'I felt like a bit of a mug' - Jack Conan ready to bury Rodney Parade gaff
Ireland star Jack Conan is ready to realise a dream by running out in front of a capacity Dublin crowd on the opening weekend of a Guinness Six Nations campaign – 12 months on from feeling “a bit of a mug”.
Conan approaches the tournament on the back of the finest year of his career to date, having become a British and Irish Lion and established himself as a key cog in Andy Farrell’s imposing forward pack.
The influential 29-year-old has never previously started a championship curtain-raiser and his current situation is a far cry from last February.
After being overlooked by head coach Farrell for his country’s opening two fixtures of 2021, Conan was instead performing at club level and left waving to imaginary supporters as he celebrated his 100th Leinster appearance in underwhelming fashion.
“It’s great to finally get to the position I am,” said Conan, ahead of Saturday’s sold-out clash with reigning Six Nations champions Wales.
“It’s probably taken me a bit longer than I wanted to but a few injuries and then obviously a lot of quality players around as well and probably been guilty of under-performing myself over the years as well.
“I think this week last year, I made my 100th cap for Leinster against the Dragons in Rodney Parade and ran out to an empty stadium giving it that (waves at an imaginary crowd)!
“Luke McGrath was the captain and he said ‘you’re going to run out’. I said, ‘Lukey, what are you on about? There’s no-one in the stadium’.
“There was the lads on the bench, the coaches and the Dragons fellas, so I felt like a bit of a mug.
“It’s great now to be sitting here and being able to get a start in a Six Nations opener in Dublin and in front of a full house.
“It’s been a long time coming and something I’ve been thinking about for years. I feel very fortunate.”
Conan’s milestone provincial outing in south Wales actually came on February 19 last year.
He eventually made his first Test appearance since the 2019 World Cup the following weekend as a replacement in Ireland’s 48-10 round-three win in Italy.
The number eight again came off the bench against Scotland a fortnight later before marking his first international start for 18 months with a standout, try-scoring display in the 32-18 victory over England – a game he believes served as a “springboard” towards present circumstances.
Ireland’s current eight-match winning run has coincided with Conan’s return, while he went on to play all three Lions Tests in South Africa last summer after being a surprise pick by Warren Gatland.
“My motivation a year ago was to get to a level I wanted to be at, a level I felt I’d previously been at, and I don’t mean the jersey I was wearing, I meant my own self,” he said.
“That was a hunger that was built over months of frustration over injuries, rehabbing and everything else so it might be different motivation but it’s always really high and there’s no greater motivation than playing for your country at home in Dublin in front of family, friends and loved ones in a full house.
“My motivation changes from time to time but it’s always of the utmost importance.”
Conan is one of seven Leinster players in Ireland’s pack for the weekend, with Munster’s Tadhg Beirne the exception.
He will line up in the centre of the back row, sandwiched between Caelan Doris and Josh Van Der Flier.
“It definitely helps that you’re that bit more familiar with the lads,” said Conan.
“In saying that, even if it wasn’t seven Leinster lads out of eight, there is so much quality and strength in depth at the moment that lads can step in and do the job.
“Speaking specifically for the back row, the three of us complement each other very well. It’s an absolute joy to play with the two lads. You know what you’re getting every single time. Their work-rate is through the roof.
“We’re all bringing the best out of ourselves and I think that’s something we’ve done really well over the last few months, whether it be in green or in blue.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments