Peter Stringer in new surroundings, Stephen Donald in new clothes and Stephen Ferris in a new lease of life are just a few things to watch out for in the Heineken Cup this weekend.
Peter pulling the strings, even it isn’t for Munster
While it still baffling to imagine Peter Stringer in any other colour bar the red of Munster or the green of Ireland, it will be heartening to see him in action at the top level again this weekend. Opportunities may be few and far between at Munster, but Saracens are no mugs and the three month loan gives the diminutive scrum-half a chance to remind Declan Kidney and Tony McGahan of his talents.
Even though he turns 34 next week, Stringer is not finished yet and if he can prove that his legs and his hands work as fast as his brain clearly continues to (observe this cheeky little incident in Barbarians v Australia recently), we certainly won’t have seen the last of him yet.
Let’s hope Stephen Donald’s jersey fits him this time
This weekend, Leinster take on Bath at the Rec, where they will be going up against the unlikeliest World Cup hero in the history of rugby. Stephen Donald had been out fishing when summoned to the All-Blacks squad as a replacement for stricken duo Dan Carter and Colin Slade and hadn’t played for New Zealand for almost a year.
And it showed. Wearing a ridiculously tight jersey that left little to the imagination in the World Cup Final, Donald’s lack of conditioning was laid bare for the world to see around his love handles, but hey, what did he care, he’d just won the first World Cup for the All-Blacks in nearly 25 years.
For God’s sake put it away, Stephen
And to think, when people remember the 2011 World Cup winning All-Black side in years and generations to come, the great Dan Carter will be a mere footnote compared to this guy. Let’s hope Leinster take him down a peg or two this weekend.
More of the same please Fez
It took the World Cup to remind Irish fans what a special talent Stephen Ferris is. Having spent the majority of 2011 on the sidelines, we were resigned to being without him during the World Cup only for himself and Sean O’Brien to make an absolutely colossal impact Down Under.
Thankfully Ferris has remained injury free in the time since and has continued to produce some of his best form for his province, including a two-try tour de force against the Scarlets last weekend. His second try (see below) was a phenomenal effort combining pace, power, a classy sidestep and a hand off that Sonny Bill would have been proud of.
More of the same at Ravenhill on Friday night and the Aironi boys will be running scared. And you wouldn’t blame them.
