Tue 25 Apr 2023 | 03:29

Peter O’Mahony Manhandles Springbok Prop During Scuffle

Experienced Irish and Munster backrow Peter O’Mahony has become one of the most recognizable figures in international rugby over the past decade.

A dogged leader who never takes a backwards step, O’Mahony has so often come up with a crucial turnover or line-out steal that has proven to be the difference for his side.

Once again finding his back to the wall, the Munster skipper led his side in two crucial United Rugby Championships in South Africa over the past fortnight.

With both a place in this season’s URC quarterfinals and next season’s Heineken Champions Cup on the line, Munster needed to deliver.

As they have across their illustrious career, Munster came out swinging as they comfortably dismissed the Stormers in Cape Town for a bonus point victory before pulling off a miraculous comeback 22 – 22 draw in Durban.

Having trailed 22 – 3 at halftime, Munster were staring down the barrel of a yet another humiliating loss in Durban following their shellacking in the Heineken Champions Cup last sixteen.

Yet with O’Mahony to the fore, Munster kept the Sharks scoreless in the second half whilst scraping their way back into the contest.

Finishing the game over the Sharks line as what would’ve been a match winning try being held up. Munster left Durban feeling they could’ve snatched a victory but ultimately being content with a draw having been so far behind.

One moment that summed up O’Mahony’s passion for his province was him taking on 136kg Sharks and Springbok prop Thomas Du Toit.

Whilst O’Mahony was shown a yellow card for the incident, but the backrow showed his incredible strength and he flung the giant prop around before holding him down.

O'Mahony yellow

by u/paloaltissimo in rugbyunion

Having already got stuck into the Sharks players with the ref mic picking up on an interaction he had with Sharks backrow Sikhumbuzo Notshe, O’Mahony’s card appeared to be more a culmination of incidents.

The incident with Notshe was particularly amusing as O’Mahony delivered one of his classic one-liners saying ‘You’re a waste of f****** time’ as Notshe continued to chirp the Munster skipper.

It is moments like this where O’Mahony proves his worth to both Ireland and Munster as a dogged Warrior who refuses to take a backwards step.