NOT ONLY ARE some players in this Ireland group hoping to win their first international cap in Australia, but they’re actually in Australia for the first time in their lives.
Even some of the Irish players who have already been capped at Test level are Down Under for the first time.
There’s a big group of this Ireland set-up who were in Australia just a year ago for the Lions tour, of course. It’s very familiar. Even their team hotel near Sydney Opera House is the same as last summer for that contingent.
But the fresher faces have brought plenty of excitable energy to Andy Farrell’s squad. It’s a familiar-looking group overall, but Billy Bohan, Sam Illo, Sean Jansen, Bryn Ward, and Zac Ward are relatively fresh faces.
The uncapped quintet know that caps are never just handed out by this Ireland coaching group, yet they’ll hope to feature at some stage. Ireland face the Wallabies in Sydney this weekend, but the clash against Japan in Newcastle next weekend might be a more realistic target.
For now, the fresh faces are impressing the Irish coaching staff. Forwards coach Paul O’Connell spoke positively about how Bohan, Illo, Jansen, and Bryn Ward have done under his watch.
“A lot of them have been with us on and off for various bits and pieces,” said O’Connell.
“Sam hasn’t been with us as much, obviously. I just like how he’s grabbed his chance this year. I like that he knows what he’s good at, and he’s getting after what he’s good at. We had him on the Emerging [Ireland], not the last one, the previous one.
“There was no doubt about his strength and his size and his physical prowess. The rugby piece probably needed to kick on a bit. I think the last few years he’s improved massively, probably training under Stuart [Lancaster].
Advertisement
“The way he trains has been very good for him this year. I’d say Finlay [Bealham] has been very good for him as well in terms of his development. He’s been great.
“Billy Bohan has been in with us. It really impresses us in terms of how he knows his stuff. They scored the best maul try against Glasgow there, which kicked off their season around February, I think it was.
Connacht tighthead Sam Illo. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“For a young guy to be the linchpin of that maul, it was a real big moment for him. He’s scrummaged against South African teams all year. For a young guy, he’s had a brilliant season, and he’s handled it with a real calmness about him. He’s been great.
“Bryn Ward has been great. When he came in with us in the Six Nations, we were really impressed with him. He has a real point of difference with his carry, his size. A really curious guy. A lovely bit of confidence about him. He’s not shy. He watched training with Jack Conan yesterday. He asked Jack Conan whether he would watch training with him. He’s really curious and wants to get better.
“We had Sean on Emerging with us as well. When you see Sean, you see this big bulldozer of a player. You probably don’t realise how eager he is to get better and how diligent he is about getting better as well.
“He’s a really curious guy and he’s been great. He latches onto Cian Prendergast, who’s obviously a great player, but a great trainer, a great preparer, a very diligent guy. I think Sean has learned a lot from him.
“We’ve spoken about him for a while. We look at him and we say, ‘Jeez, he’d be a great guy to be bringing off the bench or whatever.’ It’s brilliant to have him in and he’s done really well.
“They’ve all earned their crack at it. We bring guys in to train from time to time, but these guys are here now on merit.”
O’Connell essentially confirmed that Ireland won’t go down the route of making sure they cap everyone on this tour just for the sake of capping them.
That much won’t ever change under Farrell.
“We haven’t discussed that at all,” said O’Connell. “I’d imagine there’ll be changes next week for Japan, a few changes. After that, then we’ll be seeing who plays in the final game [against New Zealand in Auckland].
“We haven’t discussed it. We’ll pick the right team for Japan. We won’t try to cap people. It’s never been something we’ve tried to do.”
Ulster wing Zac Ward. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
So it’s clear that opportunities in the green jersey don’t come easily, but the injection of enthusiasm from these fresh faces is always welcome.
Ireland’s senior players will do their utmost to guard their places, but they welcome new competition and try to help younger players integrate as smoothly as possible.
“It’s been great,” said Ireland lock James Ryan.
“Guys like Sean Jansen have come in. I know Billy Bohan has been in before, but there’s a good few Connacht guys that are in the squad, which is obviously well deserved. I think the young lads coming in just bring great energy.
“Someone like Bryn Ward is not shy of being himself and showing what he can do, which is what you like to see from young guys as well. You like to see them being aggressive.
