THIS TIME LAST month, as Ireland picked through the pieces of a bitterly disappointing opening round defeat to France, Jack Conan sat down for media duties in Abbotstown and told the room there was nothing to be worried about.
The Ireland back row didn’t mask the frustration of what went wrong in Paris, but he refused to link the issues with those that cropped up in November defeats to New Zealand and South Africa. The loss to Les Bleus, Conan said, was not ‘systemic’, and in his mind Ireland had too many good people in the camp to allow that poor start fester into something more concerning.
A month later, the picture has certainly changed, with Andy Farrell’s side still in the title mix as they look forward to Saturday’s Triple Crown showdown with Scotland.
“I was right, wasn’t I?” Conan says. “Mystic Jack.”
Conan is always one of the more engaging players in the press room. Before his slot starts, he peers in a window, waiting for Josh van der Flier to wrap up. Upon entering the room he asks if his teammate was being paid by the word, noting he’s yet to get his post-training lunch. If Ireland were feeling the pressure this week, Conan wouldn’t be the man to show it.
Andy Farrell’s squad may not look the force of old at the moment, but there have been plenty of encouraging signs in how the squad picked themselves up from Paris, responding by beating a good Italy side, thumping England in Twickenham and then overcoming a stubborn Wales last weekend.
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Earlier this week, Conan was asked what he feels has been the most encouraging aspect of that response.
“I think lads not losing confidence in what we’re doing because we know we’re doing the right thing. We know we have the right people, the right coaches, the right players and so that’s been massively encouraging.
Conan speaks to the media in Abbotstown this week. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“I think it’s been great to see so many lads get first caps or first starts in Six Nations or playing in Six Nations for the first time, and I think them stepping up to the mantle and grabbing hold of it, you look at Rob (Baloucoune) on the wing, Tommy (O’Brien), Eddie (Edogbo) getting a first cap, Doakie, all these things. Nick (Timoney) getting his first start in Six Nations. It’s huge, it’s great for those lads to be going so well and pushing on and taking their opportunities.
“I think the squad’s in a great place no matter who plays and it’s just about building on it and staying in the moment.
Test match rugby, it’s not always going to all go your own way, it never does. So you’ve got to take the good with the bad and leave it all behind you and just focus on the next moment, doing the next right thing and not going in on yourself.”
Ireland have built confidence over those wins but so have Scotland, who recovered from their own opening loss away to Italy by beating England and Wales before last Saturday’s sensational display against France.
“They hold on to the ball really well and their forwards are pretty direct,” Conan says of Gregor Townsend’s team.
“They’re probably a little bit less connected than Wales are at the line as a forward unit. They’re probably trying to play, you know, run the line early, get on top so then they can play the width because they’ve obviously got some good athletes out wide and they play very expansive games.
“So, that’ll be the challenge for us, to combat them in close and then build a bit of width back and get after them again.”
Ireland are on an 11-game winning run against Scotland, with the Irish pack often proving the point of difference across those contests.
“I suppose there’s no real secret when it comes to international rugby. It’s intent, physicality. They’re an unbelievably well coached, well drilled team. If we play how we played against France in the opening 40 minutes and don’t have that level of intent, you know they’re a good pack, especially the back row, I think their back row is going really well at the moment.
“We need to be physically right on the edge, winning collisions. I think that’s something that since the France game has been a noted improvement across the campaign. That won’t change from this week.”
Another positive development has been a much-improved Ireland lineout. Having proved such a thorny issue last season, this time around Ireland’s lineout work has been notably more solid. Conan says that turnaround has happened without the group tweaking too much on the training pitch.
“No, just building on what we’ve been doing and trusting the process. Paulie (O’Connell) is a fantastic lineout coach.
“I know he probably got the bunt of abuse over the last few years from (Conan pauses to wave at the people in the room), everyone else, but he is an unbelievable coach and the detail that he puts into the lineout.
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“We’re playing against good sides. The lineout is not complicated, but it is difficult and it is a hotly contested area. We know we need to be right on the money. Luckily, well not luckily, because it’s a lot of hard work that’s been put into it, a lot of detail, a lot of very process-driven work that goes into it to being able to perform and execute on the weekend.
“We’re glad that it’s going the way it’s going. It’s through hard work, it’s through diligence, it’s through the lineout callers taking the right options, it’s about the drill. And the hookers as well. Hopefully we can keep on going in that vein of form now come the weekend.”
Having missed the England game through illness, Conan was back in the starting team for Friday’s win over Wales. This weekend, the 33-year-old is hoping Ireland can build on that performance and land some silverware in front of their home support.
“Bits of the game were great. Defensively, thought we looked really solid at times.
“I thought our intent physically was really good. Some of the attack bits let us down. We weren’t on it, especially I think as a forward unit, how we were two weeks previous against England.
“But I enjoyed it. When you’re out there with your mates and you’re running around and you’re living a dream, you always have to remember to enjoy it because you never know how many more days you have left in green. It’s important to make the most of it.”
