Third time’s a charm for Josh Brennan when it comes to playing against Munster. Twice in the last year the Toulouse secondrow travelled to Ireland as the 24th man in case someone got injured, his services not required on either occasion.
This time round, with Graham Rowntree’s team travelling to the Stade Ernest Wallon on Sunday, the Dublin-born Brennan will play against a side from the country of his birth for the first time as a professional.
The behemoth pairing of Richie Arnold and Emmanuel Meafou start in the engine room for Toulouse, but Brennan finds himself on the bench, set for just his third European appearance. “I’m delighted,” he admits shortly after the announcement. “I’m surprised, but over the moon.”
His shock cannot hide the undeniable. A replacement as well for last week’s victory away to Sale, Brennan, aged just 21, has become the third-choice lock for a club full of power.
The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times
Andy Farrell offers opportunities against Fiji but stresses established Ireland player must also perform
Four ways Ireland can fix their misfiring attack: Let Goodman cook and where is the 10?
English rugby told to wake up as RFU expected to reveal record losses
It is a testament to Brennan’s rise in his breakout season. He debuted for Toulouse last year, making 13 appearances. He has already matched that total halfway through the current campaign, with a European debut also under the belt.
Toulouse have made clear how they view their prospect, handing Brennan a contract extension until 2026.
The deal put off any talk of moving back to Ireland to pursue international caps, for the time being. Though he may speak English with an accent heavily influenced by his father, former Ireland international Trevor Brennan, Josh is as French as they come, having moved to the southwest of France before he was one year old.
His ambitions are clear: having captained France at U-20 level, he wants to break into Fabien Galthié's senior squad, not to mention a long, successful career at Toulouse, the club with which his father won two Heineken Cups.
“My priority would be France,” he explains. “Maybe, if it (a French call-up) was never to happen, you never know but for the moment it’s France. For me to play for Ireland, I’d have to play in Ireland too, club rugby. So far it’s Toulouse for me. The fact I’ve been playing for Toulouse since the age of 12, I myself didn’t want to leave the club and they didn’t want to let me leave.”
At 6ft5 and 114kg, Brennan isn’t as big as some of the other mammoth locks available across France, but Ireland could always do with a few extra bruisers in the engine room. Brennan says there has never been any contact from a province, though.
The other elephant in the room is Brennan’s surname. As if to prove the point that he can’t escape questions about his famous dad, a wave and a “Is that Thornley?” from Trevor in the background provides a light interruption on the other end of the phone.
“You get used to it,” explains Josh when asked if comparisons to his father are a frustration in his quest to be his own man. “I’m actually happy, it’s more of a motivation. He can give me advice because he’s been here, he’s won two European Cups and it motivates me to try and do the same, and maybe even better.”
[ Matt Williams: Rugby’s rulers are ruining our beautiful gameOpens in new window ]
The idea of Brennan senior advising his son on one hand makes perfect sense. On the other, it is intriguing given Josh plays in an era when forwards need to be far more skilled on the ball, not to mention today’s greater scrutiny on discipline.
“I’d say today he’d play one game every season!” jokes Josh. “He’d always say if you want to be mean, be mean but within the rules. ‘You can’t do what I did back in my day.’ He’d say the game has changed.”
Toulouse are also happy to tap into the Brennan heritage. To promote the news of his new contract earlier this month, Josh filmed an announcement video where Trevor pretends to sign a contract to come back, only for his son to grab him by the scruff of the neck and instead put pen to paper.
“After the fourth take I said this has to be the last or Trev will lose his temper!” jokes the younger Brennan.
Perhaps surprisingly given his French upbringing, Brennan labels two Irish players as his favourites to watch. Brian O’Driscoll is one, but Brennan could well be clearing the other out of a few breakdowns on Sunday.
“Munster have Peter O’Mahony, who always has his hands in with the jackal,” says Brennan admiringly. “I met him last year in the Aviva, briefly of course. Hopefully we get to meet and I play against him this weekend.”
Those were his favourite players to watch, who does Brennan most admire amongst a star-studded Toulouse cast?
“Cyrill Baille. I get along great with him. It amazes me the fact he’s a prop but he’s more skilful than the backs in Toulouse – you see him in training sessions going for drop goals and all. [Then there’s] Manny Meafou. Last weekend I saw him bump Manu Tuilagi and I said ‘Jesus, I’ve never seen a man bump Manu Tuilagi.’ I wouldn’t want to play against him.”
Sunday will be Brennan’s first exposure to an Irish audience at senior level. Those from his birth nation could soon dread facing him too.
