Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
TOMORROW, 7.35PM BRING IT JOHN
Cooney: It’s a battle not an audition for Ireland
ULSTER scrum-half John Cooney insists tomorrow’s showdown with Kieran Marmion isn’t a battle for Ireland’s No.9 shirt.
With Munster’s Conor Murray still absent with a neck injury, there could be a big opportunity for one of his deputies in next month’s autumn internationals.
Cooney takes on his former Connacht team-mate Marmion in tomorrow’s Pro14 clash at Kingspan Stadium.
He said: “Me and Marmo know each other pretty well and we’ve had competitive battles, even when we were together at Connacht and it was enjoyable off the field and on the field.
“It will be as competitive as always.”
Joe Schmidt will be an interested spectator but Cooney, who’s struggled to attract the Ireland coach’s attention in the past, doesn’t want to know.
“I said last year that I was going to keep the same mentality to play well here first and foremost. If I start looking ahead, that’s when I probably won’t perform as well as I’d want to.”
Cooney was forced off in both of his last two outings after suffering nasty head gashes. “I’ve two lacerations in my head now. I’ve got about 14 stitches altogether.
“I think they (the medical staff ) are going to glue the scrum cap to my head!”
Cooney admits the players “let themselves down” in last weekend’s 64-7 thrashing by Munster.
The Dub said: “We were pretty annoyed on Monday.
“It was pretty bleak watching it back.
“A few people let themselves down at the weekend and we’ll have learnt a lot now.”
Connacht’s long wait for a win in Belfast stretches back to 1960 and Cooney knows from experience that the visiting players will be thinking about that terrible record.
“It should be fun and I’m still pretty close with a lot of the lads. I’ll start my bit of talk now to a few of the players during the week to wind them up.
“I remember last year a few lads were hitting me late and talking to me during the game.
“They were celebrating when Finlay (Bealham) hit me late and got it away with it. I’d say I’ll get a few of them again.”