GIVEN THE venue for next Saturday's Heineken Cup final, Byron Terrance Kelleher could probably be forgiven if the mere mention of Cardiff's Millennium Stadium has him reaching for the smelling salts.
The last time the scrum-half donned his boots in anger at that same ground he found himself on the wrong side of the score as France, including several of his current Toulouse team-mates, dredged up hitherto unsuspected reserves of defensive desperat
ion to deny the All Blacks in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. It was the earliest exit that New Zealand had ever made in that tournament's history, so does Kelleher have any misgivings about returning to the scene of the All Black's bleakest day?
"Oh no, this is a totally different ball game to me," he says. "Sure, I was disappointed with the outcome of the Rugby World Cup match in Cardiff but in saying that I also have a lot of great memories. So that's sport and that's rugby.
"No matter what ground you play on, you are always going to have victories and defeats. As a professional athlete, I've just got to deal with that mentally, shift on and look forward to playing on a fantastic stage like the Millennium Stadium."
Once the little scrum-half starts talking it is almost impossible to interrupt him. What's more he speaks in entire paragraphs rather than sentences, with scarcely a pause for breath, never mind a full stop. He is obviously as enthusiastic off the field as he is energetic on it and the prospect of appearing in his first Heineken Cup final adds a little extra buzz that is superfluous to this naturally chipper character.
But, then again, there is plenty to get excited about, with a European final that all neutrals wanted to see. It pits the French aristocrats against the Irish artisans, although both sides boast a proud European heritage. According to the form guide, the game should throw French flair against Irish pragmatism, Ronan O'Gara's boot against the sublime attacking skills of Cedric Haymens and Vincent Clerc; a clash of diametrically opposite rugby cultures, the outcome of which could influence the entire European game.
"No, I wouldn't classify it as a beauty and the beast," says Kelleher replying to the question of contrasting styles and laughing as he does so. "I think that there are two teams that going to exploit the passion and excitement of playing rugby. There are plenty of talented players on both teams and I am sure that you will see a highly skilful and very fast Heineken Cup final – maybe something you haven't seen before.
"Munster are one of the strongest sides in Europe. They dominate up front where they have a big, strong forward pack and a fly-half who kicks to the corner and applies the pressure. But this season they have been able to capitalise on possession by having a couple of solid midfield players in Rua Tupoki and Lifeimi Mafi. Those guys can make something out of nothing and Dougie Howlett on the wing is a real threat. Munster don't just have their traditional forward strength but there is some class out in the backs too."
It will come as no surprise that the three men that Kelleher mentions as potential threats in Munster back line are all imported Kiwis, although just how willing O'Gara will be to release them before the match is won is another matter. The fact that even clubs like Toulouse and Munster, both of whom make a virtue out of utilising local talent, have a strong Kiwi contingent says everything you need to know about which way the wind is blowing.
Kelleher is unlike several of his former team-mates in that he waited until his All Black career was drawing to its natural conclusion before grabbing the euros and he believes that the current brawn drain may have long-term beneficial effects on rugby back in his homeland. The scrum-half believes that his fellow Kiwis might even be improved by a spell in the north.
"The temptation has been there for many a year and a lot of players have taken the opportunity," he says. "It is a wee bit of an issue now but, like any other business, the NZRFU will have to structure something whereby they retain players. If not retain players then they have to start up a new cycle whereby young players get exposure to overseas rugby earlier and play in Europe before returning to New Zealand to play for the All Blacks with all that knowledge. It could be a real bonus for the All Blacks."
That may be stretching things a little but Kelleher himself admits that he might yet return home to finish his career in New Zealand. Aged 31, with a two-year contract and the option of a third if he wants it, he still has time on his side. With experience of three World Cups, Bledisloe Cups victories, a UK and Ireland grand slam and a 3-0 drubbing of the Lions to his name, the scrum-half insists that he is happy to have waited as long as he did before moving abroad. When he finally upped sticks to France he found one aspect of life refreshingly familiar.
"Coming from a country like New Zealand, people are extremely passionate about their local team and the ground; the fans are breathing and smelling the scent of rugby," he says. "I thought I came from a country that really, really indulged in rugby but when you get here in France you quickly realise that New Zealand is not the only place that lives and breathes the game.
"Some fans are so energetic towards the team, they are so enthusiastic if they catch sight of a player just walking down the street, it's got a real nice feeling to it here in the south of France. The great thing is that it doesn't matter if you have 12,000 people crammed into a little ground at Albi or whether you have 80,000 fans in the Stade de France in Paris, they are just as enthusiastic. They sing and they dance and they complain loudly to the referee, they are really vocal. It's a great environment to play in."
Kelleher admits to having some difficulty with the language and the culture to begin with but now he is over the initial barrier, his French is advancing rapidement, he is loving the life. As for the old chestnut about which hemisphere produces better rugby, the man who has experienced both is in no doubt.
"I think this year the quality of rugby that we've seen in the Heineken Cup is actually an improvement on the Super 14 competition. At the start of the Heineken Cup, you have awful weather which changes the dynamic, it's more difficult to play so the game becomes more physical and forward orientated. With time, the weather improves and it is possible to play a more expansive game in better conditions.
"I love playing for Toulouse because they play an attacking style of rugby just like the All Blacks."
When Kelleher reaches Cardiff's Millennium Stadium next Saturday afternoon, the scrum-half will hope that that is where any similarity between his country and his club ends.
The full article contains 1230 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
