The atmosphere was relaxed and light-hearted, the warm sunshine providing a pleasant backdrop as the rival camps convened to discuss Saturday's AIB League Division One final, appropriately at the venue itself, Lansdowne Road.
Cork Constitution coach Michael Bradley, club captain Philip Soden and Garryowen captain Killian Keane shot the breeze. The only absentee, Garryowen coach John Hall, laid low by influenza. His confinement would be solitary according to Keane. "We're keeping him in isolation, well away from the players."
Despite his absence, Hall a former England international and a player and coach with Bath, proved a topic of conversation. In his first season with the Limerick club he has manoeuvred them to the Division One final, 12 months after losing to Shannon at the same stage of the competition. Keane outlined the effect he has had on the players and the club.
"He arrived in about October. I had never met the guy, but he was an Englishman and that wasn't a great start," Keane laughed. "His pedigree was impressive having played for England and played with and then coached Bath. He's a very nice guy with good new ideas, nothing earth shattering just different in small ways.
"Within a club a pecking order can exist, but one value of an overseas coach is he looks at the team and training in a new light and can rejuvenate players. There have been new training methods and I think it's fair to say that the players respect him."
Cork Constitution's season looked to have foundered before it began and Bradley admitted that it was a meeting with the players after the their third defeat in four matches, to Garryowen that redefined the season: "Con would aspire to be in the top four and early on we were in serious difficulty with the possibility of relegation.
"We had a serious look at ourselves. I thought that in the general team play the co-ordination was poor. We identified a number of areas and have prospered ever since."
Con's joint coach alongside Packie Derham was asked about the injury situation, particularly regarding influential number eight Ultan O'Callaghan.
"He is very doubtful and has gone to a specialist today," before adding mischievously, "hopefully he can see the same specialist that Killian (Keane) went to last week." For Constitution's club captain, Philip Soden, it has been a difficult season and he will almost certainly start Saturday's match on the bench with scrum-half Brian O'Meara leading out the team.
He bears his disappointment with good grace. "I want to see Cork Constitution win. It has been difficult, but we operate a squad system and have done so all season. I would prefer to start, but I have no problem who captains the side as long as we go out and do the business."
Soden is one of two survivors from the 1991 league decider who will play on Saturday. Full back Brian Walsh is the other, but connection does extend to Constitution's coaching team as both Bradley and Derham played eight years ago. Bradley recalls the occasion. "I remember it was at Dooradoyle, that we won it. . . that we were very happy. Both teams enjoyed great support and it was a very fierce match. Kenny Smith hit the post twice and Garryowen only need to draw to win the title."
The former Ireland scrum-half would not be drawn on the battle between the rival number nine's on Saturday, Brian O'Meara (Constitution) and Tom Tierney (Garryowen), both of whom will be looking to travel to Australia with the Ireland squad this summer. He felt that the two players did not need the additional pressure and didn't "want to make an issue of it."
Saturday's big match will be preceded by the All Ireland under-18 youths' final between Carlow and Corinthians (1.0). The Tallaght marching band will be on hand and a pyro-technical extravaganza has been promised.
The IRFU has confirmed a decision that next season's AIB League Division One will consist of 12 clubs. A decision was taken at a meeting on the full IRFU committee on Tuesday night.
