team (v Argentina on Saturday). I just wanted to make it as tough as possible.

“Tonight has probably given us a bit of confidence going into next week. The confidence will be up a little bit. But the Argy game is a game in itself. It is what our November will be judged on. It is Cup final stuff.”

A night when Declan Kidney’s decision to give youth its fling paid handsome dividends as his Ireland XV recorded a facile victory against an inept Fijian challenge at Thomond Park.

This may have been a non-capped international, but it was a memorable occasion for several of Ireland’s rising rugby stars, including 23-year-old Limerick prop, Dave Kilcoyne, who started the game prop and his more experienced front-row colleague Sean Cronin, who bagged one of Ireland’s eight tries.

Man of the Match, Craig Gilroy grabbed most of the headlines by bagging a hat-trick of tries before an attendance of 17,126, as the youthful home side put their seriously understrength opponents to the sword.

Saturday’s clash was a non-capped fixture, so that it could be brought out of the Aviva Stadium – the IRFU’s contract with the company that runs the stadium requires all home Test matches to be played there. In the circumstances, the attendance at Thomond Park on a cold, damp evening was decent.

SCORERS – Ireland XV (Craig Gilroy three tries, Fergus McFadden two tries, Sean Cronin, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall try each, Paddy Jackson five cons, one pen)

IRELAND XV – Denis Hurley; Craig Gilroy, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Fergus McFadden; Paddy Jackson, Conor Murray, David Kilcoyne, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross; Donncha O’Callaghan, Dan Tuohy; Iain Henderson, John Muldoon, Jamie Heaslip (Capt). Replacements: Chris Henry for Muldoon (injured, 43 mins), Cian Healy for Kilcoyne (46 mins), Michael Bent for Ross (52 mins), Richardt Strauss for Cronin, Simon Zebo for Hurley, Paul Marshall for Murray (all 62 mins), Mike McCarthy for Heaslip (76 mins).

FIJI – Metuisela Talebula; Simeli Koniferedi, Vereniki Govena, Josh Matavesi, Watisoni Votu; Jonetani Ralula, Nikola Matawalu; Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Viliame Veikoso, Deacon Manu (capt); Leone Nakarawa, Api Naikatini, Iliesa Ratuva, Malakai Ravulo, Nemani Nagusa. Replacements: Saula Radidi for Koniferedi (injured, 37 mins), Timoci Manataavou for Matavesi (half-time), Tuapati Talemaitoga for Veikoso, Apisalome Ratuniyarawa for Nakarawa (both 46 mins), Jovili Domolailai for Nagusa (61 mins), Kelemedi Bola for Matawalu, Viliame Veikoso for Ratuva (both 68 mins), Setefano Somoca for Yanuyanutawa (69 mins), Iliesa Ratuva for Viliame Veikoso (77 mins).

REFEREE - Leighton Hodges (Wales)