Declan Danaher chomping at the bit
London Irish flanker Declan Danaher says he is chomping at the bit to get stuck in during the opening games of the Premiership season.
Danaher was forced to sit out a large part of last season after he ruptured a knee ligament last October. This forced him to endure a long rehabilitation after surgery and now he's ready to pay back the faith the club has kept in him.
London Irish face Saracens in their first game of the season on Saturday. Danaher says it does not get any better than opening against one of the teams that are tipped by many to go on and win the title this season.
There are huge benefits for the club to have a player so up for the first game. However, they will have to keep one eye on him for the first few games to make sure his knee holds up to the pressure and stress he'll experience.
Huge benefits
There are huge benefits for London Irish because Danaher seems genuinely up and ready for the first game. This means he will raise his performance levels and play above himself for the whole match. It will also be like getting a new player for the club as he is now back and free from injury.
There may have been points during the player's rehabilitation where he would have feared that he may never play again. This ensures that his increased performance during the first game will not be a one-off because he'll be grateful every time he runs out onto the pitch.
This all has the ability to rub off on the rest of the team. There will be players in the London Irish side who will be a little nervous before and during the opening stages of the match against Saracens. If these players see Danaher getting stuck in and enjoying himself, this can rub off on other members of the team.
Danaher said: "I feel really good, I've played in all three pre-season games and the knee's been fine. I'm just looking towards Sarries now and want to help make a difference. They are going to be strong, they've got a massive squad compared to some of the other teams."
Protect the player
London Irish will have to keep one eye on protecting Danaher during the early games of the season because they will not want a repeat of the injury. The knees are a part of the body that have to endure extreme physical stress during games.
This could mean that Danaher experiences pain early on during a physical game. This would force him out and a lower quality player would have to replace him. This would be damaging to his morale and may knock all of the energy and enthusiasm out of him.
However, he added: "With Brendan, he has brought two brands of rugby to Saracens - the kicking South African style and the free-flowing style - so they will definitely be tough opponents to face. It's been a tough pre-season, no stone has been left unturned whether it's fitness-wise or contact-wise."
Betting advice
Danaher is a very good bet to score a lot of points during the game with Saracens because he seems genuinely grateful for the chance to play. It's almost as though he will do anything to get over the line in order to score a few points for his team.
However, the standard of Saracens will be a little too high for London Irish to win their opening game. Their opponents have more quality in more areas and this will tell.
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