Possessing constitution to take the hard knocks

INTERVIEW RICHARD LANE:  JOHN O'SULLIVANtalks to the Cork Constitution player who has carved out a successful club career after he was released by Munster in 2005

RICHARD LANE qualifies as a chartered accountant at the end of this month. Today he’ll be a pivotal figure for Cork Constitution as the club bids to muscle past Dolphin at Temple Hill in what might euphemistically be billed as a keenly-contested AIB All-Ireland League Division One semi-final: the bragging rights in this Cork derby will be nearly as cherished as a place in the final.

The 27-year-old fullback-cum-wing enjoys his current lifestyle that blends the daily regimen of collar and tie with the sporting outlet of the part-time rugby player. It’s a state of affairs that he wouldn’t have envisaged almost six years ago as a member of the Ireland team that reached the Under-21 World Cup final before losing to New Zealand.

He nurtured an ambition to play professional rugby. As a member of the Munster Academy and an underage international he had propelled himself into the correct ambit to pursue that dream, one shared with team-mates from Glasgow 2004 like Jamie Heaslip, Tommy Bowe and Tomás O’Leary.

A little over 12 months later having completed his time in the provincial academy, he was crestfallen to learn he would not be offered a contract with Munster. The anticipated career path was now a cul-de-sac.

Hamish Adams, the Munster Academy manager, arranged for Lane to spend the summer playing rugby in New Zealand.

“I was told that the door wasn’t totally closed (on getting a senior contract) and that if I played well in the AIL that the situation might be reassessed,” Lane recalled.

“I sent off my CV and some DVDs to England. I thought I might be able to get a contract with a Division One club.”

Lane certainly didn’t suffer from delusions of grandeur, candidly pointing out “to be honest I don’t think I was good enough to play at the very top level”.

It’s important to qualify his modest assessment by suggesting he had the ability to make a 35-man squad roster.

“I would have been able to pick up contracts here and there but I had to be dispassionate and honest about my future.

“It wasn’t easy because I realise now that I took the blow of being released by Munster very badly. For the four years previously I was looking at rugby as my number-one career choice with the accountancy as something to fall back upon. When the decision is made for you it’s tougher to accept.”

While in the Munster Academy, Lane had attended UCC to study accountancy and also managed to gain a higher diploma in management and marketing: it marked a shift in emphasis from a post-rugby option to the primary career with rugby as the addendum.

“Rugby became my hobby rather than my career.”

He’s barely cast a backward glance since until pressed to do so in recalling that memorable Glasgow experience in 2004. Ireland won their three home matches in the Six Nations that season, drew with France and lost to England in Kingsholm.

Mark McCall had been coach but left to take up the coach’s position at Ulster with Mark McDermott and Pat Murray taking over the duties for the World Cup.

“I suppose my abiding memory is the camaraderie. There were no cliques and we had a fantastic team spirit. It didn’t matter who you were sharing a room with, it was good craic. If you were going for a walk and a coffee, it was the same; everyone mingled so easily. We wouldn’t have had thoughts of winning going into the tournament but in fairness to Mark and Pat we did an awful lot of video analysis and knew where the opposition were weak.

“We were very tight as a group and I think that showed in the close games, especially the wins over France with whom we’d drawn in the Six Nations and Argentina, who were always very strong.”

Lane grabbed a brace of tries against Tonga, his first game of rugby following a two-month injury lay-off and another in the semi-final victory over Australia.

“I’d still keep in touch with the lads. Obviously I’d see the Cork-based players on a regular basis and come across a few others over the years in the All-Ireland League. I’m delighted for Tomás (O’Leary), Jamie (Heaslip) and Tommy (Bowe) in what they have achieved and definitely a little envious.”

Compensation per se from a rugby perspective came in the success he was enjoyed with Con at club level, winning two AIB Senior Cups, a Munster Senior Cup and one AIB League Division One Championship.

In the latter they have topped the league format for the last four seasons.

“I couldn’t have come to a better club. Each year we challenge for trophies and I don’t know if I could play for a club who weren’t competitive. We have good craic after matches and the rugby is hugely enjoyable.”

Sailing and golf – he plays out of Douglas but refuses to divulge his handicap – provide recreational outlets during the summer. They’ll have to wait though until the end of the rugby season. Those who place great store in statistics might be interested to note Con won the inaugural All-Ireland League, ditto with the All-Ireland Cup and given this is the first year of the new league format would like to continue that trend. The motivation of the disappointment in losing last season’s semi-final will be a galvanising factor.

The Constitution players want to provide substance to pre-season goals about coming back stronger and making the league title their primary objective: a cup and league double dangles tantalisingly close. The Cork club has neatly bookended Lane’s rugby career.

Taken to Temple Hill as a six-year-old by his father – Lane laughs: “I hated it initially and didn’t go back until I was eight” – his on-pitch education took in Pres Cork, Munster Schools, Ireland Under-19, Ireland Under-21, Ireland Club team, UCC before finally returning to his roots at Con.

At the end of the month he’ll have to go off and secure his professional future. It no longer pertains directly to rugby but with his current work-life balance he’s not complaining.