ANDY FARRELL’S IRELAND squad often speak about ‘moments,’ and more specifically, how to respond to them. It’s easier to focus on the next moment when something positive happens, but when it’s a negative, that’s when the pre-game mental work comes into play.
It’s been an area of major focus for Andy Farrell and for the team’s high performance coach, Gary Keegan. As a result, it’s something the players have become better at handling over the years.
This was evident across Ireland’s record 38-17 win in France last week. Anytime something went against them or France threatened to build momentum, Ireland summoned a response.
Back row Jack Conan sees it as one of the great strengths of a team who already find themselves needing to drown out talk of back-to-back Grand Slams following a dream start to the new campaign.
“Earlier on in my career it probably wasn’t something that was spoken about as much, either in Leinster or playing for Ireland,” says Conan.
“I think it depends on the gravity of the moment, which it shouldn’t. It should be no matter what it is, you let it go but sometimes it’s ‘Jesus I’m after doing that’ and you kind of hold onto it for a little bit. We’re trying to get to the point where you drop it immediately but it takes times and it takes a lot of practice.”
At 31, Conan has experienced plenty of highs and lows across his career. At this point, he finds it easier to let go of the bad moments.
“It’s probably as you go on and face more criticism in your career, it’s probably easier to park it. I think at the start, when you’re young, you probably hold onto it a little bit more but as you get older you realise it is all for the betterment of the environment.
“It might feel personal at the time a little bit but it never is, it’s about the collective learning and getting better as a squad. You’ve got to get over yourself quickly and make sure you learn from your mistakes, and that’s what the lads want from you, what the coaches want from you, to be better and to push people on, to push yourself on. It’s a learning curve but you get there eventually.”
The younger players in Andy Farrell’s squad already appear well equipped in this area. When Joe McCarthy gave away a penalty in Marseille last week, he didn’t let it knock his performance off course. Likewise Jack Crowley, who moved past some early setbacks to deliver a composed, commanding display.
“I think the young lads now, because they are getting that younger and younger and they’re implementing that mindset of letting go of mistakes, it’s only going to stand to them more and more as their careers go on,” Conan says.
It’s something we’ve spoken about, lads that are a bit older who’ve said ‘I’d love to have been 21, 22 coming into this kind of culture and this type of camp’ – because it’s vastly different from when we were that age or we first came in.
“There’s far more progression here and understanding of what makes you who you are and how you get the best out of yourself.”
McCarthy in particular doesn’t seem to get phased by pressure occasions. In France last week he marked his first Six Nations start with a dominant display that lived up to all the pre-game hype around the 22-year-old.
“Ah, (you) just get out of the big man’s way when he’s wrecking people and trying to destroy mauls and things.
He’s a good man for standing on your feet and stuff in training so I can only imagine what he’s like when he’s hammering through teams and mauls and stuff.
“To be fair to Joe, he’s done unbelievable well for a man of his age and I think he just adds something so different with his physique and his style of play, he’s just a big bruiser, isn’t he, just lumping into people and he’s a great bloke as well.
“It’s funny, you see him on the pitch and he’s causing havoc and just destroying things, and then he’s just such a placid and chilled guy in training, he’s very jovial and has the craic and stuff and he’s just able to flick that switch and go out and destroy rucks and mauls and things like that.
“I think he’s someone who has come on and leaps and bounds in the last few months and it’s a joy to see. He’s an incredibly hard working fella so I’m sure the sky’s the limit for him and we’re only beginning to scratch the surface of what he is capable of.”
Ireland will look to build on the France performance when they welcome Italy to Aviva Stadium on Sunday [KO 3pm]. Farrell names his team later today and Conan believes Gonzalo Quesada’s team will ask different questions of Ireland.
Italy threatened to cause an upset against England last weekend, eventually losing by three points, and pushed Ireland for much of the game when the two sides met in Rome last year.
“They’re a quality side. They really are. You see that again, some of the tries they scored against England, they’re more than capable of pulling off a few scalps and I think you have the feeling that it’s coming, so there’s no easy games and we’re under no illusions that this is going to be tough.
I don’t think France were… They didn’t attack particularly well and they didn’t challenge us a whole lot, if we’re really honest with ourselves.
“I know it was a massive win but Italy pose a completely different attacking picture and they will play from anywhere and take any opportunity, so it’s going to be a massive defensive challenge for us.
“They do a lot of different short lineouts, three, four-man lineouts and try challenge you in around the seam, then try tighten you up and get to the width, so they’re not afraid to play from anywhere. It’s definitely a different challenge.
“I think France have become a bit more pragmatic, especially since last year when we played them in the Aviva, they probably would have thought they overplayed a little bit in certain areas of the pitch. I know it obviously comes off at times and they score that unbelievable [Damian Penaud] try, but they probably changed their ways a little bit and kicked a lot more at the weekend.
“Again, we know Italy will at times but they’ll probably challenge us a bit more with their width and the way they like to attack.”
