Ian Keatley: I’ll work hard and keep the pressure on Johnny

Ian Keatley freely admits Ireland are a better team with Johnny Sexton at fly-half but that is a motivation for the Munster No.10 rather than a deterrent to proving he belongs at Test level.

Despite a jittery start against Italy in Rome as the Azzurri flooded into his defensive channel, some kicks went astray and the majority of the 57,000-plus Stadio Olimpico crowd booed during his opening penalty kick, Keatley emerged from his Six Nations debut with head held high, the owner of a perfect goal-kicking record with 14 points in Ireland’s 26-3 win.

“I had a little bit of a shaky first few minutes, understandably I was a bit nervous,” Keatley admitted.

“Once I got that first kick, and then got myself into the game, I felt comfortable out there.

I always find nerves are good things, it shows you care. If you’re not nervous, there’s something wrong with you. I was happy with how the game went. There were one or two things I can work on and hopefully improve.”

Keatley trusted his routines and processes to get himself through that nervy opening quarter, reminding himself there is no such thing as a perfect game and that “you’ve done a lot of hard work to get to where you are”.

“You just need something to go back to, your processes and routines. That’s what I did. I took a deep breath and carried on.”

He got his first shot at goal in the sixth minute, one of four penalties and the conversion of Conor Murray’s opening try in the 64th minute before he made way for fly-half replacement Ian Madigan to finish the job he had started.

But that first kick came with plenty of noise.

No reverential silence as at Thomond Park but a cacophony of boos and whistles from the home crowd.

“I didn’t hear it, I was just in my little zone,” Keatley said having completed the transition from Ireland fourth-choice a year ago to Six Nations starter. I suppose I’ve gone on a roundabout route to get to where I am.

“I always worked very hard, trained very hard to know that if I ever got this opportunity, I would be in a good frame of mind, knowing that I have the game to hopefully play at this level.

“There are players who are superstars at an early age and break through. And then there are others who have to work away to get there.

“The only way you’re going to get into the Ireland team is playing well for your club and I suppose playing first-choice for Munster has helped me to get to where I am. To be honest with you I’ve got a taste for it now and I want to keep working hard and stay up at this level.”

With Sexton available once more following a 12-week concussion lay-off, and free to face the French in Dublin on Saturday, Keatley is under no illusions his place in the starting line-up is hanging by a thread.

“Johnny has been the number one 10 in Ireland for the last three, four or five years and he’s one of the top 10s in the world, like he showed in the Lions,” Keatley said.

“I think with Johnny coming back next week, it’s only a good thing, it’s going to strengthen our squad. Ireland is a better team when Johnny is in it.”

But, he added: “I’m not just going to.....like, I think I’m second, third, fourth choice at the moment and I want to obviously get up. Johnny has it at the moment but if I just say that Johnny is number one choice then I won’t improve as a player. If you don’t aspire to keep getting up the pecking order you’re going to stay the same or not improve. I’m going to keep working on my game and hopefully keep putting the pressure on.”