IT’S NOT LIKE Calvin Nash was a veteran when he got his Ireland debut. It came a few days before his 26th birthday last August, a 20-minute cameo off the bench in a World Cup warm-up game against Italy.
Still, there had been times when Nash worried he wouldn’t make it with Munster, never mind Ireland. Injuries and competition in the back three meant starts had been few and far between with his province until last season when Nash’s career genuinely took off.
Now he’s three games into his first Six Nations campaign as a starter for Ireland. An injury for Mack Hansen opened the door and Nash has done well in the wins over France, Italy, and Wales ahead of today’s showdown with England.
“I’m not going to say starting for Ireland feels like the norm but being up in camp feels like the norm,” said Nash this week.
“Every week is obviously different but yeah, I’m enjoying it so I don’t want it to stop.”
The Limerick man has scored two tries in this championship, dotting down in the left corner against France, then blasting his way over wide on the right in the win against Italy.
But perhaps his most eye-catching moment in attack was the slick assist for James Lowe’s try in the victory over Wales.
“To be honest, I wanted to score the try myself but then I was, ‘I’m going to be murdered if I don’t give this to Lowey,’” said Nash.
“But obviously it was the right thing to do. Initially, I was, ‘I’m going to score here myself’ but when I saw Josh Adams coming in, I was, ‘Yeah, get it to Lowey.’”
Nash’s ball-carrying has been strong in this Six Nations. He’s a physical winger and always brings bite into contact.
“I’ve been thinking about it recently that part of my role in the team should be beat defenders,” said the Young Munster RFC man.
“I suppose trying to have intent and being at international level as well, you need more intent in your carries because people are coming with more intent to tackle you.”
All in all, Nash has found the transition into Test rugby “fairly OK,” even if the physicality is up a notch from Champions Cup games with Munster.
Nash also said that the sheer quality of the Irish forwards is something he “didn’t expect.” But it has been fairly seamless so far, with Nash benefitting from his previous spells in Ireland training camps, particularly last summer’s World Cup pre-season.
He is one of a few relatively fresh faces who has impressed in this championship, with Jack Crowley and Joe McCarthy taking on prominent roles in the starting XV and Ciarán Frawley also playing a big role.
“There’s a lot of work in the back rooms, we’ll be just picking the brains of the coaches and what they want, what pictures they want from you, what they want to see,” said Nash of how these players have fit in so quickly.
“But at the same time, the players that have been through it as well and bring you along because at the end of the day, if you’re going to be in the team they want you to be the best player you possibly can be.
“And if they are not helping you out I suppose, it’s taking them down with you as well. So I suppose just everyone’s a real team player on the squad and it really helps everyone on the team.”
Nash has never been to Twickenham before, even as a fan, so today will be another new experience for him.
He admitted after the France game that his nerves had nearly got the better of him that week but on the whole, Nash has loved getting this chance to step up to the mark.
“I find it exciting, to be honest,” said the Munster wing. “I really like the fact that the team finds a way to win nearly, like, 90% percent of the time, probably better than that now.
“I just find this really exciting, like every time I show up to work I can’t wait to get out on the pitch. I just love the brand of rugby that we play.”
