The papers weren't kind. The trolls on the rugby chat sides were worse. Out-doing themselves with their extreme opinion on Michael Bent, who became an instant bête noir when he arrived in Ireland less than three years ago.
The prop’s early months were both inhospitable. When he was drafted straight into the Irish team for the 2012 November internationals, howls of derision were directed at both IRFU and player.
To some the New Zealander, who has an Irish grandmother, became a touchstone for reckless cap-awarding by the union.
Bent had cheapened the shirt and was stigmatised as an over-valued prop hastily brought in by an over-zealous union.
“How in the name of Jesus are we getting to the point where a guy flies into the country and he will play for Ireland?” said former Irish captain Keith Wood.
Steadily improved
It has taken some years for the thaw but occasionally last season and particularly in recent months Bent’s frontrow versatility and form in games has steadily improved. It has taken time but respect – some still grudging – is falling his way.
“It was pretty tough initially. I blocked a lot of it out for the most part,” he says. “I knew that I’d come over here and just focus on what I was doing and not worry too much about everything else that was going on. I tried to do as best as I could and still now, it is just a matter of focusing on what I am doing and keep showing I can improve.”
Bent was 26 at the time. He hadn't known what to expect and the ferocity of the criticism seeped through, shaking his confidence. He was dropped by Ireland and slipped down the Leinster pecking order. Now his name has popped up for better reasons.
“It does impact on that,” he says of his confidence.
“As far as the scrum goes, initially things started to not go too well and I tried to change too many things. I was trying to sort something out and I was over-correcting, and then something else would slip. So this season in particular has been quite good, I just tried to clear my head and focus on the basics and it’s seemed to work quite well for me.”
Last week Bent started against Castres at loosehead prop with Sean Cronin at hooker and Marty Moore at tighthead. Game time, he believes, is progress. Matt O’Connor thinks so too and recently added some of his own restorative words to the Bent profile – words he backed up by giving Bent the shirt.
“Benty has done a fantastic job for us. He played a lot of rugby for us in my first season last year in really big games for us when the international lads were away,” said O’Connor. “Without his efforts, I can guarantee you we wouldn’t have finished top of the league. He is invaluable in the group. Again, this year, with frontrowers injured, he plays both sides. He’s played a lot of 80 minutes for us.”
Long haul
With
Cian Healy
unregistered for Saturday’s match against Wasps, it’s likely Bent will start again and, when the
Six Nations
begins, there’s more match time coming. He is here for the long haul and has banished the scorching reception from his thinking. More than that, he has ambition. With his loose and tighthead capability, he’s thinking about adding to his few Irish caps.
“Obviously the Leinster stuff comes first,” he says. “I’ve got to play well and just to be playing for Leinster even to be in contention for that sort of thing. But yeah, it’s certainly something in my sights that I would like to target.
“I know there are people that have bad opinions and there are other people who are very supportive. I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far and I’d like to think I’ll continue to play here for a few years to come.”
