Former Ireland rugby player David Wallace joined OTB AM to discuss the future of Munster and Ireland's Jack O'Donoghue.
David joined Ger and Eoin on the line to discuss O'Donoghue's prospects prior to their game in South Africa against Toyota Cheetahs this Saturday.
"He looked very comfortable [at 7] the last day against Toulon, and playing against stiff competition. He'd been thrown in there a little bit in terms of not having had a lot of game time this year. It was a phenomenal performance and I thought that the way he carried the ball was a big step up in where he's come from. He is a young guy, quite tall and very athletic and his ability in the tighter spaces to get a bit of forward-ball was telling of his transition into more of a mature player.
"He's a player that, if he gets a line-break in open field, he's gone - he's got the legs and the wheels to go the whole distance of the pitch. But in tighter games, you do need that ability to get that half-yard or half-metre and he seems to be developing that size, the bulk and a bit of power as well.
"Just in terms of playing the actual 7 position, he did not look out of place at all. He seemed to be thriving on it. He also got a good standing ovation when he came off, so he's a good crowd-pleaser too! It's great to see him coming through and maybe it is typical of how Irish rugby is at the moment - in terms of Leinster and Munster especially - how young guys have come in to fill the voids and not missing a beat. Just forcing the envelope and setting the standards.
David also gave an insight into switching positions as only a former player can.
"Physically, they are all pretty much the same in terms of what you have to do: tackling and breakdowns. Maybe at number 8, you might have to carry a bit more ball from the base of the scrum and be a bit more of a ball-carrier. Obviously at 6, you're in trenches a little bit more and as a 7, you are making that first breakdown and linking up with the back. So there are different patterns to your play when you're playing at 7 and 6, especially. Things are flipped on their head a little bit, as a 7 you'll be getting to that first breakdown, whereas at 6 you'll be coming around the corner, getting your hands on the ball or linking with the back-line on the second phase.
"But when you do switch, sometimes it can throw your head and you do feel out of kilter when you are not used to it. It can be a difference. With [Alan Quinlan] at times, we used to play a bit of left and right - sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn't and you feel a bit out of kilter. You often see guys changing in the back-row if there's a big open-side off a scrum, it's a bit more challenging for a back-row to cover that if they don't have the security of a number 9."
You can watch us live at the top of the page from 7:45, or on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
