Sandy Park, Stade Felix Mayol and Thomond Park, not only theatres of dreams in European rugby but for Brian Gleeson notable landmarks in his development from an outstanding underage international to a player with nine senior Munster caps.
On Saturday night he can add the Stade Maurice David, the 6,000-capacity stadium where France host Ireland on the opening weekend of the under-20 Six Nations Championship. Richie Murphy’s side are the reigning Grand Slam champions, while France took revenge in the World Junior Championship final in South Africa last summer.
Gleeson was a try-scoring, ball-carrying colossus for Ireland in both campaigns and his presence this season is a huge fillip, one of five players who return from last season’s squad and a key member of the leadership group. A priority has been in explaining to the “first-timers” what awaits them.
“It’s a lot of the players’ first caps and it’s not an easy place to go. It’s going to be a hostile atmosphere. If we can help them at all with sharing knowledge from last year or just being a calming presence and someone to go to, it will help the team a lot.”
The Loughmore-Castleiney teenager explained that even small things like listening to the national anthem can shake a player who has no previous experience with that as the emotions bubble to the surface very quickly. Many of the group played together at Ireland under-18 schools level so there is an element of familiarity and hopefully cohesion.
France vs Ireland preview with Gordon D'Arcy and Noel McNamara
Playing in the Champions Cup has exposed him to elite senior fare, a development facilitated by the pastoral care of coaches Denis Leamy and Mike Prendergast and Ireland senior captain Peter O’Mahony and Tadhg Beirne at Munster.
“I would say I am a visual learner. Going to Denis Leamy in defence and Mike Prendergast in attack, they are very helpful. They have shown great interest in trying to make me a better player. In training, they are harsh and critical if I am not doing things right which is great. It is the smaller things that are helping me get better.
“I certainly didn’t expect to be playing European rugby at the start of the season, but I’ve loved it and I’ve learned a lot from it. I played in Exeter, Toulon and Thomond Park, all different atmospheres, you learn a lot from it. You mature as a player and so does your overall game because you’re playing against some of the best players in the world, full internationals.
“I grew up watching Munster in the Champions Cup, so getting to represent Munster in the Champions Cup is fantastic.”
Any standout memories as a supporter? “Andrew Conway’s try against Toulon [2018]. I was young enough when that happened, but that sticks with me. The roar that Thomond gives on a European Champions Cup day is class; to be able to say I’ve experienced it, it doesn’t let you down.”
In recalling last season with the Ireland 20s, Gleeson admitted that the “Grand Slam was up there but the World Cup was a surreal experience. The group itself was really tight and we had to deal with a lot, and we had to overcome a lot” — a reference to the death of Greg Oliver, father of scrumhalf Jack, who died in a paragliding accident in Cape Town.
“Obviously, the result didn’t go our way in the final against France. I’m still hurt from that French result; it will be in the back of my mind for this Saturday as we try and get one over on them.”
Gleeson turns 20 on Monday and there are no prizes for guessing what present he’d enjoy the most to celebrate the occasion.
