PETER O’Mahony has flown to Cape Town ahead of the last match in his illustrious rugby career on Saturday.
The former Ireland captain will line out for the Barbarians against a Springboks XV in an exhibition that will kick-off at 5.05pm Irish time.
He’ll have some superstar teammates on the day[/caption]
There’s a touch of symmetry to it given his career in red also came to a close in South Africa last month.
Munster fell to an agonising URC play-off defeat at the hands of Hollywoodbet Sharks after a penalty shootout shrouded in controversy.
Ahead of this Cape Town caper, the 35-year-old shared a stunning beachside view from his accommodation. It was captioned: “One last game!”
Conor Murray is also set to feature. Unlike O’Mahony, he is going to prolong his playing days into next season as he’s announced he’ll be moving abroad.
The expectation is that the 36-year-old will sign for a Top 14 team in France.
Amusingly, the final chapter of O’Mahony’s career will see him become teammates for one day with ex-All Blacks captain Sam Cane.
In this part of the world he’s mostly known for being subject to one of O’Mahony’s most withering on-pitch put-downs when he labelled him a “s*** Richie McCaw” during a 2022 Test match.
Ultimately Cane did have the last laugh in their feud, however, as he inspired New Zealand to victory when the two rivals squared off again in the quarter-finals of the 2023 World Cup.
Thus far in semi-retirement O’Mahony has kept busy by getting his hands dirty in the garden as opposed to the rugby pitch.
On Monday he shared a beautiful transformation that required no less than “15 bags of manure”.
Alongside a video of the work being done, the flanker also detailed that it had required three TONNES of mulch.
He explained: “I’ve been planning to revamp the herbaceous planting in all 3 beds over the last few years.
“I’m happy with the structural planting now but I knew the flowering had a big refresh in it.
“Over a few weeks recently we removed all bulbs, perennial plants, plants that I had moved from pots into beds and weeds.
“We then drew up a small list of plants that we repeated in groups along the boarders.
“2 of the smaller beds are quite shaded so the planting in them is different to the long boarder witch is mostly full sun.
“We planted nearly 300 perennials and some grasses throughout the 3 beds. Then added lots of garden compost and 15 bags of well rotted manure followed by 3 tonne bags of mulch.
“I think what we’ve come up with now is a longer flowering period that should have interest from Spring to Autumn.
“Plan is now to do a full planting of bulbs come winter time but as of now I’m delighted with the way it’s turning out. I’ll keep you up dated on how it matures…!”
