WITH JOHNNY SEXTON ruled out of Ireland’s Six Nations trip to play Italy this weekend, all eyes were on James Ryan today as the 26-year-old stepped in to take the mid-week captain’s press conference at Abbotstown.
“It’s obviously a huge honour, it’s very cool,” Ryan said.
“It’s a great moment for me and my family to captain my country this week. It still hasn’t sunk in.”
The second row, who hit the 50 cap milestone in the round two win against France, is no stranger to leading teams – Saturday’s fixture will see him captain Ireland for the seventh time.
Still, he’ll be able to turn to those around him for support. Although Sexton won’t feature against the Italians as he continues his recovery from a leg injury, the out-half is still set to travel with the group to Rome.
“I spoke to him earlier this week and got his advice on a couple of things,” Ryan continued.
“We’ve got a good group there, a core leadership group that has been there for the last couple of years. I have big shoes to fill. He will travelling over with us so this weekend so it’s great to have him around. I’ll be able to lean on guys like Garry (Ringrose) and Peter O’Mahony as well.
“Probably the leading by actions is the big one, the way he (Sexton) sets the standards in games but also every day, how competitive he is on the training pitch and the difference he makes when he’s training and when he’s not. I’m probably looking at his competitive instincts and the way he leads with his actions would be the main thing.
The first time I captained Ireland against England, the first thing Faz told me was to focus on myself and not let it be a weight on my shoulders, to delegate if I needed and focus on my own game.
“So I don’t know if it’s that, but I haven’t done it (captained Ireland) in a while now so for me it’s just reinforcing that understanding this week that just like everybody else, I’ve got to get my stuff right.”
Even before Sexton was ruled out of Saturday’s fixture, Ryan has been stepping up and showing leadership recently.
When Brian O’Driscoll, Craig Doyle, Dave Irwin and Paul Rouse visited camp to talk about the Troubles and the importance of Ireland’s Call on the Monday before Ireland’s defeat of France, Ryan and Keith Earls also stepped up to speak to the group.
It was great because it gave guys like Mack and even Bundee, Rob Herring and some of the other guys that grew up elsewhere an understanding of the jersey, the journey that it’s been on and the strength of it.
“Even the guys that grew up in Ireland as well, it gave them a deeper understanding of it too, so it was good for everybody.”
Shortly before Ryan entered the media room in Abbotstown, Mack Hansen had offered his thoughts on what that evening did for the squad, describing the speeches delivered by Ryan and Earls as “really powerful.”
“I don’t want to get too deep now but it was just about the history of the jersey and the Irish rugby team,” Ryan explained.
“A little bit about Ireland’s Call. People seem to give out about it a bit but they probably don’t understand the bigger picture of it, the uniqueness of it and the uniqueness of the Irish rugby team, because it’s the only song that recognises the fact that the Irish rugby team makes up the whole island, north and south.
“Then it’s just understanding how sport binds people together and how over the last almost 150 years, the Irish rugby team is one of the only things that has persisted, in unity and in solidarity on this island.
“So it’s understanding the strength of it and the sacrifices that people made to wear the green jersey, and the privilege to wear it.”
With Sexton out, Ross Byrne is expected to start at out-half with Andy Farrell not likely to make too many changes to a side that has picked up two bonus-point wins across the opening two rounds.
The Ireland head coach is set to name his team shortly after noon tomorrow, before the squad depart for Rome later that afternoon.
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