Ryan: No regrets in switching
FORMER Munster hero Donnacha Ryan insists he has no regrets about missing out on Ireland’s Grand Slam season, stressing that it was more important to open a new chapter in his life in Paris with Racing 92. ‘It’s important to grow as a person,’ he explained yesterday, 48 hours before he finds himself up against his old team in the Champions Cup semi-final in Bordeaux. ‘It’s important to be able to face a new challenge and have a different perspective on life. ‘I was in Munster for 13 years and having moved over here, my appreciation for the time I had there has gone through the roof. ‘Munster over here are so well respected and it’s great to have a look at it through this lens.’ Ryan found himself on a rugby pitch in his new home town watching Joe Schmidt’s men see off England to clinch the Slam. ‘Obviously you’d always love to be playing for Ireland but it has to end some time,’ stressed Ryan, denying any single regret. ‘No, absolutely not,’ he replied. ‘I’ve made, and people around me in my life have made a lot of sacrifices for me to be able to play for Ireland and for Munster for as long as I have.’
BY DEFINITION, being a role model for the next generation comes with huge responsibility attached.
That point was hammered home this week while being taken to task by the missus over the five-year-old’s questionable vocabulary.
Nothing too extreme, no outrageous cursing or anything truly offensive, but while putting on his Batman pyjamas before bed the other night, she was less than impressed when he issued the matter-of-fact instruction to ‘mind my nuts’.
Trying to pin that lingo on the caped crusader (the ultimate role model) was never going to work and there was no option but to accept her hair-dryer treatment — delivered with a chilling menace that would have done The Joker proud.
The best overseas signings in Irish rugby have all been role models, men who set an example for younger team-mates through a combination of talent, application and attitude.
John Langford, Jim Williams and Doug Howlett did it in Munscrum-half. ster — experienced, high-quality players who inspired by thought, word and deed beneath the umbrella of raising collective standards.
Ruan Pienaar set a similar impeccable example in Ulster (although it did not help land any trophies) and the influence of Brad Thorn at Leinster in 2012 is still spoken of, even though he was only there for a few months.
But it is the example of those who do not work out that heightens the appreciation for the true role models.
There have been far more duds than successes, and examples abound of players who were not good enough (Eddie Hekenui, David Pusey), not bothered (Tom Bowman, Owen Finegan) or not able to adjust (Kane Douglas, Jean De Villiers).
Isa Nacewa came to Leinster in 2008 as a largely unknown quantity in this part of the rugby globe.
His contribution since — there was a two-year non-playing sabbatical in New Zealand between 2013 and 2015 — has established Nacewa as the finest overseas player to have come to Ireland, and for reasons that extend far beyond mere match-day performances.
Playing-wise, the combination of speed, skill, footwork, work-rate and supreme rugby intelligence have made Nacewa pretty much the complete back-line package and these qualities have seen him feature, and excel, in every back-line position bar In 2011, former teammate Gordon D’Arcy described Nacewa as ‘always looking like he has time on the ball’, adding: ‘The biggest compliment I can give him is that when he is running, I sometimes get caught just looking at him’. The story of his one cap off the bench for Fiji in 2003 denying him the All Blacks career his talents merited has been well documented and there is no question he would have been an international superstar. However, New Zealand’s loss has very much been Leinster’s gain and his return to the province after that two-year hiatus was warmly received, although few anticipated just how successful a reintegration it would prove to be.
Outside backs generally lose zip in their thirties and there was natural expectation that the 33year-old Nacewa would adopt a more peripheral player-coach role second time around — particularly when he initially signed a one-year deal.
However, his performances have been of such quality that Nacewa’s on-field influence is greater than ever, the perfect choice as captain to bring on the steady influx of young talent surrounding him.
He has been a central cog in Leinster’s intoxicating progress this season, flourishing in the inside centre role, and there was no evidence of his pace diminishing with age when setting up Garry Ringrose for the first try in the emphatic Champions Cup quarter-final win over Saracens a few weeks ago.
But the mentoring is a hugely significant aspect to his current value. He first became interested in the process when working under assistant coach Joe Schmidt at Auckland in the mid2000s and worked as mental skills coach when back with the Blues during that 2013-15 hiatus.
Now, he sees it as a core part of his duties with the next generation of Leinster players flourishing under Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster.
‘I don’t try and cloud younger guys with it but if there’s certain things and techniques that might help them, then I definitely offer some advice,’ revealed Nacewa last year.
‘But I don’t force it on anyone because there’s a lot of trial and error and they have to figure out what works for them.’
That process is working extremely well and it was interesting to hear Shane Williams identify Nacewa as a potential source of weakness for the Scarlets to exploit in tomorrow’s Champions Cup semi-final at Lansdowne Road.
‘He’s 35 now and the Scarlets must look to exploit him,’ said Williams. ‘If I was [Scarlets coach] Wayne Pivac, I’d tell my backs to isolate Nacewa, initially with brute power, and then by getting outside him and doing him for pace.’
Given all he achieved in the game, the opinions of the Wales and Lions star deserve to be heard with respect — but Williams does not know his man if he is singling out Nacewa as a weak point.
Whether he is named in midfield or on the wing today, Nacewa can be depended upon to produce for his team — he would demand nothing less of himself and that is why he is Leinster’s ultimate role model.
Batman wears Isa Nacewa pyjamas.
His on-field influence is greater than ever