One of the main reasons why Ireland became the number one side in the world for over a year and have been such a force at Under-20 level in recent years is the production line of athletic and skillful, ball-playing forwards.
No matter the size or weight, you think of the Irish Grand Slam winning packs at senior and Under-20 level and the forwards are all comfortable in possession. Like never before, they’re able to make decisions with the ball in hand and pass or offload under pressure. They’re usually dynamic, explosive and have good footwork.
As Irish rugby will probably never produce a conveyor belt of physically imposing players a la France and England, this has become a significant point of difference, and Tom Ahern typifies this. The 23-year-old Waterford man is a hybrid back five forward who is quick with a bit of an edge to him as well.
A fullback in his formative years with Youghal and Dungarvan before switching to lock at Waterpark, one ventures that even at 6′ 9″ Ahern could probably play at centre in the AIL.
It’s no wonder, therefore, that Andy Farrell and the coaches included him in last season’s Emerging Ireland tour and this week as one of the three uncapped additional training panellists in the Irish Six Nations squad. If Ireland are to keep evolving their all-court game, Ahern looks a natural fit.
A star turn on Irish Under-20s side of 2020, Ahern’s time might have come sooner but for a shoulder injury which last season restricted him to just 120 minutes for Munster. But this season he has flourished, starting eight of his dozen appearances at lock or blindside, scoring six tries.
“It’s definitely been the best part of my career with Munster. Knock on wood, it keeps going,” he said ahead of being named as an additional player in the Six Nations training squad.
“There’s a lot of luck involved in it. Obviously being through quite a few injuries, you build up that resilience. But I think it’s a bit of luck week in, week out that the body is thankfully staying pretty healthy.”
His performances have been highlighted by some outstanding finishes on the wing, a role which maximises his height and athleticism, such as last week in the Felix Mayol from one of Jack Crowley’s kick passes. The pair appear to have an intuitive understanding.
“Sure I played with Jack since Under-19s, and I live with Jack so we have a good relationship on and off the field,” reasoned Ahern, whose other housemates are Scott Buckley and Roman Salanoa. The quartet review training for an hour when they return home, and thereafter rugby talk is banned.
“It’s quite informative between us,” Ahern says of his on-field relationship with Crowley. “Even in training if I see a bit of space, or we’re watching training back together, there’s always constant feedback going with each other. It’s a good relationship and it seems to be paying off.”
And a good housemate?
“He’s a good housemate, yeah, to be fair to him.”
Identifying a role on the edges for the hybrid lock/backrow has proved a masterstroke by the Munster brains trust.
“Tom is doing very well, especially in attack, in our system in our framework, on the edges, with his athleticism, his speed, his footballing ability make him a real challenge for any team,” says defence coach Denis Leamy,. “His nuts and bolts around being a six or a row, in scrum, lineout and maul, defensive stuff on contacts, he knows there’s plenty of work to be doing there. He’s a great talent but he knows there’s work to be done.”
Still, this season Ahern’s flair and finishing on the edge have brought smiles to the animated Munster coaching box.
“He makes me happy,” admitted Leamy. “Any time he scores he makes me happy and the management and the crowd happy. The boy can play. He’s a brilliant rugby player. Certainly in Irish rugby he’s a little unique with his athleticism, being so tall too in the way he moves. It certainly makes him different and stand out.”
Ahern is enjoying his new role too.
“Look, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m loving it out there but honestly, it’s the lads in the middle; our two pods in the middle. If they don’t give us front-foot ball, it makes it difficult for us on the edges. So thankfully the guys in the middle are giving me opportunities out wide.
“It’s more of our general attack shape. We have a couple of guys holding the edges and we’re linking in between the backs and the forwards. Prendy [attack coach Mike Prendergast] goes through it in great detail during the whole week about when we’re going to be there and when we’re not going to be there. It’s in different areas of the pitch in attack where we’re going to be on the edges and we’re going to be in the middle.”
Ahern enjoyed a run of six starts at blindside in the absence of Peter O’Mahony before his return last week against Toulon. It’s a measure of his effectiveness in the outside channels that although he had to revert to lock, Graham Rowntree admitted O’Mahony had to adapt and play more in the middle of the pitch to accommodate the rangy Ahern.
Rowntree also ventured a few weeks ago that ultimately he saw Ahern as a six.
“Honestly, I’m just happy wherever he picks me,” said Ahern. “If I’m picked in a match squad I’m happy to do whatever role I have to. If that’s the role he wants me to play going forward I’m happy to do that, and likewise if he wants me back in the middle I’m happy to do that.”
And comfortable wherever he plays too.
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