Have Munster erred letting Warwick go?

Charlie Mulqueen
THESE have been a few emotional weeks for Munster rugby as some of the province’s greatest servants packed their bags on the way to new homes and others hung up their boots because of the passage of time or the intervention of serious injury.
Even these tough and battle-hardened rugby players conceded to a few moist eyes as they bade farewell to the likes of Alan Quinlan, who has retired after fifteen marvellous years in the red jersey; Paul Warwick and Tony Buckley who are headed for Stade Francais and Sale Sharks respectively and to Ian Dowling and Barry Murphy, both of whom have been forced out by a succession of injuries that dogged two highly promising careers.
Each of the five have been or will be replaced in the fullness of time but those coming in have big and imposing boots to fill. How, for instance, do you take the place of a larger than life character such as Alan Quinlan, a remarkable driving force on and off the pitch for fifteen straight years. “Quinny” was the life and soul of the dressing room, never averse to a little bit of mischief and ball hopping, but when it came to doing his stuff on the field of play, he was never, ever found wanting.
The other players loved him for his wit and ability to get under the skin of even the most disciplined of rivals, a point never more graphically made than in the Heineken Cup final in the Millennium Stadium in 2008 when he somehow provoked the great Toulouse and French forward Fabien Pelous to give him a relatively harmless kick in the backside - in full view of the referee and close enough to the posts for Ronan O’Gara to crucially extend Munster’s lead to seven points.
He didn’t always get away with it. Quite memorably, he was on the field as a replacement for one minute of Ireland’s game against New Zealand in 2002 when he was sent to the bin. For a while afterwards, he was known as Nicholas Cage who was starring in a movie at the time called “Gone in 60 seconds.” But Quinny could take the slagging as well as give it and when all the pluses and minuses are totted up, it will be seen that his contribution to Munster, especially, and Ireland is very much on the surplus side.
There are many who believe Munster have got things badly wrong in allowing Paul Warwick to depart for Stade Francais. He was a priceless asset to the team on countless occasions, not least when filling in at out-half for Ronan O’Gara when he was away on international duty, while some of his displays at full-back on the biggest occasions were often quite brilliant. One game that stands out in my memory was away to Sale Sharks in 2009 when he dropped two long range goals and scored a try in a 24-16 victory.
One earnestly hopes that Munster will not rue the day they allowed Warwick to leave at the age of 30 when he still seemed to have so much to offer. Stade coach Michael Cheika knew full well from his days at Leinster just what the Aussie was capable of and it will be fascinating to see how he settles down in his new environment after seven years in Ireland.
Dowling, 28, and Murphy, 26, have been obliged to quit when they seemed to have the time to contribute even further to the cause. They were extremely popular members of the squad and will be well remembered particularly for the game against Sale Sharks in 2006. It was the last game of the pool stages and Munster had to win while also scoring four tries. Dowling and Murphy helped themselves to one apiece in between a couple from Anthony Foley and David Wallace - Munster won 31-9 and a few months later were parading around the Millennium Stadium after the defeat of Biarritz in the final. And it was Murphy who touched down Munster’s try in the agonisingly narrow defeat by the All Blacks at the opening of the new Thomond Park in 2008.
Dowling is now undertaking a degree in physiotherapy at UL and Murphy is set to become director of rugby at UL/Bohemians.
Tony Buckley leaves for Sale with many big questions unanswered, the most pertinent being whether he ever reached his full potential and whether he could still do a job for his country once he has settled in his new surroundings.
There is a view that sentiment has no place in professional sport. Try telling that to a tight knit group like Munster. Since the game went pro, greats from overseas like the peerless John Langford, Mike Mullins, Jim Williams, Christian Cullen, Federico Pucciarello, Trevor Halstead, Rua Tipoki and Jean de Villiers have graced the scene with their footballing brilliance and willingness to buy into the unique Munster ethos. Without that latter characteristic, they could not have succeeded.
Others, like Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi and Wian du Preez, are still here in a playing role and Shaun Payne and Jason Holland as part of the management team. They have also played a significant role in maintaining the team’s place at the top table.
Nor would it be appropriate at this point to overlook the home produced talent who helped to make for so many memorable times, people like Peter Clohessy, Mick Galwey, Anthony Foley, Dominic Crotty, Frankie Sheahan, Keith Wood, John Kelly, Anthony Horgan, Killian Keane, Jeremy Staunton, John O’Neill and so many more.
Nobody wanted any of them to go - just as it is now a wrench to see Messrs Quinlan, Warwick, Dowling, Murphy and Buckley take their leave. Breaking up a family, even partially, is never an easy thing to do.

 

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