Dermody to captain London Irish
Clarke Dermody will be captain of London Irish in all competitions as the new season rapidly approaches.
Dermody will come in and replace the experienced Bob Casey who has been captain of the club over the last three seasons. Dermody seems proud of the role and has already said that he wants to make a big impression this year.
It will be a very big season for London Irish who have made no secret of their desire to finish higher than sixth in the table. Coach Toby Booth has set the task of finishing higher than last season as the main priority of the club.
Dermody has a number of skills and attributes that should see him do very well in his new role. However, he will now face more off-field responsibilities and tasks that can create additional pressure.
Skills and attributes
Dermody is not the sort of player who can hide away and be quiet on a field for a long period of time. He is a big and strong athlete who carries a physical presence and this is important for any leader.
At prop he is going to be right in the heart of the team, which will make communication much easier. He should be heard from all areas of the team and he can get stuck in if he doesn't see something happening correctly because of where he plays on the field.
Dermody has played a high number of games for the Highlanders, Southland and London Irish. This has given him a very thorough knowledge of the game. It will allow him to read play better than other players and organise the team in front of him in defence and in attack.
Booth said: "Clarke is a natural captain with a wealth of leadership experience at provincial and Super 14 level in New Zealand. He is hugely respected within the squad and always leads by example out on the pitch. I would like to thank Bob for his fine captaincy in the past three seasons and stress the important role that players of his experience have on the continued development of our squad."
Additional tasks and pressure
Being the captain of a club does not mean the job stops when you leave the training field and go home. A captain is constantly representing the club and Dermody will have to open himself up to players on a regular basis.
However, this added pressure should not be a problem as he has handled a captaincy role during his time in New Zealand playing domestic rugby. If anything it should help him grow and thrive as a figure at the club.
Booth added: "The physical nature of Premiership rugby encourages the need for leaders all over the pitch and teams can no longer rely on one leader. Clarke will be our figurehead but the contribution of Bob and our other senior players will be paramount to our success on the pitch."
Betting advice
London Irish have said as a club that their main focus this coming season is the Premiership and finishing higher than sixth. If you can get good odds and you fancy them to do well then don't be afraid to take a punt on them winning the title this season.
Dermody should thrive in his new role at the club but avoid backing him as an individual. He will not get forward too many times as a prop and there will be far more productive players in the team such as the kicker. These players will score more points and tries and make you more money.
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