IN THE EARLY summer of 2022, Josh van der Flier was officially in the form of his life.

The 29-year-old was named Ireland’s Players’ Player of the Year, voted on by his peers, and then a week later he was selected European Player of the Year, receiving over 30,000 votes from fans across the continent.

When Ireland travelled down to New Zealand, nobody expected the greatest month in Irish rugby history. The All Blacks held a 14-0 record over Ireland in matches on home soil over the last 46 years, but after losing the first test, Andy Farrell’s team came back with the most formidable back-to-back displays ever seen in green… and wiped the hosts away with a 2-1 series win.

And the Irish player of the series was the red-capped Josh van der Flier. In Leinster blue and Ireland green, Josh is living his dream. But it was necessarily destiny, rather the life choice of his grandparents ( Johannes and Joke) on his father’s side, who are Dutch.

They came to Ireland with plans to start a radiator factory in the 1950s, landing first in Finglas, and then moving to Wicklow. His mother is from Kilkenny.

Josh has lived in Wicklow town all his life. It was there he began his love of sport, which grew when he attended Wesley College, a Methodist school, as a boarder in Dublin for six years. He was quiet as a boy in school and was small, and started his career as a scrum half.

‘I enjoyed the ethos of the school… there was a good atmosphere… a good place to be. I was lucky to have been able to go there. There were opportunities for everyone to do well.’

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Scripture and Ball

‘Each Sunday we would go to the local church, which is Church of Ireland in Wicklow. Mum and dad would take time to read some bible stories to us from those children’s books. We also had prayer every mealtime to bless the food. I also prayed before I went to sleep. Prayer was an integral part of our family at home and growing up.’

Dirk van der Flier, who had played rugby for Old Wesley and also for Leinster under-21s, and his wife were also involved with Scripture Union, a nondenominational Christian organisation. His mother helped to run summer camps for young people and at one time his dad was chairperson.

These camps were simply fun, with some religious activities.

‘Many of the young people were mad for the sports aspects, but there were some fun games and some reflective quiet moments when it was quite normal to have talks and
discussions. It was all natural and normal.’

‘It made an impact on me. All my upbringing involved faith… Sunday School or opportunities for kids to be part of prayer.’

As a teenager it can be tough to express faith, due to pressure from peers. Josh came home from boarding school at weekends and joined his family in church. ‘I found it hard early on to talk about faith. I still do. It does not come natural to me like others… telling people about my faith.

‘I am a private and quiet person.’

A Ball in his Cot

‘I only played cricket, hockey and rugby in school… all team and structured sport.’

He focused on rugby, but had little choice, remarking that as a baby his dad had put a rugby ball in his cot! ‘Rugby was a huge thing for me. Dad loved to teach us and played with us in the garden.’

Around the age of 14, he decided to take the game extra seriously, paying attention to the smallest details. In his fourth year at school, he notes that he researched online how to do
personal gym sessions.

‘I then did around nine gym sessions per week to be better… and bigger! I was training hard to try to get on the senior team at Wesley.’

His dedication got him there.

‘Even now as a professional, we only do half that amount of gym sessions. My training regime in school didn’t make sense, but it was what we were trying to do, better ourselves and our game.’

He graduated from the senior team in Wesley and had a few trials for Leinster, but it was not until sixth year that he was picked for the Leinster under-19 team for a summer programme.

The following summer he played for Ireland’s under-19s. This pattern of constant improvement continued until he got selected for the Leinster Academy.

It’s in the Detail

‘I have loads of little parts of detail that are part of my preparation. I listen to beat music… loud and pumped-up before a game. As I drive to the game I play calm, religious worship music… reflective music that calms me down. The peaceful music is just like going to church. It offers me that important moment of calm.

‘My youth pastor would always tell me, ‘You can honour God by playing rugby’. I know God gave me a gift and I honour that by playing to the best of my ability.’ I have always loved rugby and dreamed of being professional. God blesses you if you work hard at something. I bring my passion for sport and connect that with my passion for God.

‘Before a game… and this can be in the dressing-room or the night before, or even on the pitch… I say a prayer. Sometimes I have prayed with my fiancée (now wife) before a match. It is not an exact prayer, but along the lines of thanking God for the opportunity… and to honour God in how I play and act.

‘I find it fascinating that most people associate me as being religious and are intrigued that I have a faith. Sometimes in the physio room there have been chats with other lads, who might quietly disclose that they go to Mass too.

‘I have seen lads very nervous before a big game… whether it is Leinster or Ireland, or even club… and they bless themselves. Or they have their eyes closed…some even kneel down in prayer. I have seen many different moments like this.

‘Obviously, there are more people than just me praying!’

Some of these people may not naturally fit into the faith category. Faith is normal to Josh, but for others it is an even more private matter.

‘I suppose it might be Irish culture… to keep your faith private. It’s very different to other players from overseas, who are very open and expressive about their faith.

‘I wear a cross on my wrist. I like it for myself… a reminder that God is there. It is not a tattoo, but in the form of tape and a marking. When I was in school there were not too many students open about their faith, if they had any.

“I remember watching big international games and I’d see the odd player with a
cross on their wrist.

‘This was very encouraging to me, to know there are other Christians playing sport.’

Just like the gladiators in the Colosseum fighting the early Christians, maybe Josh can inspire a new generation of gladiators to do their best on the pitch.

Josh and his wife have a strong faith. They are from different faith backgrounds but with a commitment to faith. ‘I am comfortable in both traditions. We have
always prayed together, and it is important to both of us. She and my mother pray before my games.’

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• This extract is from ‘Faith: In Search Of Greater Glory In Sport’ by Gerard Gallagher. More details available here.