One of the most alluring factors in Damian de Allende's decision to join Munster after helping South Africa to win the World Cup would have been the prospect of playing in front of Thomond Park crowds. Yet between the pandemic and the abdomen injury which sidelined him for over two months, the second leg round-of-16 tie against Exeter three weeks ago was only the third time he experienced such an occasion.
No wonder he unleashed a guttural roar to the crowd after scoring the 73rd-minute try which sealed their place in the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final when they face Toulouse next Saturday at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 3pm).
Indeed, in 35 games for Munster he has only played in front of crowds in 11 of them, and only four have been at home. No player likes playing in empty echo chambers and de Allende is no exception, while clearly the return of Munster’s supporters agrees with him, for he’s scored a try in each of his last three home games.
“I play rugby to win and that’s the main goal,” he stressed when talking to the media on Tuesday. “If I score a try, I score a try. If I don’t it’s more rewarding to set up a try. I don’t have a favourite try but the Exeter one was incredible in Thomond Park. The last time I felt energy like that was when I scored a try against Wales in the World Cup semi-final. It was exceptional. And if I score in the next few weeks, hopefully I can feel the same energy from the crowd.”
The 30-year-old signed to win a trophy, he admits, and ideally he’d like to win two, but whatever happens, he said, “I will cherish my time here. I’ve really loved it.
I've never played at a club where I've gone to an away game and there's been more supporters from the away team
"It was tough when I couldn't enjoy Ireland properly when I first got here but as the weeks have gone on it's been a lot better," said de Allende, who also became a father for the first time while in Ireland when his partner Domenica Vigliotti gave birth to their son Gabriel just over a year ago.
‘Exceptional’
“It’s been incredible to play in a full Thomond Park, it was exceptional. I wish I could have played in front of a crowd in a lot more events but that’s just the way life is at the moment.
“Whatever happens happens, but I will leave here with a big smile on my face with lots of happy memories that are made here in Munster.”
He talks about feeding off the crowd's energy and has been particularly struck by the travelling Red Army.
“I’ve never played at a club where I’ve gone to an away game and there’s been more supporters from the away team. When we played against Wasps and Exeter it felt like there were more Munster fans there than the home fans, so for me that was incredible.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen something like that and to interact with the fans after those games is nice, especially here at Thomond Park, to walk along the field and take pictures with fans at Thomond Park.”
Interestingly, de Allende says the squad are “tighter” this season, perhaps in part because of the difficulties they’ve endured and the outside noise off the pitch, but primarily this has come from within.
We've learned a lot and have a lot to look forward to, but it has been incredible the way guys have moved on from that frustration
“It could be a bit of everything. I think when things get tough, especially in a team environment, it can be quite easy to point fingers and when things got tough we kept it in the group and we took accountability of it.
"The toughness started just before we went to South Africa when we lost a game against Connacht, which was a very tough game, and it just led to a bit of frustration. But when frustration does creep into a team and you sort it out in the group and you don't let that frustration get out of the group, it helps a lot.
‘Understanding’
“We’ve spoken about it numerous times and the understanding of the way we speak about it has helped a lot as well. It’s not blaming each other, each making each other better and I think us as a group now understand that.
“We’ve learned a lot and have a lot to look forward to, but it has been incredible the way guys have moved on from that frustration. Every time there is frustration we just talk about it and get it out of the way. We don’t let it linger anymore.”
Now comes the most exciting week and game of his time with Munster thus far.
“It was exciting to play them last year but I think this is a whole different ball game with over 30,000 tickets being sold already at the Aviva Stadium.
“I think the atmosphere on Saturday is going to be incredible but I think the energy on the field is going to be . . . I can’t explain it but I get that feeling of it’s going to be a cracker of a game on Saturday afternoon.”
