Trimble’s ambition

INTERNATIONAL TEST:

The Ulster winger is thousands of miles from Test rugby significance and even his own father has chosen the Lions tour above the chance to see his son’s half-century racked up at the BMO Stadium in Toronto.

“He’s got bigger fish to fry,” laughs Trimble, naturally understanding his father would opt for a rugby excursion to Australia over Canada.

Trimble’s priority is much more personal: 50 caps or not, incoming coach Joe Schmidt needs a signal of intent from the 27-year-old at a time when depth of talent in and around the Irish back three is starting to bubble up.

“I just want my rugby to be very uncomplicated,” he responded when asked if he would be knocking on Schmidt’s door to argue his case. “Play as well as I can if I get picked. That takes everything else out of it.

“I had one or two conversations with Declan Kidney throughout the season. I wouldn’t want to say too much. But I think I was fairly clear what I had to do.

“But to be honest, whether it’s Kissy, Deccie or Joe or whoever it is trying to tell me what I have to do to get in, they can only tell me what I already know.

“I know my game better than anybody. I know my strengths and I know my weaknesses.

“It’s just about working on things that I’m not so good at naturally and trying to build on the things I do well and get that into my game.”

He was Ulster’s player of the year this past season and is at that age where he should be at the peak of his powers. “I was really pleased with how things were going in Ulster. I think maybe not being involved with Ireland helped me with Ulster. I had that luxury. I was able to concentrate on one thing and that made it very simple and straightforward. I had to get the job done.”

He’s used to the rollercoaster of a top level sporting career. A year before the 2009 Grand Slam, Trimble was riding high, partnering Brian O’Driscoll in midfield and looking like his future was mapped out. A leg injury sparked a series of setbacks that saw him miss that year’s tour Down Under and he subsequently slid out of favour when Declan Kidney took over.

By the time that memorable and victorious campaign rolled around the following year, he was 24 and firmly sidelined with more injury setbacks to come. Ever since he has been in and out, watching the next best young players arrive with those same aspirations he remembered were his own back when he made his international debut in March 2006 against Wales in the Six Nations at the age of 21.

“It’s not the way I want to do things but the fact that it’s ended up like that, I’m quite proud of myself because i know it’s difficult to come back whenever things aren’t going well. I pride myself on being able to dig in whenever things aren’t going the way you’d planned them.

“I don’t want to be that player that every time you come back, you have to do it again but fortunately now I have the chance again and I want to make sure I really grab it.”

And yes, it did cross his mind that maybe it all arrived a little too quickly. “Especially whenever there are guys younger than you getting picked, a good bit younger. The tendency is to move on and bring the young guys through.

“I’m just very stubborn and want to get back in there, dig my heels in and make it as difficult as possible to be dropped. Just be as competitive as I can be. There are players coming through 22, 23. But I don’t feel like I’m old. I feel like I should be moving into my prime.

“Maybe, like you said, I’ve played the best rugby of my career last year for Ulster. Certainly one of the best seasons of my career. That’s where I feel I’m at.”

Of course, it took the Lions call-up of one of those next-big-things, Simon Zebo, to put Trimble in line for his landmark achievement.

“It’s been a long season. There’s been ups and downs so to get my 50th, I’m absolutely delighted. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a one-off against Canada. I’d have loved for it to have been a Six Nations game or straight after it in the Autumn but this is my chance, this is my opportunity so I really want to take it.”