IRELAND’S FIRST-EVER Nations Championship tour was an up-and-down experience for some of Andy Farrell’s players.
Jack Conan’s trip to Australia and New Zealand was perhaps the most consistent of the lot.
With Caelan Doris missing due to injury, the experienced Conan stepped up. He nearly always does. He was good at number eight against Australia and New Zealand, as well as when wearing the number six shirt in the win over Japan.
33-year-old Conan now has 62 Ireland caps and he has been the starting Lions number eight on two tours, so it’s no surprise to see him continuing to deliver at the highest level.
Even as Ireland had a tough night at Eden Park on Saturday, Conan continued to perform. He was as prominent in the carry, tackle, and ruck as ever. He took his first-half try well.
So while some of his team-mates appeared to struggle to deliver on a big occasion at Eden Park, something that head coach Andy Farrell accepted, Conan didn’t appear to be fazed in the slightest.
“I can’t speak for anyone else,” said Conan. “We framed it well during the week. It was an unbelievable opportunity. I think the chat in the week was really good about taking it head-on, just committing to it and attacking it.
“I don’t know, I think the occasion and all that is bullshit really, isn’t it? You can let that be an excuse if you want.”
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Like everyone else in the Irish camp, Conan was frustrated by the attacking errors they made against New Zealand on the end of some promising build-up.
He also felt that Ireland’s defence was too passive at times.
“I just think it’s first-up collisions,” said Conan. “Some of them just weren’t good enough. We didn’t have enough back-end pressure to make them commit more numbers.
“They were playing on top of us a lot, which isn’t good. So, you know, frustrating. I’m really disappointed, really disappointed.
“I think some bits were good. The set-piece was in a stark contrast to last week [against Japan]. It was a notable improvement, which is great from the lads.
“Obviously, it was an area we really needed to work on. Obviously, there’d been a bit of pressure there the last while. We’re glad that came good today. One or two bits didn’t go our way. But most of the time, it was a lot better.”
Conan celebrates his first-half try. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Conan was determined to look on the bright side of this Nations Championship trip, which involved bonus-point wins against Australia and Japan before the disappointing loss in New Zealand.
He was happy to see some fresh faces coming into the group, as well as Dan Sheehan getting the chance to captain Ireland in Doris’ absence.
“I think there’s probably been a criticism of Irish rugby over the last while, of not getting lads in, not giving them opportunities. I think the coaching staff did that really well over the last few weeks,” said Conan.
“I know there’s been other lads who’ve been in over the Six Nations and got first caps, or have been in training squads and have gone well.
“People are getting experience there. That’s what you want. You want to be able to push everyone on to get better. We need competition. In the back row, particularly, there’s no shortage of it. I think it’s good for the entire department.”
Conan was excited to get home to Ireland and see his wife and daughter, with the Irish players now heading into a five-and-a-half-week break before pre-season.
Yet there is already excitement about getting back into Ireland camp in the autumn, with the second window of this year’s Nations Championship to come. Conan isn’t thinking too far down the line to the World Cup next year.
“We will obviously have to do a lot of reflection when we come back in, well-rested and take the time off and make sure you’re fresh for it,” said Conan.
“They’re long years and they’re getting longer, so you need to find the balance of, especially at my age, getting it right where you’re feeling fresh and ready to go.
“We’re all very privileged to be in this environment we’re in right now. I don’t think anyone in the last few weeks was in any way feeling that. It’s been a long year, Lions, internationals, the lads were raring to go, so excited. It’s unbelievable to be in Irish camp.
“The lads love it. I love it. I feel like it’s the best set of people.”
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Conan: 'The occasion and all that is bulls**t really'
IRELAND’S FIRST-EVER Nations Championship tour was an up-and-down experience for some of Andy Farrell’s players.
Jack Conan’s trip to Australia and New Zealand was perhaps the most consistent of the lot.
With Caelan Doris missing due to injury, the experienced Conan stepped up. He nearly always does. He was good at number eight against Australia and New Zealand, as well as when wearing the number six shirt in the win over Japan.
33-year-old Conan now has 62 Ireland caps and he has been the starting Lions number eight on two tours, so it’s no surprise to see him continuing to deliver at the highest level.
Even as Ireland had a tough night at Eden Park on Saturday, Conan continued to perform. He was as prominent in the carry, tackle, and ruck as ever. He took his first-half try well.
So while some of his team-mates appeared to struggle to deliver on a big occasion at Eden Park, something that head coach Andy Farrell accepted, Conan didn’t appear to be fazed in the slightest.
“I can’t speak for anyone else,” said Conan. “We framed it well during the week. It was an unbelievable opportunity. I think the chat in the week was really good about taking it head-on, just committing to it and attacking it.
“I don’t know, I think the occasion and all that is bullshit really, isn’t it? You can let that be an excuse if you want.”
Like everyone else in the Irish camp, Conan was frustrated by the attacking errors they made against New Zealand on the end of some promising build-up.
He also felt that Ireland’s defence was too passive at times.
“I just think it’s first-up collisions,” said Conan. “Some of them just weren’t good enough. We didn’t have enough back-end pressure to make them commit more numbers.
“They were playing on top of us a lot, which isn’t good. So, you know, frustrating. I’m really disappointed, really disappointed.
“I think some bits were good. The set-piece was in a stark contrast to last week [against Japan]. It was a notable improvement, which is great from the lads.
“Obviously, it was an area we really needed to work on. Obviously, there’d been a bit of pressure there the last while. We’re glad that came good today. One or two bits didn’t go our way. But most of the time, it was a lot better.”
Conan was determined to look on the bright side of this Nations Championship trip, which involved bonus-point wins against Australia and Japan before the disappointing loss in New Zealand.
He was happy to see some fresh faces coming into the group, as well as Dan Sheehan getting the chance to captain Ireland in Doris’ absence.
“I think there’s probably been a criticism of Irish rugby over the last while, of not getting lads in, not giving them opportunities. I think the coaching staff did that really well over the last few weeks,” said Conan.
“I know there’s been other lads who’ve been in over the Six Nations and got first caps, or have been in training squads and have gone well.
“People are getting experience there. That’s what you want. You want to be able to push everyone on to get better. We need competition. In the back row, particularly, there’s no shortage of it. I think it’s good for the entire department.”
Conan was excited to get home to Ireland and see his wife and daughter, with the Irish players now heading into a five-and-a-half-week break before pre-season.
Yet there is already excitement about getting back into Ireland camp in the autumn, with the second window of this year’s Nations Championship to come. Conan isn’t thinking too far down the line to the World Cup next year.
“We will obviously have to do a lot of reflection when we come back in, well-rested and take the time off and make sure you’re fresh for it,” said Conan.
“They’re long years and they’re getting longer, so you need to find the balance of, especially at my age, getting it right where you’re feeling fresh and ready to go.
“We’re all very privileged to be in this environment we’re in right now. I don’t think anyone in the last few weeks was in any way feeling that. It’s been a long year, Lions, internationals, the lads were raring to go, so excited. It’s unbelievable to be in Irish camp.
“The lads love it. I love it. I feel like it’s the best set of people.”
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Ireland Jack Conan Nations Championship Unfazed