Irish keep faith despite being winless in ten
Paul Rees talks to London Irish DoR Declan Kidney and hooker Agustin Creevy about turning the tide
London Irish have gone ten matches without a league victory in a run stretching back to last March, but after three tight games their seasoned director of rugby Declan Kidney believes it will not take much of a swing to get them climbing the table.
Irish host Gloucester at the Brentford Community Stadium today having lost to Northampton and Leicester – both unbeaten at the time – after conceding late penalties and drawing at home to Sale having at one point trailed by 17 points with a late Paddy Jackson penalty that would have completed the comeback hitting a post.
“We have not shown the experience we needed in the last couple of minutes in some matches, but we have players back and we are not concerned about it,” said Kidney. “A common factor has been that we have made poor starts and perhaps we should have arranged more preseason matches, although that is a double-edged sword.
“We could have beaten Sale and had a late drop-goal blocked at
Northampton. I hope our ground can become a factor. We have huge support and there was a great feeling against Leicester last weekend. I am only sorry that we could not close the deal for the fans.
“It is a smashing place to play rugby. I have been in the game a long time and been to many grounds and ours is the perfect size for club rugby. It can take time to build up things when you move to a new ground, and I can only imagine what it will be like when we have some wins.”
It was a familiar tale for Irish the last time they played Gloucester, back in May. They were leading in the final minute of the game at Kingsholm when they were penalised in the opposition 22. The ball was kicked to touch and when the Exiles infringed again, Billy Twelvetrees kicked his side to a 30-28 victory.
“Both teams are different from that time,” said Kidney. “Our problem at the end of last season was finishing matches, but this year we have made some unhealthy starts, trailing both Northampton and Sale by 17 points before finding a way back in.
“I want the players to get the rewards for their efforts, but it rarely happens like that. You have to play the game, believe in yourself, take what Gloucester throw at you and see where that leaves you. It would be nice to get our first win, but what is important is that we do not try to force things. We have taken reference points from our first four matches and they put us in a stronger position.”
Irish have one of the most experienced packs in the Premiership with the likes of Agustin Creevy, Sean O’Brien, Rob Simmons, Adam Coleman and Steve Mafi on their roster, but Kidney has rarely been able to field his strongest available side.
“You have to be able to take what is thrown at you,” said Kidney. “My message to the players in the run-up to Gloucester was no different to previous weeks: take the pain you feel into training and playing. No one is rocking up to work too happy because it is much easier if you are winning.
“We have been knocking on the door and it is important that the players do not get too wound up but play the game with a mixture of belief and courage. Gloucester will present an entirely different threat to Leicester with the fluency of their game and the speed of their outside backs. We have to be able to deal with it.
“We have made no secret of the fact that utopia is building a side from within here and getting the players to learn how to win matches. They are not youngsters any more and we look forward to them kicking on and adding to our leadership.
“When you bring on emerging players you need older ones, and while the approach has not manifested in terms of results, the tide will turn if we keep a steady course.”
Agustin Creevy is one of the older players Irish have drafted in. The former Argentina hooker and captain is 36 and has scored a try in each of their last three matches. Like Kidney, he believes the good times will not be long in rolling.
“If we can get one victory, more will follow,” said Creevy. “And it will come because this team is really good. It is a matter of fixing mistakes. The mood is one of frustration because we have come so close, but the players have bonded and we are a really tight group. That is the important thing.”
Creevy remembers when the Jaguares started playing in Super Rugby and struggled initially to adapt to the competition. Within five years they had turned from whipping boys to finalists and he believes Irish are going through a similar process.
“Jaguares only won two matches in our first year,” he said. “We realised we had to change our mentality, improve our skills and believe in ourselves. Part of building as a team is to learn from games lost late on or failing to take an opportunity to win. You learn from experiences.”
Creevy joined Irish last year having had a stint with Worcester in the 2010s. He does not miss the travel
“We’ve not shown the experience we needed in the last couple of minutes”
ling required in Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship, relishing the opportunity to put his family first.
“I feel good,” he said. “I can spend more time with my family and I want to stay here because I love this club. I have a few more years in me and and I try to enjoy every game. I am happy to be scoring tries because at my age I wonder if I have the same strength as before, but I do not pay much attention to it. The one against Leicester was individual, but most
are down to the whole pack.
“The Premiership is a really high standard and I want to make the most of my last years as a player. I would not want to play Super Rugby again because there is too much travelling. There is a good level of players here and I get to stay at home every night.”
Creevy has not retired from international rugby, but does not expect to add to his 85 caps for the Pumas, the last of which he won against the United States in Kumagaya in the 2019 World Cup.
“I would like to play for Argentina but the coaches have other priorities,” he said. “You will have to ask them.” The Pumas defeated New Zealand in Sydney last year, but instead of proving to be a springboard, they became the target of abuse at home when their
perceived failure to pay a fitting tribute to Diego Maradona after the footballer’s death was followed by the revelation of racist social media posts from years before by a number of players, including the then captain Pablo Matera.
Creevy added: “Maradona and the Matera Tweets affected the team which has yet to play at home since the start of the pandemic. They have been away from their families, staying in hotels for months on end and it perhaps explains why they lost every game in this year’s Rugby Championship. It comes down to mentality.”
Irish make three changes to the side with Allan Dell, Rob Simmons and Isaac Curtis-Harris coming into the pack for Will GoodrickClarke, Adam Coleman and Ben Donnell who all drop to the bench.
“If we can get one victory, more will follow... this team is really good”