It was always a case of ‘when’ Diarmuid Mangan would break into the Leinster team rather than ‘if’.
Even so, for him to describe the last 12 months since making his debut for the province away to Zebre as ‘decent’ must be one of the season’s understatements.
Mangan started his seventh match of Leinster’s season in last Saturday’s 41-17 win over Ulster and has played in six of the province’s last seven games, making his Champions Cup debut off the bench against Glasgow a week previously.
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An athletic, skilful lock/backrow who was part of the Irish Under-20 team which won Grand Slams in 2022 and 2023 and also reached the World Under-20 Championship in 2023, in the midst of all this Mangan was also called up to the Irish senior squad during the Six Nations.
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“It definitely came as a shock,” admits the 22-year-old, who received the call from Simon Easterby the day after playing the full 80 in Leinster’s tough 22-19 win away to the Ospreys.
“I was in my sittingroom roaring and shouting at my two brothers while trying to do my debrief from the game and then next minute, my phone started ringing. It was Simon Easterby’s number and I was like to the two of them ‘lads, you need to be quiet here. This is a serious phone call’.
“I was nervous going in but having the likes of Sam and Cian Prendergast in there, and Jamie Osborne as well, helped,” says Mangan.
“I would have known Jamie from playing at Naas Rugby Club and I would have lived with him for two years, so having him, Sam and Cian in there definitely gave me a bit of comfort.
“I could bounce things off those lads and chat to them about kind of what it was going to be like. I learned loads in that camp and it’s an environment I really want to get back to.”
Sam Prendergast is a good friend, as well as team-mate through the ranks, since they were five-years-old.
“Our dads were both in the Army, working with the UN in Syria. Our families would have been very close and have a good connection. So, it’s class to be able to play in these games with him and it feels so natural. It’s unbelievable when you take a step back and realise this is something we chatted about when we were 15/16 and playing at Newbridge together and it’s happening now.
“He takes everything in his stride and he’s so calm,” adds Mangan, admitting the younger Prendergast has been both an inspiration and a sounding board.
“We would be over at his house for barbecues when we’re younger, we’d always be playing on the green. I’ve got three brothers and there was himself and Cian so we’d always be playing tag rugby, soccer, Gaelic.
His skill level is just unbelievable. Like you can see it now he’s able to kick off both feet, his range of passing is unbelievable. He’s always had those skills.”
On Mangan’s sole weekend off in this run of Leinster games, he made his sixth AIL appearance of the season for UCD in a side featuring eight Leinster players, including four who played in the province’s win over the Sharks in Durban a week previously, which preserved the club’s 1A status with a 40-10 last-day win at Young Munster.
“They have been huge for me and stayed huge for me. As an academy player, the physicality is just that small bit below the URC and if you’re not selected for URC or Champions Cup, you are getting a great test on a Saturday. You can take huge confidence from big performances in there to go into these URC games. Dan Sheehan’s father, Barry, is the president. So it was so nice to be involved in keeping the club up.”
In what’s been a hectic few months, Mangan has also taken enormous pride in travelling down to Cork with his parents to support his younger brother Ciarán in Ireland’s Under-20 Six Nations campaign.
“It was great to share those experiences and hopefully I’ll get to play with him, fingers crossed, with Leinster over the next few years.”
