THE IRELAND SQUAD are well-used to their pre-Six Nations training base in Portugal but this year’s camp feels a little different.
The week leading up to Friday’s Six Nations opener with France has presented Ireland with their first training block since the retirement of former out-half and captain, Johnny Sexton.
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has admitted Sexton’s absence would leave a void in the camp and it will take some time for the players to get used to life without the man who for so long, was the driving force of the Ireland team.
Peter O’Mahony is the man tasked with taking on the captaincy now and so far, it’s been business as usual for a player who was already a key leader in the Ireland dressing room.
“It’s going to be tough to replace Johnny but Pete has led the group unbelievably well,” says Robbie Henshaw.
“Not only just now but over the last five or six seasons, he’s been an incredible leader in the team.
“He’s driving it on from his end, and there’s an onus on a lot of players to step up and to be vocal and lead by example. It’s a great challenge for this group, coming into a fresh Six Nations and building that leadership.”
Ireland have been handed a tricky first fixture, with Farrell’s side set to take on France at Marseille’s stunning 67,000 capacity Stade Vélodrome on the opening night.
“It’s one of the toughest games, playing France away. Definitely down in Marseille it’ll be a new challenge for everyone. A handful of us played there before, it’s an intense environment. France, the force that they’re going to bring out, we’ll need to be at our best to deal with that environment and that team.
“It’s really exciting, you don’t get a better fixture, to travel away and play France away. It’s one of the best games to be involved in. That excites this whole group.
The belief we have is sky-high. I think we trust in our gameplan, trust in our players and trust in the team. We’re just looking forward to it.”
“Our traveling support, we definitely need that this weekend, and what we had over the World Cup I’ve never seen before. Fingers crossed we’ll have something similar to that in Marseille on Friday night.”
The game will be the first time this group have taken to the pitch together since October’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to New Zealand.
The tournament was a frustrating one for Henshaw, who featured off the bench in the pool stage wins against Tonga and South Africa before a hamstring injury ended his tournament, leaving him a spectator for the loss to New Zealand.
“I think the learnings from that (New Zealand) game is you need to take your opportunities when they come.
“A lot of those knockout games are one-score games. It’s about being clinical and defensively being rock solid. If you give teams any space, they’ll take it. Definitely it’s a few gears up from club level and we all know that.
“A lot of guys are hungry to drive it on and go again. A lot of players have played a lot of rugby since that New Zealand game. Guys are feeling confident, guys are fit and we’re eager to get out there and drive on again.”