1
‘Surely not? Doing it all again in the exact same spot?’ - Jack Conan's worry
Fit-again Ireland back-rower Jack Conan suffered flashbacks to Japan four years ago as he contemplated being sent home injured from a second successive Rugby World Cup.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 31-year-old feared his tournament was over before it had begun during a bumpy road to recovery from another foot issue.
Conan is pushing to feature in a pivotal Pool B showdown with Scotland on October 7 after “flogging” himself back to fitness from torn ligaments sustained in his country’s warm-up win over Italy on August 5.
The British and Irish Lion was optimistic about his rehabilitation before travelling to France but then felt he was “cooked” following a setback which left him with a crushing sense of deja vu.
“It’s been very frustrating,” said Conan. “I was doing very well before I arrived over here and then I hit a bit of a road-block that pushed it back a few weeks.
“I ran the Thursday morning before we left and it went really well, my best running session.
“Literally, two days after that it capitulated to some degree and I went for scans.
“I had flashbacks to sitting in some random Japanese hospital in the middle of nowhere with Ciaran (Ruddock, Ireland’s assistant athletic performance coach) four years’ ago, with Ciaran again, and I was saying: ‘Surely not? Doing it all again in the exact same spot?’
“Thankfully, this one’s had a far better outcome.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I tore a few ligaments in my foot against Italy. Then I was coming back from that and ended up over-compensating with other bones in my foot and got bone bruising.
“There was definitely a stage where I thought: ‘this is me, I’m cooked’. Three or four weeks’ ago, I thought I was going home.”
Number eight Conan came off the bench in Ireland’s 2019 World Cup opener against Scotland but then suffered a stress fracture in his foot ahead of the shock defeat to hosts Japan, resulting in his early departure.
The Leinster player is hoping for another crack at the Scots on the biggest stage as he seeks to repay the faith of head coach Andy Farrell.
ADVERTISEMENT
“To get pulled aside and to say: ‘Look, we’re going to keep you on, we know you’re going to get better, we going to give you the time you need’ filled me with a lot of confidence,” said Conan, who was selected ahead of Connacht’s Cian Prendergast and Munster’s Gavin Coombes.
“It took the edge off me a little bit.
“I was able to relax and just focus on getting better and not be worrying that they’re going to send me home or anything like that.
“In fairness to Cian and Gav, the two of them had incredible pre-seasons and I’m grateful they were patient with me.
“My one cap in a World Cup so far was against Scotland so it will be good to add another one.
“Hopefully I get that opportunity next week but it’s such a joy to be out running around with the lads and get back with a ball in your hands and switching off from all the rehab a little bit.”
Ireland are on the cusp of the quarter-finals after backing up bonus-point wins over Romania and Tonga by defeating reigning champions South Africa.
“The lads have gone unbelievably well the last few weeks,” said Conan.
“It’s always a bit strange watching on from a distance and the lads are out on the pitch, I’m flogging myself on the rower or in the gym. It’s great to be back.
“I’d much rather be playing. It’s a lot more easier on the heart than it is sitting in the stands.”
Comments on RugbyPass
What a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
2 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
40 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
40 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
2 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to comments