MY SECOND FRANCE TO BEAT THEM

Byrne delighted to get another opportunity

ROSS BYRNE wasn’t sure if he would ever get a shot at revenge against France.

It was on St Valentine’s Day in 2021 that Byrne came on to try to salvage a losing Six Nations scenario. It wasn’t to be – France won 15-13. He came on again at Twickenham a week later and, after another championship loss, Byrne wasn’t seen again in an Ireland shirt for 18 months.

His cameo in Cardiff last Saturday was his first taste of Six Nations action since then.

Byrne has clearly grown as a player in the meantime.

The Leinster out-half was instantly commanding, driving the team onto the attack to secure a bonus point.

“It definitely crossed my mind, it would cross anyone’s mind that the chance was gone,” said Byrne.

“But the only thing I could do was play week in, week out as best I could for Leinster.

“As generic as it sounds, there was no point in me worrying about anyone else, just myself.

“We (Andy Farrell and him) had conversations when I haven’t been in and he’s given me little work-ons to do. I’ve been trying to implement those as best as possible.

“I’ve probably done that a lot more this season.

Thankfully I’ve been picked and it’s just about trying to put that into practice on the international stage.

“I tried to improve year on year and I think I’ve improved.

“A lot of that comes with experience and some of the coaches I’ve had as well. It’s probably just little things and it’s not been one big fix.”

From the sidelines, the 27-year-old witnessed a sea-change in Ireland, too, that goes beyond the fact that on-field generals Johnny Sexton, James Ryan and Peter O’mahony (below) were missing when Les Bleus last came to Dublin.

“I think the team has grown massively,” said Byrne.

““You just see what the team have achieved in the last year, they’ve beaten every team other than France.

“What they did in November and obviously in the summer in New Zealand, and last week as well... obviously that game (against France in 2021), there was no crowd which was obviously a strange time for everyone.

“The support we had in Wales was incredible. Hopefully this week the atmosphere will be buzzing and will make a big difference.”

Byrne doesn’t hesitate when quizzed on Ireland’s biggest improvement in the last couple of years.

“The attack is phenomenal,” he commented.

“It’s up there with the best in world rugby.

“We probably saw that at times on Saturday, particularly at the start.

“We were clinical, which you have to be in international rugby – but also defensively.

“There are lots of work-ons and things we’ll have to improve on if we want to beat France. But, overall, the team’s in a strong position across all areas, to be honest.”

In a World Cup year, Farrell will have big decisions to make about who to take to France in September.

Byrne is lacking in Test experience but has played a huge amount of games for Leinster over the past few seasons.

Would that be enough if he was called on to play against South Africa, or even France again, at the finals?

“You have to back yourself,” he said. “I can’t tell you the future so I don’t know.

“But the only thing you can do is play week in, week out, and if you get the opportunity, hopefully you take it.

“I can’t control the experience of Test rugby that I’ve had so there’s no point in me worrying about the lack of experience I’ve had.

“The only thing I can control is my own performance and my own preparation – so that’s the only thing I focus on.”