Going the distance to get back

HOME AND AWAY DAVID GANNON: Former Connacht secondrow David Gannon talks to Gavin Cummiskeyabout resurrecting his career with New Zealand's Southland Stags

IN JUNE, 2004, David Gannon captained the Ireland Under-21s to the World Cup final in Glasgow. Argentina, France and Australia were swamped before a heavy defeat against an immensely talented and fluid New Zealand outfit.

Little did the genial lock know that five years later the southern most tip of The Land of the Long White Cloud would become his temporary home.

Rugby can take men places. It has brought Gannon to Invercargill, New Zealand, for a season in the National Provincial Championship with the Southland Stags. “The first weekend I got out here the manager gave me his car to drive around the town, get lost basically, and get my bearings. I drove out to a place called Bluff and was thinking ‘this is a pretty amazing experience, being on one of the southern most tips of the world because I play rugby’. It made me feel kind of lucky to have got this opportunity.”

For a while this summer Gannon felt life as a professional engine-room merchant might be over as, along with 14 others, he was part of a clearout in Connacht. Many, like former under-21 and Blackrock school-mate John Hearty, were forced into early retirement through injury. Others simply hung up their boots.

“I was four years at Connacht. After my first two and half years I was pleased with myself. I made Ireland A which justified the decision to go down there. Then I got injured early in my third season. Late in that season my ankle was still at me and that’s when I got surgery. The fourth season, I didn’t really get into it until the end and that’s when I was moved around a bit; playing seven and six.

“I think maybe I stayed a bit too long; got a bit too comfortable down in Galway. This new experience has given me a new appreciation of rugby. Coming out here [to New Zealand], seeing how they play, just tactically being more involved with the team. I’m enjoying it.”

It is refreshing to hear the differences explained in reverse after so many Kiwi’s tried to explain what it’s like to play Northern Hemisphere rugby.

“They are probably like an above average Magners League team. The skill levels from one to 15 are up a bit and so is the attention to detail in phase play. The training on the pitch is pretty much double the amount of time we spent back home. They don’t mind taking a break for five minutes to talk through what they are going to do and why they are going to do it.

“The lads, on this team anyway, all have a good input. They flesh things out, phase-play wise, while back home we are more concerned with set-piece.”

On arrival he may have expected to share digs with team-mates but was sent to scrum coach Daryl Thompson’s father’s house. “It’s just him [Mark Thompson] and his dog. We get on well.”

The list of famous people from Invercargill is littered with All Blacks – Anton Oliver, Jeff Wilson and Mils Muliaina. It is a fairly basic state of affairs but he has zero complaints. “They call it Invervegas. There is not much going on but it’s grand. The Stags are well-known around the town. It is like a community club so they are all supportive of the team. It is quiet but that’s what I need. Not many distractions around. Keep my head down for a couple of months.”

The route to one of the southernmost cities in the world came via the modern web of rugby agents. His DVD was zipped down and a week later the offer came. Basically, the Stags needed cover at lock. He kept the bench warm for the opening 16-6 defeat of Waikato. For Gannon it provides a chance at redemption. Come October the 13-game regular NPC season will be complete and he becomes a free agent once more.

“I definitely thought that I was very close to the end of the road this year. You realise you might have to give up what you like doing for a living. I want to create a few more options for myself so in October I can keep doing what I’m doing. There is an opportunity to get game time. I just have take my chances when they pop up.”

The first opportunity presented itself in the Stags surprise defeat of Otago last Friday night. His first impression was a positive one.

I guess its always a concern when you bring people over after watching them on videos,” said Southland coach David Henderson. “Hes fitted in very well and I was very happy with his game. Once his fitness comes up to the level thats required, because he had six weeks off before he joined us, hell be a good asset.

Current All Blacks Luke McAlister, Jerome Kaino, Piri Weepu and John Afoa were part of the unstoppable 2004 “Baby Blacks”. Tommy Bowe [injured for final], Tomás O’Leary and Jamie Heaslip graduated to the senior green jersey. The rest strove to make a breakthrough. Some carved out fleeting professional careers. Others note the Scottish odyssey as their peak.

It’s an unforgiving road but, at 26, and despite a forgettable injury-stained last two seasons, Gannon is on an uncharted route to reinvigorate what remains of his playing days.