Conor Murray recalls the time Noel McNamara called out and challenged Peter O’Mahony
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New man.
Conor Murray has recalled an Ireland training session that gave him an insight into Noel McNamara’s conviction as a coach — and left Peter O’Mahony facing weeks of slagging.
Writing in his Irish Times column, the former Ireland scrum-half shared the story as he assessed McNamara’s appointment as Leo Cullen’s successor at Leinster.
The encounter took place at Carton House during a down week in the Six Nations, when the senior Ireland squad trained against McNamara’s Ireland under-20s.
With the younger players eager to make an impression, Murray recalled how the physical exchanges quickly became competitive.
Afterwards, Andy Farrell brought the teams together and invited the senior players to offer some advice to their younger counterparts.
O’Mahony suggested that the U20 forwards should take the ball from a little deeper, giving themselves room to build momentum before contact.
McNamara, however, stepped in to explain why that was at odds with what he wanted from his players.
“I hear what you’re saying, but no, that is not our style. We want to be running flat onto the ball. This is how we want to play.”
For Murray, the revealing detail was McNamara’s willingness to make that point in front of everyone, despite the advice coming from one of Ireland’s most experienced forwards.
“McNamara could have waited until the senior players and coaches were out of earshot to contradict Pete. But no, he had a clear vision of how his team would play.”
His intervention also handed O’Mahony’s teammates all the material they needed.
“We had a great time slagging ‘Coach O’Mahony’. Weeks later, you’d still hear someone chirp: ‘Ah Pete, you got to be flatter on that ball’.”
Murray described McNamara’s appointment at Leinster as a “statement appointment”, highlighting both his attacking credentials and his knowledge of the players he will inherit.
The Clare native previously coached at Clongowes Wood College, in the Leinster academy and with Ireland’s under-20s before taking his coaching career overseas.
That background, Murray believes, makes him an example of the pathway available to Irish coaches who develop their expertise abroad before returning to a senior role at home.
And judging by that afternoon at Carton House, even a recommendation from Peter O’Mahony will not shift him easily from how he wants his team to play.
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