Stringer stepping out of O'Gara's shadow

Peter Stringer began last season as third-choice scrum-half with Munster but he has secured pole position in the fast-improving Ireland side. Drafted in for his debut in the wake of Ireland's disastrous opening championship defeat at Twickenham a little over 12 months ago, Stringer became Ireland's eighth scrum-half in five years.

But he will collect his 10th cap against France at Lansdowne Road on Saturday and, in tandem with his schoolboy pal Ronan O'Gara, looks set to be here for the long-term. Although they arrived as a package, the Shannon number nine has lived in the shadow of points machine O'Gara in Munster's march through Europe and during Ireland's renaissance.

But he found himself in the spotlight in the opening Six Nations match against Italy. Stringer was pole-axed by Alessandro Troncon in the closing stages of Ireland's comfortable 41-22 win and was helped off bewildered and dazed and sporting a badly bruised cheekbone.

Coach Warren Gatland dubbed the Munster half-back a tough little bugger in the post-match news conference and the player himself quickly dismisses the ugly incident as part and parcel of the game.

"I was caught unawares," he recalls. "I didn't see it coming. The last thing I remember was being on the ground. It's just one of those things that happen. It's a physical game. I was sore the next morning but there are just a few scrapes on it.

"It was a very physical game, we always knew it would be over there, and I suppose it's a key position. If you can stop the scrum-half, the back line might not perform well."

At just 5ft 7in and weighing a mere 11st, Stringer has had to learn to become the artful dodger in addition to developing one of the best passing games in the business. "Being so much smaller than everyone else, even from an early age, I've learned over the years to try and stay away from the big guys if they're running at me," he says.

"I must say I enjoy the challenge of playing against guys a lot bigger than me."

Stringer, who put on hold a university degree course in chemistry to further his rugby education, has seen off the challenge of Brian O'Meara and Tom Tierney to claim the Ireland number nine jersey and renew a half-back partnership that goes back to under-eight level.

Although nine months younger, Stringer has partnered O'Gara for so long they have developed an almost telepathic understanding that is paying dividends for the national side in addition to Munster.

"Some people say it looks like there is something there between us but I think it's just a lot of practice together over the years, a lot of hard work more than anything else," says Cork-born Stringer. "We arrived on the scene together at an early age. We started playing when we were seven or eight. We were paired up together and have gone on from there.

"I feel comfortable playing with Ronan. I don't have to worry about where he's going to be most of the time, it's one less thing to worry about. I know his style of play, where he likes the ball. There's good communications. We're good friends and get on very well. I live just down the road from him and we travel together for training."

O'Gara pushed himself into contention for a Lions tour spot with a commanding performance in Rome and, with 135 points in his 10 games, has become an integral member of the Ireland side.

Stringer says: "He's not just a goalkicker, he's a good passer of the ball and he can read a game very well. Last year his reading of the game improved an awful lot. He is making a lot more decisions on his own." (PA)

Filed by Seán Folan