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 | | Thursday, 18 April, 2002, 10:20 GMT 11:20 UK Danaher eyes 'Twickers' set  Danaher has impressed England coach Clive Woodward By BBC Sport Online's Bryn Palmer Declan Danaher's sizeable family are converging on Twickenham this weekend, and they are not alone. "A massive influx" of supporters - according to London Irish director of rugby Conor O'Shea - are leaving the Emerald Isle and heading for 'the craic' at England headquarters. Aunts, uncles and cousins from his mother's home village of Glin in Co Limerick will all witness Danaher's first major outing at the stadium in Saturday's Powergen Cup final against Northampton. But it is a pilgrimage they are likely to repeat many more times in the coming years.
For despite the Irish background of his parents, the 22-year-old Danaher was born and bred in London and has his sights trained on a career with England. His performances in a London Irish team currently occupying second place in the Zurich Premiership earned a call-up to Clive Woodward's Six Nations training camp earlier this year. Danaher's dynamism around the field has provided a focal point for a side transformed under the guidance of player-coach Brendan Venter. "We have come a long way and that is down to Brendan really," Danaher says of the the former Springboks centre. "He has completely changed things around and got everyone thinking on the same wavelength and heading towards the same goal. "He is rugby-mad. He eats, drinks and sleeps rugby and I feel sorry for his wife. It is all he thinks about.
"But it is good for the team. We can relax a bit when he is playing because he knows what needs to be done." Saturday will be Danaher's 29th club game in his first full professional season, as well as four outings for England's 'A' team. And despite the physical pressures of that schedule starting to tell, a place on England's summer tour to Argentina and South Africa remains a realistic target. "The aches and pains are beginning to catch up on me now and I'm pretty tired," Danahar admits. "But I would love a summer in Argentina - that would be awesome. But I won't be moaning and kicking my heels if I don't go. "I didn't really have a holiday last year because I was away with the Under 21s in Australia and the break would probably do me good." Battle Danaher will be at the heart of a back-row battle that may well decide what could be a close and classic contest if the weather stays fine. He was in inspired form when the Exiles trounced Northampton 48-12 in the Premiership last November. But a rumbustuous return match at Franklin's Gardens in late December saw him turn in "one of my worst games of the season" as the Saints edged it 24-15. He knows that in Scotland's Budge Pountney and former All Blacks flanker Andrew Blowers, Northampton have players capable of stopping Irish in their tracks.
"They are both aggressive, niggly players and the first two we will look to clear off the ball," he added. "We have to target them and be really careful because they can turn ball over very effectively." Already addressed as 'Deckers' by team-mates in deference to the 'Twickers' venue where he hopes to fulfill his Test ambitions, Danaher's experience so far has been limited to sevens a few years ago. "I try not to think about it, although it does pop into your mind and you think 'Jesus Christ, I'm playing in front of 72,000 people next week,'" he added. The large Irish contingent in a capacity Twickenham crowd will ensure Danaher's first major occasion is a special one. It is unlikely to be the last. | | See also:  Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Other top English stories: Links to more English stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||
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