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'You have to enjoy it, you never know how many more days you have left in green'
THIS TIME LAST month, as Ireland picked through the pieces of a bitterly disappointing opening round defeat to France, Jack Conan sat down for media duties in Abbotstown and told the room there was nothing to be worried about.
The Ireland back row didn’t mask the frustration of what went wrong in Paris, but he refused to link the issues with those that cropped up in November defeats to New Zealand and South Africa. The loss to Les Bleus, Conan said, was not ‘systemic’, and in his mind Ireland had too many good people in the camp to allow that poor start fester into something more concerning.
A month later, the picture has certainly changed, with Andy Farrell’s side still in the title mix as they look forward to Saturday’s Triple Crown showdown with Scotland.
“I was right, wasn’t I?” Conan says. “Mystic Jack.”
Conan is always one of the more engaging players in the press room. Before his slot starts, he peers in a window, waiting for Josh van der Flier to wrap up. Upon entering the room he asks if his teammate was being paid by the word, noting he’s yet to get his post-training lunch. If Ireland were feeling the pressure this week, Conan wouldn’t be the man to show it.
Andy Farrell’s squad may not look the force of old at the moment, but there have been plenty of encouraging signs in how the squad picked themselves up from Paris, responding by beating a good Italy side, thumping England in Twickenham and then overcoming a stubborn Wales last weekend.
Earlier this week, Conan was asked what he feels has been the most encouraging aspect of that response.
“I think lads not losing confidence in what we’re doing because we know we’re doing the right thing. We know we have the right people, the right coaches, the right players and so that’s been massively encouraging.
“I think it’s been great to see so many lads get first caps or first starts in Six Nations or playing in Six Nations for the first time, and I think them stepping up to the mantle and grabbing hold of it, you look at Rob (Baloucoune) on the wing, Tommy (O’Brien), Eddie (Edogbo) getting a first cap, Doakie, all these things. Nick (Timoney) getting his first start in Six Nations. It’s huge, it’s great for those lads to be going so well and pushing on and taking their opportunities.
“I think the squad’s in a great place no matter who plays and it’s just about building on it and staying in the moment.
Ireland have built confidence over those wins but so have Scotland, who recovered from their own opening loss away to Italy by beating England and Wales before last Saturday’s sensational display against France.
“They hold on to the ball really well and their forwards are pretty direct,” Conan says of Gregor Townsend’s team.
“They’re probably a little bit less connected than Wales are at the line as a forward unit. They’re probably trying to play, you know, run the line early, get on top so then they can play the width because they’ve obviously got some good athletes out wide and they play very expansive games.
“So, that’ll be the challenge for us, to combat them in close and then build a bit of width back and get after them again.”
Ireland are on an 11-game winning run against Scotland, with the Irish pack often proving the point of difference across those contests.
“I suppose there’s no real secret when it comes to international rugby. It’s intent, physicality. They’re an unbelievably well coached, well drilled team. If we play how we played against France in the opening 40 minutes and don’t have that level of intent, you know they’re a good pack, especially the back row, I think their back row is going really well at the moment.
“We need to be physically right on the edge, winning collisions. I think that’s something that since the France game has been a noted improvement across the campaign. That won’t change from this week.”
Another positive development has been a much-improved Ireland lineout. Having proved such a thorny issue last season, this time around Ireland’s lineout work has been notably more solid. Conan says that turnaround has happened without the group tweaking too much on the training pitch.
“No, just building on what we’ve been doing and trusting the process. Paulie (O’Connell) is a fantastic lineout coach.
“I know he probably got the bunt of abuse over the last few years from (Conan pauses to wave at the people in the room), everyone else, but he is an unbelievable coach and the detail that he puts into the lineout.
“We’re playing against good sides. The lineout is not complicated, but it is difficult and it is a hotly contested area. We know we need to be right on the money. Luckily, well not luckily, because it’s a lot of hard work that’s been put into it, a lot of detail, a lot of very process-driven work that goes into it to being able to perform and execute on the weekend.
“We’re glad that it’s going the way it’s going. It’s through hard work, it’s through diligence, it’s through the lineout callers taking the right options, it’s about the drill. And the hookers as well. Hopefully we can keep on going in that vein of form now come the weekend.”
Having missed the England game through illness, Conan was back in the starting team for Friday’s win over Wales. This weekend, the 33-year-old is hoping Ireland can build on that performance and land some silverware in front of their home support.
“Bits of the game were great. Defensively, thought we looked really solid at times.
“I thought our intent physically was really good. Some of the attack bits let us down. We weren’t on it, especially I think as a forward unit, how we were two weeks previous against England.
“But I enjoyed it. When you’re out there with your mates and you’re running around and you’re living a dream, you always have to remember to enjoy it because you never know how many more days you have left in green. It’s important to make the most of it.”
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