Ireland captaincy can drive Craig Casey's game to a new level
Since he was a boy, becoming a professional rugby was his ultimate goal. He rose through the ranks of Ardscoil Ris and through the Munster and Ireland age grades.
He helped the Ireland U20s to a Grand Slam in 2019 and made his senior debut for Munster a few months later.
It only took 18 months for an international debut to follow – alongside Ryan Baird, from the bench, in a Six Nations clash with the Italians in Rome. Craig Casey of Munster celebrates after scoring his side's second try during the United Rugby Championship match between Connacht and Munster at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Casey has become a central figure at Thomond Park in recent years. He has long been the established first-choice scrum-half at Munster.
Yes, time caught up with Conor Murray but Casey's compelling form had a huge amount to do with the changing of the guard.
Now 26, he is primed for the next phase of a meteoric career. His promotion to the Ireland captaincy for the looming summer tour was a huge vote of confidence from the management.
Of course, there is plenty of mitigation. The experience in this senior squad has been gutted due to Lions call-ups, injuries and retirements. Yet it still speaks volumes that the management turned to Casey to lead this young squad through assignments in Tblisi and Lisbon.
The captaincy is something of a consolation prize for the Munster scrum-half. The knee injury he suffered during a Champions Cup pool game in December derailed his season and ultimately his Lions ambitions.
Casey sat out the Six Nations and watched on as Jamison Gibson-Park, Alex Mitchell and other Test rivals pressed their claims to be included in Andy Farrell's summer plans.
Even though he missed the championship, the Limerick native still watched the squad announcement with a degree of hope. He may have missed the big Six Nations audition but his form for Munster had been strong since his return from injury. And he has a lot of credit in the bank with Farrell. Craig Casey of Munster leaves the pitch on crutches after the Champions Cup Pool 3 match between Castres Olympique and Munster at Stade Pierre Fabre in Castres, France. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Alas, he didn't make the cut. You can be sure he's high on the standby list, though. When Casey was asked about missing the cut at a sponsorship gig a few weeks later, he didn't drift into platitudes. He was gutted to miss it and and felt he was right in the mix.
Casey is a confident character who has possessed had a deep-rooted self belief. It's got him this far and it will be fascinating to see how he develops with the extra responsibility of the national captaincy.
This tour may have an off-Broadway feel about it, but there is plenty to be gained. Farrell will be keeping tabs on development and Paul O'Connell will have an extensive post-tour report ready for the gaffer when he's back in the day job come November.
It should be no surprise that Casey got the nod to lead this youthful group. He is a player who always leads by example.
He shares many traits with Peter Stringer, one his rugby idols growing up. Casey has the same lightning-quick pass and the same relentless engine. The sight of him on the field doing extras long after training is a regular sight, be it the UL campus in Limerick or Abbotstown. Farrell liked his energy and enthusiasm from the get go.
This is an insatiable character who lives and breathes the game. In terms of sheer intensity, he's probably the closest thing to a Johnny Sexton in the current international setup.
On the eve of his first cap in 2021, Sexton himself saw similarities with another insanely committed character. Ireland players Craig Casey and Keith Earls during the national anthem before the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Argentina at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
'I don't think I have ever come across anyone like him,' the former Ireland captain said at the time. 'It kind of reminds me what I read about Jonny Wilkinson – that is the only person I can relate him to. It is inspiring for the rest of the group and for someone like me, at this stage in my career, I like to be last off the pitch and I am never last off the pitch with him around. He has been brilliant.'
No doubt, Casey will see plenty of game-time on tour. This could be a springboard to a massive campaign next season.
Gibson-Park will be returning to Ireland camp as a potential Test Lion but Casey will feel he is now reaching a level where he can genuinely begin to challenge the Leinster scrum-half for a starting spot.
Now that Murray has left, he is set to become an even more important character in the Munster setup. Clayton McMillan is arriving from New Zealand with a fresh vision.
The Kiwi will build things around Casey and Jack Crowley. That will be his jumping off point.
For now, Casey can reflect on another big milestone in his career. Who knows, it might even become a regular gig down the line.
He will be in a rare position on tour. Casey is one of the few on board who has little to prove.
Every other department looks wide open. The absence of so many frontline frontrowers has created a much-needed window of opportunity to the next generation of hookers and props.
It feels the Georgia game – at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium on July 5 – was organised simply to stress test some of Ireland's fledging props. We're going to find out a lot about the likes of Jack Boyle, Michael Milne, Thomas Clarkson and Paddy McCarthy in Tblisi.
Lock and the backrow are brimming with ambitious players, too. Will this be the summer when Ryan Baird and Cormac Izuchukwu kick on and become proper options at international level?
Ben Murphy has been winning rave reviews at Connacht all season. The young scrum-half is a perfect example of a player leaving the Leinster system and thriving at a rival province. Hopefully it will inspire a few more to make the move out west, especially with Stuart Lancaster arriving in Galway soon.
Sam Prendergast, Jack Crowley and Ciaran Frawley are quality options at No10 who will all feel that the pecking order is not set in stone.
Hugh Gavin, Tommy O'Brien and Shayne Bolton are a trio of backs who can do the same.
It should be an exciting summer and with Casey at the helm, they have a leader who can show them the way.
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