“So they’ve added energy, and it’s great having them in.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'They're here on merit' - Ireland welcome energy of uncapped players
NOT ONLY ARE some players in this Ireland group hoping to win their first international cap in Australia, but they’re actually in Australia for the first time in their lives.
Even some of the Irish players who have already been capped at Test level are Down Under for the first time.
There’s a big group of this Ireland set-up who were in Australia just a year ago for the Lions tour, of course. It’s very familiar. Even their team hotel near Sydney Opera House is the same as last summer for that contingent.
But the fresher faces have brought plenty of excitable energy to Andy Farrell’s squad. It’s a familiar-looking group overall, but Billy Bohan, Sam Illo, Sean Jansen, Bryn Ward, and Zac Ward are relatively fresh faces.
The uncapped quintet know that caps are never just handed out by this Ireland coaching group, yet they’ll hope to feature at some stage. Ireland face the Wallabies in Sydney this weekend, but the clash against Japan in Newcastle next weekend might be a more realistic target.
For now, the fresh faces are impressing the Irish coaching staff. Forwards coach Paul O’Connell spoke positively about how Bohan, Illo, Jansen, and Bryn Ward have done under his watch.
“A lot of them have been with us on and off for various bits and pieces,” said O’Connell.
“Sam hasn’t been with us as much, obviously. I just like how he’s grabbed his chance this year. I like that he knows what he’s good at, and he’s getting after what he’s good at. We had him on the Emerging [Ireland], not the last one, the previous one.
“There was no doubt about his strength and his size and his physical prowess. The rugby piece probably needed to kick on a bit. I think the last few years he’s improved massively, probably training under Stuart [Lancaster].
“The way he trains has been very good for him this year. I’d say Finlay [Bealham] has been very good for him as well in terms of his development. He’s been great.
“Billy Bohan has been in with us. It really impresses us in terms of how he knows his stuff. They scored the best maul try against Glasgow there, which kicked off their season around February, I think it was.
“For a young guy to be the linchpin of that maul, it was a real big moment for him. He’s scrummaged against South African teams all year. For a young guy, he’s had a brilliant season, and he’s handled it with a real calmness about him. He’s been great.
“Bryn Ward has been great. When he came in with us in the Six Nations, we were really impressed with him. He has a real point of difference with his carry, his size. A really curious guy. A lovely bit of confidence about him. He’s not shy. He watched training with Jack Conan yesterday. He asked Jack Conan whether he would watch training with him. He’s really curious and wants to get better.
“We had Sean on Emerging with us as well. When you see Sean, you see this big bulldozer of a player. You probably don’t realise how eager he is to get better and how diligent he is about getting better as well.
“He’s a really curious guy and he’s been great. He latches onto Cian Prendergast, who’s obviously a great player, but a great trainer, a great preparer, a very diligent guy. I think Sean has learned a lot from him.
“We’ve spoken about him for a while. We look at him and we say, ‘Jeez, he’d be a great guy to be bringing off the bench or whatever.’ It’s brilliant to have him in and he’s done really well.
“They’ve all earned their crack at it. We bring guys in to train from time to time, but these guys are here now on merit.”
O’Connell essentially confirmed that Ireland won’t go down the route of making sure they cap everyone on this tour just for the sake of capping them.
That much won’t ever change under Farrell.
“We haven’t discussed that at all,” said O’Connell. “I’d imagine there’ll be changes next week for Japan, a few changes. After that, then we’ll be seeing who plays in the final game [against New Zealand in Auckland].
“We haven’t discussed it. We’ll pick the right team for Japan. We won’t try to cap people. It’s never been something we’ve tried to do.”
So it’s clear that opportunities in the green jersey don’t come easily, but the injection of enthusiasm from these fresh faces is always welcome.
Ireland’s senior players will do their utmost to guard their places, but they welcome new competition and try to help younger players integrate as smoothly as possible.
“It’s been great,” said Ireland lock James Ryan.
“Guys like Sean Jansen have come in. I know Billy Bohan has been in before, but there’s a good few Connacht guys that are in the squad, which is obviously well deserved. I think the young lads coming in just bring great energy.
“Someone like Bryn Ward is not shy of being himself and showing what he can do, which is what you like to see from young guys as well. You like to see them being aggressive.
“So they’ve added energy, and it’s great having them in.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
fresh faces Ireland james ryan Nations Championship Paul O'Connell