After striking return in blue, Kearney is far from ready to bring down the curtain

Veteran Leinster winger bounced back from a torrid season with a try on his reappearance in Italy last week. He still has itches to scratch 
After striking return in blue, Kearney is far from ready to bring down the curtain

No parting shot: Dave Kearney of Leinster walks out to the pitch before the United Rugby Championship match between Zebre Parma and Leinster at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Parma, Italy. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Coaches have been known to paint a player's return from long-term injury as the equivalent of a new signing and Dave Kearney’s reappearance in Leinster blue in last week’s season opener against Zebre Parma fits that bracket.

The winger is 33 now, no spring chicken, but the sight of him crossing the line for his try in Italy only confirmed what a loss he had been last term as ankle, back and hamstring issues confined him to just the four appearances.

This is a player who has matured with age. Go back through his files and you’ll find a man who scored 23 tries in the 121 games played across his first nine seasons with the province. That strike rate has rocketed upwards in the last five campaigns with 30 claimed in just 52 outings.

There’s no single reason for this. He admits to being a more mature, rounded player with age. You don’t sit in a Leinster dressing-room, with that collection of Irish and foreign talent on and off the field, for that long without soaking up a bucket of lessons.

“It depends on the style of rugby you play in particular,” he said by way of explaining his try rate. “In the past… the way we played might not necessarily play into winger’s hands, where you get lots of ball and you get chances to score.

“In the last four or five years in the way we do play we like to spread the ball out wide. We do put the ball out to the edges so you do put yourself in the opportunity to score. I’ve probably racked up a few of those tries in the past four or five years I’d say.” 

Ireland don’t want for wingers and a man approaching his mid-thirties probably isn’t the go-to option for Andy Farrell who is a year out from a World Cup and about to send a callow Emerging Ireland side out on tour to South Africa.

Kearney hasn’t played international rugby since August of 2019 but it bears remembering that he was a key member of a side that claimed a Six Nations title in 2014 and a regular starter at the World Cup the following year.

But he knows himself that this ship has likely sailed.

“It’s probably not at the forefront of my mind at the moment considering I haven’t really been involved over the last few years," he admitted. "Maybe two years ago I felt like I could have been involved or I should have been, but I wasn’t.

“Never say never. At the moment I’m focusing on playing well here. Obviously, we have a very competitive squad. The strength in depth we have, it’s like an Irish team really. Getting into this team for the bigger games, the European games, is a goal of mine this season.” 

There is an energy about him after a full pre-season and there may be one more chapter beyond this to round off a senior career that began in 2009 when he replaced Kyle Tonetti after an hour of a Magners League game against Dragons at Rodney Parade.

It’s only two years since older brother Rob was emptying his locker at Leinster’s UCD base in Dublin and signing on with Western Force for a last hurrah in Super Rugby where he featured eight times before hanging up the boots.

“Yeah, going down to Australia and playing in the summertime there…yeah. There’s probably not many Irish players have gone down and played in Australia so the opportunities probably don’t come about that often," said the younger Kearney.

“But of course it would entice any player here to go an experience something like that. A different environment, a different atmosphere. When you have been in a club for 13, 14 years it’s definitely nice to have a change of environment.”

Meanwhile, speculation is mounting that Stuart Lancaster will bring his long and successful stint with Leinster to a close at the end of the season and take up a senior coaching role with Racing 92.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is due to address the media on Thursday prior to the province’s URC meeting with Benetton on Friday and the status of the former England boss will be the top item on the agenda.

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