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Munster scrum-half Casey honoured to add to Ardscoil Rís' Ireland tradition by joining international ranks

Taste for it: Craig Casey during an Ireland training camp back in 2019

�INPHO/Tommy Dickson

Taste for it: Craig Casey during an Ireland training camp back in 2019

Cian Tracey Twitter

January 30 2021 11:00 AM

As a student in Limerick's Ardscoil Rís, Craig Casey would often take note of the sporting memorabilia dotted around the corridors and dream of one day adding his own piece of history.

In more recent times, Ardscoil may be more renowned for producing All-Ireland-winning hurlers, yet Casey was always destined to follow the path set by Paul O'Connell, Seán Cronin and Dave Kilcoyne.

Two years ago, Casey brought the Under-20s Six Nations trophy and his Grand Slam medal back to the school.

Everyone knew it wouldn't be the last time he would return with success.

In the short time since, the 21-year-old has rapidly developed to such an extent that Andy Farrell has handed Casey his first international call-up.

For so long, the Munster scrum-half would stop and stare at photos of O'Connell, Cronin and Kilcoyne playing for Ireland, but he is one step closer to joining the collection.

It has been a while since there were three Ardscoil men in an Ireland squad but, on the back of Casey's call-up, Kilcoyne's return to fitness and O'Connell's appointment as forwards coach, it's a proud moment for the Limerick school.

"Killer (Kilcoyne) was actually slagging me during the week, he was like, 'It's mad being with your hero in camp, isn't it?'" Casey said.

"There's been a bit of craic with Killer saying, 'The Ardscoil lads are back'. It's unbelievable when you see them on the wall in Ireland jerseys.

"You definitely want to bring stuff like that back to the school and it is cool to have the three of us in there."

Although Cronin's days in the Ireland set-up are numbered, Casey's promotion has ensured Ardscoil are still well represented.

Kilcoyne enthused: "It's absolutely great. You can see Craig's energy and enthusiasm is infectious. He has been incredible for Munster.

"He has been earmarked a long time ago. His dad (Ger) is a great rugby man. He contributes in everything he does and he has brought that into Irish camp, which I had no doubt he would do.

"Craig is involved in that good Limerick banter we have.

"He is driving that on up here and giving a great account of himself. I am sure we'll see him over the next few weeks."

For Casey, this is the next step of his development and, despite overtaking some far more experienced scrum-halves, Farrell clearly sees the same potential in him that has been obvious since his under-age days with Ardscoil and Shannon.

Growing up in what Casey describes as a "sports-mad house", he was surrounded by a competitive spirit that has been ingrained in him.

"My father coached me the whole way up and then I had my uncle (Mossie Lawler) for rugby," he said. "But then my sister (Amy) and my mother (Sinéad) are fairly competitive as well.

"My mother was an Irish gymnast growing up and represented Ireland, so she'll slag me that she wore the green first!

"Then my sister was an All-Ireland champion in gymnastics, about 20 medals, so it's definitely a competitive household and you don't get an inch in there."

A talented soccer player, Casey switched his focus to the oval ball after he missed a penalty for Limerick in a Kennedy Cup play-off game.

In truth, with his family steeped in Shannon rugby, there was always only going to be one winner.

"My father was coaching the senior team at the time so I was there Tuesday, Thursday, then Saturday for match days," Casey reflected.

"I was out in Shannon the whole time, watching training, getting to kick around the ball on the sideline, passing with the seniors and being around the team environment.

"There were definitely Munster matches I remember. I'm sure you've seen the mascot photo, that was pretty cool, and obviously with Axel (Anthony Foley) passing away, it means more seeing that photo.

"I only lived two minutes away from Thomond Park, so I'd be there every match day getting stuck into it. My father and my uncle always told me that my passing as a scrum-half is what you do most on the field, so it's your biggest rock essentially. From an early age, I was repping that.

"I was really good off one hand and then Andrew Thompson from Shannon told me I needed to get better - I was only five or six, maybe seven. That drove me on.

"I remember when we won the AIL in 2009, my father was the coach, and going onto the pitch with them and seeing the three days of celebrations they had afterwards - carnage!"

Now part of the Ireland squad, Casey has his sights set on making his debut in the Six Nations over the coming weeks.

"Going through lockdown, it's definitely a goal I had in mind - to be an international by the end of the year," he added.

"Obviously I'm not an international yet and I want to get that cap, but it's good to be in Ireland camp."

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