Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CONWAY’S WORLDLY AMBITION
ANDREW CONWAY is on a mission in this World Cup year - to kick the door down and nail down a starting slot in this Ireland team.
Making the matchday squad in Rome for the first time in this year’s Six Nations championship, the Munster winger got to work off a bit of frustration as he was a 13th minute replacement for Bundee Aki.
Conway, 27, points out that luck hasn’t been on his side when it has come to Ireland selection since making his debut against England two years ago.
Since then he has made 11 Test appearances, including seven starts, and is yet to finish on the losing side for his country.
But Saturday’s game was only his second Six Nations appearance. The first was that debut against the Red Rose.
“There’s a bit of frustration,” he said. “I’ve been a bit unlucky when it comes to the Ireland jersey.
“I seem to pick up knocks at really inopportune times and then I put together a big workload for Munster over say November until the end of January, probably almost too big - and then pick up a knock which keeps me out of training for a week, too.
“The guys here, they’re not really going to wait for me unless I’m down to be a starter. That’s just where I’m at the minute.
“I have to kind to need to kick the door down and make sure I’m one of the first names on the teamsheet – but that’s tough with the competition here.
“It was a tough game and it was a real test match so it’s great to be involved in those environments.”
Coming on so early can require a swift mental re-adjustment but Conway has learned the hard way not to be too pumped up on the bench waiting for his chance.
“I find from experience that I don’t like preparing as though I’m starting the game because if you don’t get on with 20 minutes to go you’re already burned out,” he said.
“That’s happened to me in the past and it hasn’t gone well so you have to be a bit more relaxed in the warm-up and the matchday preparation and then whenever you get the call to go on, you just go on and try to get stuck in.”