Philosophical Ferris set to scale heights again

STEPHEN FERRIS has been here before — at the bottom of a mountain with familiar obstacles to overcome.

Back in 2006, he made a noteworthy Test debut against the Pacific Islanders but saw his momentum stalled by injury.

Five years on and he finds himself once again looking up at previously-scaled heights because of a knee injury in January which severed his interest in the rest of the season after three standout performances in the November internationals.

The national back row, which he has graced 24 times, has cemented in his absence into a capable trio of Sean O’Brien, David Wallace and Jamie Heaslip, all of whom started the last four Six Nations games together.

Nothing is set in stone as Ireland continue their World Cup preparations in Carton House this week but Ferris is still in the early stages of his recuperation from the knee injury suffered against Treviso last January and clearly has significant ground to make up ahead of the tournament opener in New Plymouth.

“If I am selected in the squad, I believe Deccie will be selecting me to play some games,” Ferris said in his role as a Guinness Rugby ambassador. “He knows what I can bring to the table but I have to fight for that jersey. I have to give myself every opportunity over the next few months, get myself fit and some game time.

“If Deccie decides to put me on the bench I am an explosive player and it could be an option for me. Or, if he wanted to say ‘Stevie, you are playing good enough here’ that is what rugby is all about. The way Ireland is at the moment, you have got to support your team members.

“If I am fifth or sixth choice in the back row I have to hold my hands up and say, ‘right, I have to make sure I am number one again as soon as I get my opportunity’. Rugby is swings and roundabouts and I just hope it swings around again so I get another bite at the cherry.”

Declan Kidney has more than just individual CVs to skim through before deciding on his back row and other departments besides. Balance is all-important and the Ireland coach may be tempted to experiment with different combinations during the upcoming summer series warm-ups.

Heaslip’s primacy at eight is unquestioned but Ferris, O’Brien and Wallace are all versatile characters who can and have plied their trades at the base of the scrum as well as on both sides of it.

“I’m the same as Sean, really,” said Ferris. “Jamie has played most of his career at number eight but my international debut was at seven. I played a full season for Ulster at seven with Neil Best at six and Roger Wilson at eight.

“I played half the following season at number eight and then, since we started getting a bit more settled at Ulster, I’ve been playing six most of the time. I’ve got 18 of my 24 caps playing six for Ireland so I’m a bit like Sean.

“Sean has shown in the last six months that he can have six or seven on his back and it doesn’t matter, he does what he always does, which is run through people, offload, tackle well and get man of the match most weeks.”

Ferris is no stranger to such plaudits but, tempting though it is to project himself forward to RWC 2011, but months of inactivity, being on the training pitch is enough for now.

“My main priority is to not to come back and take somebody’s shirt off them, it’s to get myself 100 per cent fit.”