Tales from the Members’ Bar

Vol.2 No.15 Barry Everitt

The biggest news since I was last in the Members' Bar was the departure of Carlos Spencer. This event has given Barry the opportunity to get muddy on a Saturday afternoon having come on from the bench since. It is the thing that makes all the hard work in training worthwhile. While many may lament Spencer's departure, that door closes and Barry's opens.

Barry comes from Co Tipperary. How he is not involved in horse racing is a wonder. Given that his home town, Toomevara - scarcely more than a village, has a proud tradition in hurling, it is a mystery that he is not involved in the latest assault on the Tipperary, Munster and All-Ireland crowns with his hurley and sliotar in his bag. As a lad with a rugby ball tucked under his arm, he was the odd one out. His love of the oval ball was passed on by his father who played on the wing for Munster.

Barry played for the local club at Nenagh from the age of about fourteen and was good enough to be selected in Ireland age-group teams. As he moved up the ranks it was to the famous Garryowen club in Limerick. We have seen from the Tales of our Belfast boys that there is fierce rivalry in Irish rugby. In Belfast it is between schools. In Limerick there are three great clubs. Matches between Garryowen and Shannon, or between either and Young Munster would have "Ground Full" notices posted outside Thomond Park.

While the rivalry remains amongst these clubs and their supporters, everyone is a Munsterman now. The fortunes of the province are followed by all rugby supporters (and a few more besides). Amazingly, Barry did not claim to be at Thomond Park when Munster took on the All Blacks and won. I found it strange, having read Stand Up and Fight and seen the play, Alone it Stands, it is clear that even the likes of death were no bar to having been at the match. There is documented evidence that more people than actually lived in Ireland were there so giving, "I was only two," as the reason for not being among them smacks of a lack of commitment.

The competition for spaces in any of the provincial squads is fierce. After a time with Munster, Barry moved to Dublin and Leinster. He played his club rugby at Lansdowne and was known as a running fly half that could hardly kick. Interesting.

By the time he pitched up at London Irish, he had reinvented himself. A record haul of 340 points in a Premiership season included an 80% success rate from the kicking tee. The next season he was the supporters' choice for Premiership player of the year and played a full part in downing Saints colours in the Powergen Cup Final.

The fact that Saracens were on the horizon and with a certain Dr Venter scheduled to return to England; I discovered that there had been a certain amount of premeditation in getting at Matt Dawson that day. There was plenty of chat about it in the dressing room. Barry has nothing but respect for Brendan Venter and believes that his style of management will inspire the Saracens team next season. He will not cut corners and will not allow his players to cut them, either. Oh, good!

On the burning questions of the day, Barry, in the summer, when they are training so hard that they can eat pretty much anything they like, has a penchant for a Fruit and Nut chocolate bar. He has never had Marmite - he cannot imagine liking it so he stays clear.

For a coaching tip he recommends that you get your team moving forward. Momentum is the key to playing attacking rugby.

arw

18.02.2009

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