CONAN EAGER TO PROVE THAT STANDER STAND-IN CAN NOW BE A STAND-OUT
David Kelly interview,
JACK CONAN is not his usual self. Which is a good thing. He’s usually bubbly; today he is becalmed.
He looks and feels focused, assured. The Leinster player knows he has not always been the player others reckon he could be.
More importantly, he knows he has not always been the player he knows he could be. Now is his chance, however fortuitous, to make his mark.
Guilty, at times, of mentally tuning out, and thus physically switching off, he knows he cannot afford to do so in Murrayfield tomorrow, not in the context of where he stands in the international game, and especially not in the context of what England did to Ireland last week.
For Conan’s part, Joe Schmidt has told him before about the “mental tap-outs” he would have during games; he knows now he must keep the tap running. Physical and mental inattention must be replaced by intention.
Massive
“It’s a massive opportunity for me,” says Conan (right), who replaces the injured CJ Stander in a back-row which has also seen the de-selection of his club colleague Josh van der Flier.
The absence of Grand Slam-winning colleague Dan Leavy, not to mention an occasional Irish captain Rhys Ruddock, as well as Jordi Murphy, illustrates just what a golden opportunity this is for someone who hasn’t always convinced in his rare international outings.
“I’ve been waiting in the wings for so long and I probably haven’t performed at certain times. That day I came off the bench against Wales last year, I made a defensive error and let them back into the game.
“The margins are so small at Test level so you just need to be at your best consistently. I’m excited, I’m looking forward to the weekend and it’s going to be a massive test for me and the squad.
“I’m focused, I know what I have to do, I know the role that has been given to me by the coaches. Now it’s just about executing and bringing that physicality.”
Ireland didn’t bring it last weekend; there should not be a repeat tomorrow but the English defeat served twin warnings; the difficulty for a top team to maintain the perfect pitch and the grisly consequences when they fall short.
“Yeah, it happens,” he says, aptly producing an example from his club side who swept the boards in Europe last season but still displayed evidence of fallibility.
“I remember Connacht away last year, John Muldoon’s retirement. There was a lot of emotion to the game. They came out on the front foot and we weren’t where we needed to be. That day, we got laughed off the park by them. It does happen at club or international level. Obviously the performance at the weekend from Ireland wasn’t as bad as Leinster’s. But still, it wasn’t good enough.”
A shell-shocked Schmidt reckoned his side were bullied and manhandled; he seeks a response.
“I suppose he said that to probably spark a reaction in us,” he concedes.
“No-one likes the thought of being bullied. Obviously, at times we might have been physically bested but I think it’s the word that’s going to stick in everyone’s head this weekend and we’re just going to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“When you break it all down, rugby’s a simple game. Carrying the ball is one of my best attributes.
“It’s what I feel I’ve been put into the team to do, make sure we are getting over the gain-line and winning collisions when we don’t have the ball.
“I don’t think what I do has to change at all.” He just needs to do it better than ever.
Eleven matches in three years reflects his status in the pecking order, perhaps, for club and country; other, better players have blocked his path and, when he has been allowed to walk on it, often, it has been with an occasional stumble, sometimes self-enforced.
“I’ve been in a tough position for the last few years, there is such quality around the back-row position.
“It’s just about taking your opportunities. You can’t look anywhere past what’s in front of you and even though it has been frustrating at times not to play as much as I would have liked.
Disappointed
“The time you do get to put on the jersey, you need to make the most of it. I was disappointed to come off at 40 minutes against Italy last year but I had a knock to my shoulder and it wasn’t right.
“That was my first Six Nations start and this is my second. It was an incredible experience and obviously being at home as well, which makes it that bit sweeter.
“But I’ve been in high-pressure situations and played in big games before, obviously that last Test in Australia during the summer when we clinched the series win.
“I’m looking forward to it and going about my business and doing my job for the team.”
Tomorrow, he is a stand-in for Stander but his mind-set must be to stand out.
“Yeah, absolutely. Injuries happen to everyone. I’m probably only starting because CJ took a knock and he’s out injured. I’m just here to make sure I don’t let the lads down and I do the best I can and slot into that role. “Physically, I feel fit. I’m not carrying any injuries for the first time in a while so I feel like I’m at the peak of my powers. My body feels fit and ready to go. Once I have that confidence, it’s just about going out and playing. “Everyone has a point to prove whenever you pull on a green jersey and none more so than myself. Obviously I’ve limited exposure in it so every time I get it it’s an opportunity to relish and make the most of it.”