Saturday mornings are not meant to be heart-racing.
The power to incite a nationwide desire for a pint is generally limited to St Patrick. But, if that’s not the saint’s time of year, Peter O’Mahony can offer a decent alternative.
The Munster giant’s tearful reaction to the realization that Ireland were in the final stages of the series in New Zealand was the latest in a long line of instances when his emotions spoke to all who love Irish rugby.
O’Mahony’s heartless approach is what makes him so popular.
While you may not know what it’s to win a turnover with your All Blacks team, or kick a 50/22 in the middle a tight match, you do know what a moment, or win, feels like.
It meant more to O’Mahony than any fan could imagine. O’Mahony knows it well. He witnessed the Hamilton 60-0 victory a decade earlier, and Aaron Cruden’s conversion three years later in Dublin to secure a win.
He has been written off more than any other player in Ireland’s current squad. These hot takes have been eloquently dismissed, but it is hard to believe that he thought his chances of winning a series against New Zealand were over.
You can see that he was having celebrations.
This was a single triumph. It was not a significant step or a leap in the right directions on the way to the World Cup. But it was a series victory that is, in its own right, the greatest achievement in Irish rugby’s history.
O’Mahony was able to see the value of that moment.
Andy Farrell was keen to reiterate his conviction that international rugby should be seen beyond the four-year World Cup cycles.
Despite this, it was impossible to not link Ireland’s historic accomplishment to the idea of next year’s World Cup. This team seems capable of accomplishing things that no Irish side had done before.
Not looking ahead is a bad thing. This is not a bad thing.
Young players who were part of the tour but didn’t make it to the Test series will be able to play in another season. It’s hoped James Humes Gavin Coombes, Mike Lowry, and others will make compelling arguments to continue making selections that maintain what is currently a settled starting side.
Similar to the sport world, it is not difficult for the tides to turn in your favor. This tour began with two defeats.
The bubble of positivity which had enveloped Ireland over the past 18 months threatened to burst at that point. This was to be another humble southern hemisphere tour, which suggested that previous notions of a side rising up the world rankings were delusions.
This narrative can quickly change. Ireland will host the world champions in November in France, England and England in Six Nations.
We still have at least three more rounds to play ‘what happens at fly half when Johnny Sexton isn’t around?’ And ‘When will Ireland’s lackluster front row depth be exposed?’.
Both of these questions are valid and will be answered one day.
They are not the only ones who have to be asked right now. Not after Ireland won a series in New Zealand against the All Blacks – something that seemed impossible for so long.
Take the time to enjoy the moment, and remember that there is nothing beyond the Ireland team right now.