Mr Reliable on a collision course to fire up Ireland
RHYS RUDDOCK has waited 11 years for the chance to become an overnight sensation.
After winning his first Ireland cap on the 2010 tour to Australia, Ruddock has been through five different captains, three different head coaches and 10 Six Nations campaigns.
And now finally, at the age of 30, he has the chance to start his first championship game.
The Leinster hardman said: “It’s mad to think it’s my first start in the Six Nations but I’ve built up 26 caps in the meantime and played some big matches against tough opposition.
“There have obviously been a few years where I’ve been at home or been injured but most of the time I’ve been involved in the squad, sometimes on the bench, other times not in the matchday 23, so it’s a bit of a strange one.
“You’ve got to be in the squad to have a chance and I’ve preferred that, being in around the group and waiting for my opportunity rather than like last year’s Six Nations where I was at home on the couch watching.
“It gave me a lot of motivation to try to lift my level of performance and do what was needed to get myself back in the frame and get an opportunity for myself.”
Now, in Peter O’mahony’s absence, he has that – coach Andy Farrell (below) calling him in.
Ruddock said: “He spoke to me about being a collision winner. It’s a point of difference but doing it consistently, being dynamic and explosive in the contact.
“I went away and worked on some physical things.
As a result I’m more dynamic and explosive in the contact.”
Ruddock has won five Pro14 titles and the 2018 Champions Cup. Plus, whenever he has had the chance with Ireland, he has never let them down.
“Mr Reliable” is what Joe Schmidt, Ireland’s most successful coach, called him.
Now Mr Reliable goes up against the most unreliable team in world rugby. Sometimes brilliant, occasionally terrible – you never know what you are going to get from France.
Ruddock said: “From our point of view, you don’t want to go into a game with any other thoughts than you’re going to win.”