Why team trumps everything for Jack Conan and company

By Brendan O’Brien

Joe Schmidt can’t abide talk of rankings and World Cups.

Ireland’s head coach has seemingly no truck with the debate as to where in the grand scheme of things his team stands.

For him it is all about the “circadian rhythms” of daily life in camp.

Debates over Ireland’s slot in the order of merit after the defeat of New Zealand were brushed aside as “nebulous” postulations. All of which is a very fancy twist on the old ‘one game at a time’ cliche.

The ‘process’ is all the rage. Concentrate on that, we are told, and the outcomes take care of themselves. It’s a half-truth at best. Truth is, players and teams zero in on ambitions. It’s just that most don’t share them publicly.

Jack Conan is a more open book.

One of those who failed to make the 23-man squad against New Zealand, the Leinster back row explained yesterday the role of fringe players such as himself in driving this team to the heights they aspire to.

At the end of the day, you have to put your ego to one side and want the team to do well rather than your individual self,” he said.

“You take it on the chin. Yeah, it’s disappointing not to be involved but you have to add to the lads around you.

“We spoke early in the year, during the Six Nations, about how we could be the best team in the world and one of the challenges that was laid down was that even the lads that weren’t involved — the bibs, as we call them, the non-XV — that we were bringing another level, another intensity.

“They’re constantly testing the lads that are getting the chance, instead of having 15 or 20 lads pissed off that they aren’t playing. They’re adding to it, they’re bringing a new intensity, line-speed in ‘D’. They’re on the ball when it comes to attack, are sharp and all the drills are spot on.”

Bag carriers last week, many of them will be front and centre this Saturday when Schmidt’s side closes its November window with the visit to Dublin of a USA side that is on an upward swing having lost just once in ten games.

Conan is straight up in sharing his “frustrations” at the lack of game time so far this month. Unused since clocking in for 80 minutes against Italy in Chicago, he knows that opportunities in the truly big games can depend largely on the fitness or otherwise of others.

Conan’s ambitions have been all the more difficult to realise given Ireland are particularly well-stocked in the back row, the versatility of so many of the candidates and the impression that he is essentially a specialist No.8. His last start at six for Leinster was January of last year.

It’s a factor he has discussed with Ireland forwards’ coach Simon Easterby and the message that came back was that he needed to add another string to his bow. Not just on the park — but on the training paddock as well.

I probably just come in (to camp) and slot into the opposition pack at No.8, where I can push myself to do the walk-throughs at six. There is a not a massive difference in it, but there is a familiarity with playing six and the defensive roles you have to do at six compared to eight.

It’s a point he aims to bring up with Leinster head coach Leo Cullen, maybe tick off a few appearances here or there as a blindside off the bench. But not until what is likely to be another audition at No.8 against the States.