Paul Burke expecting Munster to rediscover their old fire

Paul Burke looked to his past to secure his future. Epsom College took the boy and made him a man and now that man has returned to further the rugby education of the school's pupils. He closed the circle after 24 years when agreeing to become the director of rugby.

Half a dozen teachers who taught the teenage Burke remain at Epsom College and the subconscious reflex to call them ‘sir’ is beginning to wear off. There are other alterations, one or two new buildings, the emphasis on pastoral care and the fact that the school is coeducational; there were no girls in his day.

In those intervening years Burke, born in Paddington, London, to Irish parents, forged an excellent career in rugby. Now, 42, the former outhalf won 13 caps for Ireland (108 points) between 1995 and 2003, and the back catalogue of clubs includes, London Irish, Cork Constitution, Munster (twice, 38 appearances, 245 points), Bristol, Harlequins, Cardiff and the Leicester Tigers.

Coaching team

When injury expedited his retirement in 2008, Burke become part of the coaching team at Welford Road, initially as kicking coach. But when Matt O’Connor left for Leinster, the former Irish international’s remit expanded to backs’, attack and place-kicking coaches. Burke subsumed the departed O’Connor’s duties as head coach but his job title remained backs’ coach.

In October 2014 he left the Tigers, just shy of nine years, as player and coach. Injuries bedevilled the club during his final season and a half; at one point he had 10 fit backs of which five were halfbacks. It was easier to nick a victory or two at Welford Road when those sitting in the stand in civvies outnumbered those in playing gear.

Epsom had been in contact and Burke decided it was an opportune moment to change tack. He’d become slightly disillusioned with professional rugby. The position at the school offered greater stability.

“Professional rugby is a very topsy-turvy world, full of uncertainty and I am at a stage of my life where my kids are 13 (Isobel) and 10 (Amelia, born in Limerick) and they just need a bit more stability in their lives.

“When you are in the professional game you live your life week to week. That’s one of the big differences with the career I have now, nurturing and developing kids. It’s very different but very rewarding in a lot of senses.”

Red shirt

On Saturday perennial European rivals, Munster and Leicester square off once again at the Thomond Park. They share so much history. Burke, who wore the red shirt in the 1995-1996 season, and again from 2004 to 2006, once played for the Tigers against Munster, when the Irish province prevailed 21-19 at Welford Road (2006).

“There are so many similarities; passionate supporters, steeped in history and clubs that have enjoyed huge amounts of success. Any match between Munster and Leicester is huge because of the history dating from the time of Neil Back’s ‘intervention’.

“Back in the 2006-2007 season The Tigers became the first side to win a European game at Thomond Park but only after Munster had beaten them at Welford Road in the opening round of fixtures that season. They are always very close encounters. Saturday’s game won’t disappoint the neutral.”

The rivalry was further enhanced by another influence.

"If you look at the number of players that Munster and Leicester harvest for the respective national sides, Ireland and England, there was always that bit of edge because they would come across each other in Six Nations every year and, that allied to the club matches, bred a rivalry.

“If you have seven or eight Irish internationals against five or six English internationals there is always going to be that bit of edge in a game; maybe not quite so now because of the influx of southern hemisphere boys.

“There are players at Leicester that would not have experienced a Leicester-Munster European Cup game. It is new territory and the coaches are going to learn a little more about individuals based on how they handle Thomond Park. Only the strong survive; and even then not all the time.”

Saturday's protagonists will be coached by former on-pitch opponents, Richard Cockerill (Leicester) and Anthony Foley (Munster).

Burke laughed: “I’d say Axl (Foley) is more softly spoken but two very robust forwards in their day who played with their heart on their sleeve but have dampened down that aggression a small bit (since taking up coaching) and become real thinkers of the game.”

Munster may have faltered a little of late but Burke suggests that it won’t have a material impact on the game. “Leicester will meet a very different Munster team to the one that recent results have suggested.

“Tigers will take confidence from winning tight games in the domestic league but from my experience playing for Munster, nothing fires the players more than the prospect of someone entering their territory with aspirations.”