For the first six seasons of Ronan O'Gara's Munster career, Mick Galwey was always looking over the Corkman's shoulder, protecting him.
The former Ireland fly-half struggled for confidence when he forced his way into the Munster team, but a simple and unnoticed action from the-then Munster captain made O'Gara feel "ten-foot tall"
Speaking to Eamon Dunphy on The Stand podcast, the Racing 92 coach explained how the likes of Galwey, Peter Clohessy and Anthony Foley paved the way for the youngsters coming into the team in the late 1990s.
Despite his noted admiration for Clohessy and Foley, O'Gara paid special praise to the man simply known as Gaillimh.
I think anyone coming into the game nowadays should spend time with him. The lessons you learn from him and his character is exemplary in what he values and in getting the best out of people and the warmth he brings.
If you're lucky enough to be on a night out with him when he comes into a pub, the place lights up and he just brings warmth and brings energy to the venue he's in.
He did that to the Munster team. [Galwey] made us ten-foot tall.
He used to stand behind me on every penalty I used to take. Literally, on purpose he used to stand behind me. When I was lining up goal-kicks. Almost every time he was like; 'A'boy ROG', and a little pat.
When it was taken it was such a void. Something so small that people had no idea about, was everything to me. It was the stamp of approval from your captain. It gave you such a purpose in that game.
He purposefully stood behind you, so he would know [the ball] was going over, before the touch-judges would know.
Those three little words were like; 'Wow! Gaillimh is really interested in how I'm playing.'
What was such a simple action, clearly paid dividends for Munster, and O'Gara in particular. Galwey missed out on the Heineken Cup glory days in Cardiff, but he left a last legacy with O'Gara and the rest of the players in retirement.
You can listen to the interview in full below.
