SEND IRELAND UP IN SMOKE
TADHG FURLONG is chatting about Ireland’s unbeaten Six Nations run and their preparations for England when he interrupts the conversation to pull out his mobile phone.
“Let me show you this,” the player many consider to be world’s best tight-head prop says with a chuckle.
Furlong (above) sets the scene for his show-and-tell by explaining how, with Ireland training in Cork the previous week, he used the opportunity to visit his 87-year-old grandmother on Whiddy Island, a tiny dot off the west coast with a population of 25.
“I went down to Whiddy for the storm – it was blowing a gale out there and Nanny has no central heating or anything but she’s got the cheap version of an Aga, a Stanley, which she got refurbished not so long ago, so she had it lit,” he said.
“I stayed down with her Thursday. She was grand. She’s in fine fettle. Great craic. Not a bother on her.”
Furlong then pulls up an image of his grandmother inches from a television screen watching Johnny Sexton lining up a kick in Ireland’s convincing win over Wales a fortnight ago – a game in which her grandson scored a terrific barrelling try.
“That’s her there now watching the telly. Eyesight not great – she got the two cataracts done up there in Belfast. She’s up close to it,” he added.
“My cousin’s girlfriend went in to watch the game with Nanny. And here’s the quote of the day from my grandmother: ‘If Sexton misses this one I’ll **** him from all angles.’ That’s a direct quote from my grandmother.”
There, in a colourful nutshell, is the rugby passion of the Irish for you, and when it comes to today’s game against England it will be doubled.
Ireland have a terrific record against England in the Six
JONATHAN JOSEPH began his England career as an emergency winger and he will play his 50th match back on the touchline against Ireland.
It has been a roller-coaster journey for the 28-year-old since his debut as a substitute against South Africa on the 2012 overseas tour.
Injuries have struck cruel blows but he prefers memories of the good days, like his first try in a famous victory away to the Welsh in 2015.
“That Wales game was special,” he said. “I played well and we won.
It is special to reach 50 caps.
Nations era – they are the only side to have won more than they have lost, with 11 wins against nine losses.
Four of those victories have come at Twickenham as well, including the Grand Slam game two years ago.
But they arrive at HQ fuelled not so much by those warming memories but by the crushing 57-15 World Cup warm-up loss on their last visit in August.
The two sides were at different stages of their preparation for Japan but the fear of anything approaching a repeat will drive Ireland today.
“You look at that game and you think: ‘Jeez, how far off the pace we were!’ Some of the stuff we were doing and our energy was so, so poor,” said Furlong. “Sure, it’s easy to make excuses but by God, did it hurt. We were humiliated. Jeez, if we play like that at the weekend, it will be the same result.”
There is little chance of a repeat, with England still finding their feet in this championship and Ireland rejuvenated under Andy Farrell.
If Ireland win and stay on course for a Grand Slam, Whiddy Island will go wild.
If you look at the great players who have reached that milestone, I am privileged to hopefully be in that category.” Joseph has the honour of leading the team out but the focus is on returning with a win. His career has almost exclusively been at centre but, with the return of Manu Tuilagi, he has been switched.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Joseph added. He has 17 tries in his England career but none against Ireland. Breaking that duck would be perfect.