Patience paying off for in-form Conway...
IT’S taken a long time, but Andrew Conway has f i nally broken into Ireland’s ranks and the Munster wing looks here to stay. Today’s Six Nations clash with Italy in Dublin will be his fourth consecutive start in a green shirt — due reward for his stellar form this year.
It will be Conway’s 15th start in 22 appearances, which seems scant reward for a player of his talents and age (29).
For a long, long time, Conway was banging on the door. Finally, he looks like a firm fixture in this new-look Ireland squad.
‘I think I was knocking on it for a long enough time, probably longer than you would know from the outside, is how I felt in terms of how I was performing,’ he said.
‘I’m probably around four or five years in the set-up in or around the set-up and it did take me time, definitely, to make my debut, and it took me a while to nail down a couple of starts in a row in a Six Nations match and so on and so forth.
‘But I’ve definitely been in and around the environment a pretty long time and felt that provincially my performances have gradually gotten better and better, and more consistent, but I do think you’re probably going back a long few years now where there has been a change.
‘It’s just a gradual evolution and always looking for little wins here and there, and looking for little adaptations and how you can evolve as a player. And you constantly get that with the different environments you’re exposed to as well. We’re working with some world-class coaches both provincially and nationally, and you learn so much and you learn from the guys around you.’
There is a sense that form will be rewarded in this set-up.
That wasn’t always the case under the previous regime — especially at last year’s World Cup when Joe Schmidt did not promote in-form players such as Conway during that ill-fated tournament.
‘I think the lads in previous times had done a body of work under Joe.
‘He was really confident in them and you can’t really blame him for that either. A lot of those senior guys have produced at the most important times over the last five or six years for Irish rugby.
‘So, it was understandable why they had a bit more (credit) in the bank, but I suppose to drive competition, I for one, definitely don’t want to feel comfortable in a starting position at any level whether that is national or provincial.
‘You want someone breathing down your neck.
‘You want someone who comes in when you’re not playing provincial matches, whoever wears the 14 jersey, if I am up there and if Munster are playing, you want them playing really well because that applies pressure in a good way to me knowing that, “okay this guy is playing really well.”
‘One, you are not resting on your laurels and two, whenever I get an opportunity out on the pitch, I need to be smashing it.
‘To be honest with you, there is a feeling that form will come into it, probably a bit more than it has in the past, which is great for everyone. It’s great for the guys who have their name on the team sheet, but it’s also great for the guys who are knocking on the door in training and are looking to get a run.’
Today, he is very much the experienced campaigner who will lead an inexperienced back three featuring Jacob Stockdale, starting his first Test at full-back, and Hugo Keenan, the uncapped rookie on the left wing.
‘Jacob’s been playing really, really good rugby especially in the last few weeks at 15,’ Conway added.
‘We all know how capable he is in attack and he’s got that leftfoot option that takes pressure off the inside with having a different leg to kick off, which is t ougher t o defend in t he backfield.
‘Hugo has been tearing it up for Leinster but then in training... he’s doing the exact same thing in training as he’s been doing in games for Leinster.
‘I think on one of the first days he came in he was running in tries from all sorts of places. So, yeah, it’s definitely a challenge that we have to own. There’s going to be no excuses on our behalf that it’s the first we’ve played together, that’s not what we’re about.
‘So, it’s going to be fun. I’m really looking forward to it. The lads have played together at underage as well so they’ve got a bit of a relationship and obviously I’ve played with Jacob for a good few years now.
‘We’re excited.’
‘I think I was knocking on the door long enough’