CIARÁN FRAWLEY IS not oblivious to the hype. It’s difficult to block out the talk that you just might be the man to one day step into Johnny Sexton’s shoes when even those closest to you like to bring it up in conversation.
“To be honest it’s just my mates that fill my head with it,” says Frawley, speaking at the IRFU’s high performance centre in Abbotstown.
“I try to stay away from social media as much as I can. But they inform me enough, ‘Why aren’t you playing 10? blah blah’…”
Problem is, Frawley isn’t just a 10. He’s a pretty handy 12 too, and as last Saturday’s Leinster-Munster URC derby at Aviva Stadium proved, he can certainly do a job at 15.
Yet for most of the last year, the conversation around Frawley has centred on his quality and potential as an out-half, where Johnny Sexton still reigns supreme in the Ireland pecking order.
After that, Joey Carbery looks secure in his role as Andy Farrell’s No 2, but then the picture gets a little muddier.
Ulster’s Billy Burns and Connacht captain Jack Carty don’t seem to be in Farrell’s plans at the moment, so instead the Ireland head coach has focused more on youth. Harry Byrne was supposed to get his chance on the summer tour to New Zealand, but injury struck at the wrong time. With the luckless Byrne also ruled out of the upcoming November Tests, Farrell has turned to Frawley again following his encouraging displays against the Maori All Blacks.
The 24-year-old is no stranger to Ireland camp at this stage but is yet to win his first Test cap. Naturally enough, he sees getting on the pitch as a more pressing concern than where he’s asked to play, and anyway, as Frawley admits himself, he’s still not sure if he’s worked out his preferred position yet.
“It’s kind of the best of both worlds, isn’t it? It’s nice to have a position but also in the back of your mind you have a World Cup coming up and the versatility card can always benefit you in terms of selection for that.
Look, I suppose I can’t be… I don’t know if too greedy is the word, but I’m happy to play minutes and that’s the main thing for me at the moment, I haven’t played a lot this season so far. It’s just about getting the minutes whether that be at 10,12 or 15, which are the three positions I’ve been playing over the last season or two.
“Again it comes back to what position I think I should play, I’m not sure yet, I’m still trying to figure that out.
“But it’s good to be getting the experience in multiple positions and hopefully if it comes down to nailing one position, it will help me in terms of understanding what you want from a 15 or a 12 or a 10.”
The Ireland squad gathered on Monday and had their first proper session at the HPC today. With Test games against South Africa, Fiji and Australia marked in the calendar, the aim is to build on an historic summer series against the All Blacks.
During his own press duties today Farrell spoke about “parking that” summer tour to New Zealand but the Ireland boss clearly wants his players to remember the sense of achievement they enjoyed the last time they were together.
“We were only watching a video this morning of our time over in New Zealand and just all the special moments we had off the pitch after the Tests and stuff like that,” Frawley explains.
“It was pretty much just after a few tries and whatever and big moments in the first, second Test and leading out the celebrations on the pitch after the third Test, all the feeling throughout the squad.
The emotions were high. Kind of goosebump stuff watching it back. I’d say for the lads (who played) it was incredible. Even being over there it was an unbelievable experience but being a part of playing, being a part of a winning series squad is what I am looking to get after and try and get that first cap.
“I know obviously I played in two Maori games, but the Test games are the big ones that you want to throw the jersey on for.
“Hopefully this time around, third time lucky, we might put on the jersey for a Test game.”
Looking at the weeks ahead, and the amount of injury concerns across Farrell’s squad, there are a number of possible paths Frawley’s November could follow.
The Skerries man says he’d be happy to do a job at fullback if needed, but for most of those watching on, the conversation around the 10 jersey is more intriguing.
“Johnny’s unreal,” Frawley adds of his Leinster teammate, Johnny Sexton.
“We’re so lucky to have him in Leinster and here (in Ireland camp), speaking for all the lads. Without knowing it, we’re actually learning a lot off him, you can see the way lads are playing is very similar to Johnny. Picking up little things like holding the ball at the line, that last second that he does so well.
“But then he’ll also give you a lot of constructive criticism. He wants to get the best out of you.
“When lads are playing with Johnny they always bring their game to the next level because they understand the standard they are playing with as well. He’s brilliant to have.”
Frawley picked up a shoulder injury in the Munster game but is making good progress and is set to be managed across the week. The challenge now is to get on the field.
“There is a 37-man squad at the moment and then I think there is going to be about 50 of us next week (when the Ireland A panel join) so you can feel that already, when the lads come in next week it will be even more heated. It’s good for the squad though.
“Competition is what you need to make a good squad.”
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