Flanker Ferris finding form

IT takes one hell of a player to keep Munster pair Denis Leamy and Alan Quinlan out of the Ireland number six shirt, yet through the first three games of this so far unbeaten Six Nations tournament, that is exactly what Stephen Ferris had done.

Leamy was back in the team for Saturday’s win over Scotland, but he was at number eight, Jamie Heaslip the man to lose out.

Ferris was still there and, with contact his forte, Scottish number eight Simon Taylor knew all about it less than a minute into the contest.

“It was the first minute and I just knew, 100 percent, when I was running at him, that he wasn’t going to pass it, because if I was in his position I wouldn’t have passed it. I just lined him up nicely and put in a bit of an impact. I wanted to get myself into the game. In fairness to him, he’s playing pretty good rugby for Stade Francais and that but it was good to get that hit in. It’s definitely something I like to do, get a positive moment in a game early on. That happened to be the first minute, maybe it could happen five or 10 minutes in. It’s good, it gives yourself a bit of a lift. I do go looking for it in the first couple of minutes, even if it’s a carry and you make two or three yards or an off-load or something like that, just to give yourself a bit of confidence. I went about my job and fair play to Wally (David Wallace), Jamie (Heaslip, replacement for the injured Denis Leamy) and Denis at the start, we played pretty well as a unit.”

Indeed they did, and it’s critical, that, playing as a unit, something that’s happening all over the park. The front five in the tight, same deal; the back three have a superb understanding while the half-backs and centres control the middle. Teamwork.

“...And a lot of hard work. The amount of work we’ve done in the last seven weeks has been unbelievable, by everyone in the squad, in the management, everyone pulling together. We’re digging deep, our defence has been working very hard, Les Kiss has been great, a very easy man to listen to and learn from. Everyone is putting in great defensive performances, it’s a pleasure to be involved in that.”

So you can start thinking of Grand Slam then? “Me? No, it’s something I’ve dreamt of but now that I’m in the position, I’m just taking every game as it comes, as I’ve done for the past few weeks; prepare myself as best as possible to win a test match against Wales next Saturday.”

And enjoying it? “From the first second to last! You don’t know how long you’re going to have that green jersey, enjoy every second you’re in it. There’s huge competition there for places, it’s vital I keep playing well.”

Another singing a similar song was fellow Ulster man Rory Best. Where Ferris has started every game this year, Best got his first opportunity to shine on Saturday, and grabbed it; prominent around the park, on the money with his darts to the lineout, when he was replaced with 16 minutes to go it was more a comment on the quality of Jerry Flannery, his rival for the hooker spot, than a reflection on how Rory had been playing.

Surprisingly, given that he is known as a powerful scrummager, this was one area where Ireland struggled on Saturday. “We’re disappointed the way we started and finished the game, though we got to grips in the middle for a while. They’re a big unit, give them credit, but we are disappointed with the way we scrummaged.”

A nervous few days coming up then for Best. “It’s the same right across the board, Leamy and Heaslip, Stringer and O’Leary, etc – that’s great for Ireland, it’s something we haven’t had enough of for a while. Look at the bench, you have boys like Geordan Murphy, players who can come on and shut out a game for you, or win a game for you. Everyone wants to start the next day, and those who do will be the lucky ones, but the boys on the bench could end up being the ones who make the difference between winning and losing.”