EXPERIENCED lock Donncha O’Callaghan has urged the clubs academy youngsters to grab their chances by the scruff of the neck.
The former Ireland and British and Irish Lions legend, who joined Warriors last September after 17 seasons with Munster, played down the club’s current injury woes as an excuse for their ‘frustrating’ run of form and said it is time for the youngsters to be selfish and make the shirt their own.
The Cork-born player, who has won two Heineken Cup titles, two Magners League titles and the 2009 Six Nations Grand Slam, also admitted the hunger amongst Warriors’ academy reminded him of himself in the late 1990’s.
“It’s been a frustrating season, especially when you look at the two drawn games at Sixways. It’s tough and for us it’s about treating each game as a cup final,” said the 37-year-old.
“We’ve been hit with injuries but we can’t use that as an excuse as it’s right across the board. But its been encouraging to see the young guys come through. They need to be selfish now and grab the club by the scruff of the neck and make it theirs.
“I’ll be long gone by the time these guys are at the top end of their game competing for honours both nationally and internationally. I remember Dean Ryan telling me he had a great academy in place when I joined the club. Part of my role was to help mentor these guys through.
“But I’m not their agony aunt. They don’t come and sit on my knee. They have the confidence. Looking at Shilly (Jamie Shillcock) taking on a pack of forwards at such a young age is amazing. When we’re out on the pitch he’s my boss and I love that.
“They remind me an awful lot of myself at that age. I remember knocking at the door at Munster and thinking I was never going to break into the team. It wasn’t until Peter Stringer started getting into the first-team I thought ‘if he can I can’,” he added.
O’Callaghan also summed up the sudden death of friend and former Munster skipper Anthony Foley as the saddest week of his life.
“It’s shocking. It’s hard to think about him not being around, but that’s nothing to what it’s like to lose a husband, dad, son and brother. You think of his family and how tough it is for them. He’s a dad who went off to work and didn’t come home,” he added.
“He was my captain, my team-mate and a guy I would walk on broken glass for. I used to look to him and he could make me play beyond myself. That’s something I’m thankful to him for.”