THIS SUNDAY IS exactly one year since Craig Casey made his Ireland debut against Italy and he’s hoping to add cap number five the day before, with the same opposition in Dublin for another Six Nations clash.
22-year-old Casey came off the bench to lively effect in Rome a year ago as he won his first Test cap, with three more Ireland appearances since, including his maiden start versus the US last summer.
Jamison Gibson-Park and Conor Murray have impeded his chances of further exposure with Ireland but Casey is right in contention for a place in Andy Farrell’s matchday 23 this weekend against the Italians.
The Limerick man feels far more at home in Ireland camp these days and also feels like he has developed as a player.
“I think I’ve improved in all areas really,” says Casey. “I think I’ve become a lot calmer on the field, a lot less frantic, just clearer in my head what I want to do with decisions and stuff like that but still playing with some bit of pace.
“I think that’s one of the biggest learning curves I had, just trying to be calm in decisions. Not everything needs to be at a million miles an hour.”
Having had no direct involvement in Ireland’s first two Six Nations games against Wales and France, Casey was released back to Munster last weekend for a welcome start in his province’s home win over Edinburgh.
It was a transition back into the red jersey that he felt comfortable making.
“It’s definitely not easy to go back in and mix the two systems and get back up to speed with what Munster want to do that week and stuff like that,” explains Casey.
“But the lads in Munster were great, they were texting me when we were coming back in on the Sunday, sending on the game plan, the sheets and stuff like that, the plays.
“So it was easy to fit back in. Training went well. You’re obviously trying to implement some things that you’ve learned up in camp into your game but into the lads’ games around you as well so you can fit in with them.
“So it was good, I absolutely loved going back to get a bit of a game time. You always want to play as many games as you can, so it was great to go back and that we got the win. It didn’t help that we played in a storm but it was still good.”
Casey threw a sublime one-handed reverse offload to Calvin Nash at one stage during Munster’s victory, just managing to get the ball away before being tackled into touch, but he plays down that moment of silky skill.
“I suppose I work on it but not falling over and stuff like that. You just kind of back yourself and Calvin was calling for it, so it was good.”
Now Casey is hopeful of getting another chance in the green jersey as he looks to put pressure on the established pair of Gibson-Park and Murray.
“I know training has been going well for me,” he says. “I have been happy with how I have been training but obviously there are still areas to work on.
“When you go home to Munster, like last week, I needed to perform and try and put my best foot forward for this week. So hopefully I did that.
“I mean, every day I’m trying to put the pressure on the two lads. They are two class nines, in fairness to them.
“I’ve been learning off Mur for the last four years in Munster, trying to push him every day and obviously overcome him.
“Then Jamo, I’ve only been working with him over the last year but it’s been great to work with him as well. But I definitely want to push them on and try to get more caps.”
