Ian Keatley could have been another Irishman playing in exile this season but he decided to stay and fight for his place at Munster.
Tyler Bleyendaal was the first choice 10 and prodigal son JJ Hanrahan was returning home. If the writing looked on the wall, Keatley was happy to ignore it.
“I thought about moving away,” he admitted during an interview on The Hard Yards earlier this season. Three factors contributed in his sticking around – continuity for his family, challenging for trophies [albeit under Rassie Erasmus] and his own bloody-mindedness.
Erasmus is back in South Africa – replaced by Johann van Graan – but Keatley has not missed a beat. The Dubliner is having a gem of a season.
At Thomond Park, against Connacht, Keatley was excellent again. It wasn’t world-beater stuff, it was just solid, confident play with the odd spark that light up play. He played a key role in Munster’s first three tries – appearing with a carry and pass in the 22 before Darren O’Shea’s score, grubber-kicking for Andrew Conway’s score and timing a lovely pass to Conway when Rory Scannell played first receiver.
Erasmus will be missed but van Graan has arrived with a quirky playbook and Keatley is enjoying his time with it. The goal-kicking was pretty good too [6 from 7] and there were some nicely judged kicks from hand.
His confidence is soaring and he is a real leader in that Munster backline. Following the 39-13 win over Connacht, van Graan hailed his outhalf:
“Keats is playing some of the best rugby of his life. He’s got confidence, he’s kicking well out of hand and I thought he took the ball quite well to the line today.
“He made some very good calls. He’s obviously one of our leaders in the team and, together with Conor and Zeebs, our main decision-makers in the back did very well today.”
As it stands, Keatley is set to back Johnny Sexton up at the start of the Six Nations. Joey Carbery may return in lste January for Leinster but Joe Schmidt has been given no reason, this season at least, to doubt the 30-year-old.
Each week, and each game, Keatley is picking up new believers.
https://twitter.com/AislingRelihan/status/949766526927802374
https://twitter.com/cianodo/status/949750120253403137
Two things. How unrecognisable is Ian Keatley from the man of the past couple of years. The mind is a remarkable thing. And isn't it a pity Keith Earls wasn"t a little bigger. All those injuries, he could have 100 caps for Ireland #MUNvCON
— Daragh Ó Conchúir (@RebelDevil71) January 6, 2018
Brilliant game by @iankeatley played right up on the game line and wasn't afraid to drop deap when needed. Near perfect from the boot also #MUNvCON #SUAF #RedArmy
— Shane O'Neill (@Shane_ONeill1) January 6, 2018
While there were nothing but positive vibes about Keatley, the news on Bleyendaal [neck injury] was not so promising. Van Graan said:
“With Tyler, we take it week by week. He might be available in a week’s time; it might take another six to eight weeks. We’re very sensitive to him because of the type of injury. As soon as he feels he is ready to go, and the medical team clears him, we’ll put him back in.”
It is a shame that Munster have not had the talented Kiwi for most of this season but Keatley has stepped up superbly well. It took some time but he’s settled in nicely in Limerick.
