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Andrew Conway has admitted Ireland’s players face a nerve-wracking Sunday waiting to find out their World Cup fate.
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The Munster wing impressed in Ireland’s 22-17 victory over Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, scything through the home defence before sending Jacob Stockdale in at the corner for a fine try.
Conway, Will Addison and Jordan Larmour are all pushing to squeeze into a probable five-strong Ireland back-three group certainly comprising Stockdale, Keith Earls and Rob Kearney.
Boss Joe Schmidt will submit his 31-man World Cup squad to World Rugby on Monday, though Ireland will not announce that group until September 8.
Conway conceded no one in the Ireland squad quite knows what to do with their Sunday, when at some point head coach Schmidt could well be in touch with pivotal news.
“It’s not going to be nice, I haven’t experienced this one, for a World Cup,” said Conway.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, just do something with my other half, keep the mind active and not be sitting looking at the phone.
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“It’s been a big block of work, and hopefully I’ve put in a few relatively good performances in the last three games. You never know.
“I don’t know how we’ll find out. It’s potentially calls, some lads get calls.
“Usually when we’re in the squad you’d get an email saying you’ve been selected for a Six Nations or autumn squad, so I’m not sure if there’s any differences now.
“Whatever is going on, it’s going to be a tough day.
Rugby World Cup City Guide – Fukuoka – Continue reading below
“From a selfish point of view I really hope I make it, but there’s going to be guys that have done really well in this pre-season, worked incredibly hard and aren’t going to make it. That’s going to happen no matter what.
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“So it’s going to be a tough day for a lot of people, and for the squad in general. Because you don’t like seeing guys who’ve put in such a massive effort lose out, but it is what it is.”
Stockdale drew level with Ronan O’Gara as Ireland’s 10th-highest Test try scorer of all time with his brace against Wales on Saturday, taking his international tally to 16 scores in just 21 appearances.
Ireland hit back from their record 57-15 loss to England at Twickenham by denying Warren Gatland a farewell Cardiff win in the last home match of his Wales tenure.
‘I remember as a kid having vague recollections of police checks and border controls, so the thought of going back there feels as though it's such a step back in time’
– @BrianODriscoll talks to @heagneyl about Brexit, @IrishRugby and @rugbyworldcuphttps://t.co/jHOw9x5HfE— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 1, 2019
Schmidt’s men will be at full strength to host Wales in the return fixture – and their final World Cup warm-up match – at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
By then Ireland’s squad will know their World Cup selection fate, with their opening Pool A clash against Scotland fast approaching on September 22.
Schmidt typically examines training just as closely as matches when it comes to selection, and Conway admitted he hopes a summer’s hard graft can help him pull through now.
Asked if he can feel proud he has shown the best of himself across this extended World Cup build-up, Conway said: “Yes I think so, and do you know, it’s not really about the games whenever you talk about that, it’s about the training, and the times I know that I’ve dug in and that I’ve put everything into it.
“All my preparation, physical, mental, emotional, even going spiritual, meditating, doing all these things to get the extra per cent.
“So I’m pretty comfortable in how much effort I’ve put in. And what will be will be.”
Rugby World Cup city guide – Kumamoto
Comments on RugbyPass
He would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
1 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to comments