The Ryan rebound: 'It's taken me a while to get my confidence back'

Giant lock is now back on top, nearing a half-century of caps on 46, and a central figure in Ireland’s greatest success as a rugby nation at Wellington’s Sky Stadium last Saturday.

Not for stopping: Ireland’s James Ryan readies for a meeting with Brodie Retallick of New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday. Pic: INPHO/Billy Stickland

FOR a player whose Test career started with unprecedented success, there was always going to be a drop off. Maybe that's what made Ireland’s Test series win over New Zealand all the sweeter for James Ryan.

The Irish lineout leader was only six weeks past his 21st birthday when Joe Schmidt handed him his international debut against the USA in July 2017, two months before his first senior start for Leinster.

Ryan, now a week short of his 26th birthday, did not experience defeat in a green jersey until the following summer, on his ninth Ireland appearance when Schmidt’s men lost the first Test of their 2018 series in Australia. He had already won a Six Nations Grand Slam and a series win against the Wallabies would materialise in short order, followed by a first home win over the All Blacks.

What followed mirrored Ireland’s travails, a poor 2019 championship, the loss to Japan at that year’s World Cup, and a chastening exit at Kiwi hands in the quarter-finals.

The post-Schmidt, Andy Farrell era has seen Ireland regroup, retool and with a new sense of purpose and direction return to the summit, culminating in a Triple Crown and now back to back victories over the All Blacks in New Zealand, their third win over Ian Foster’s team in four meetings. Yet Ryan had not enjoyed the same trajectory to this new high point for Farrell’s team, his course diverted by concussion, injury and a loss of confidence.

There was criticism also, of his captaincy when he took the reins in Johnny Sexton’s absence at Stade de France in this season’s Six Nations. With his side trailing the French 27-21 and nine minutes left on the clock, Ireland won a kickable penalty and Ryan made the decision to take three points via the boot of Joey Carbery rather than go for the corner and attempt to take a decisive grip on the game with the game nearing it’s conclusion. His side lost 30-24.

That he is now back on top, nearing a half-century of caps on 46, and a central figure in Ireland’s greatest success as a rugby nation only added to the pleasure in the wake of their 32-22 third Test victory at Wellington’s Sky Stadium last Saturday.

“I think it’s definitely right up there and it could be top,” Ryan said of the historic 2-1 series win. “Winning a Grand Slam is so hard to do but winning over here and winning a series over here is seriously tough as well and what probably makes me appreciate it even more is that I’ve had days when things haven’t gone my way or our way.

“Also it’s been a difficult year too. I’ve been in the game and out of the game, having setbacks in terms of injuries and stuff like that. It hasn’t been an easy season at times but being able to be back playing, be back fit, get a number of games under my belt and finish the season off injury free and with a series win like this, and to enjoy that with such a great bunch of people, it’s amazing.

“I’m delighted, just to get a run of games and a run of games injury free. There have been difficult times in the last couple of years because I’ve had setbacks in terms of injuries and stuff like that. It’s taken me a while to get my confidence back... 

“After concussions, it takes a bit of time to get your confidence back and physically be ready for it again. But look, I’m feeling good, I’m feeling like I’m in a good position. I don't want to make it about me but I’m so happy to be involved in such a great win.” 

Ryan was more than involved. Sexton credited his vice-captain with persuading him to kick to the corner when Ireland won a penalty in All Blacks territory as Ireland attempted to halt a home comeback from New Zealand’s half-time deficit of 22-3 to just three points at 25-22.

Sexton obliged and Ryan and his pack delivered, with replacement hooker Rob Herring scoring off a lineout maul to claim the decisive try on 65 minutes.

The second row credited the collective composure shown by Ireland as the heat came on at the start of the second half from a side desperate to avoid a second defeat in eight days.

“Definitely they came out well in the second half and started playing a lot, but nobody panicked.

“They got a couple of early tries and what we said under the posts was this is what happens at this level. You get these punches in the face and things don’t go your way and the opposition gets a purple patch. It’s just about how you respond and for us it’s about winning the next moment, it’s about being a next-moment team.

“They’re the situations that you want to be in, do you know what I mean? You want to test yourselves and see where we’re at.

“They got a couple of early scores and we had to respond, and I thought we responded pretty well. Rob Herring obviously got that great score off the back of a maul, finished really well, and we just stuck in there.” 

Of his advice to the captain, Ryan added: “The drive was going well. It’s just a ‘feel’ thing really,” he explained. “Sometimes they don’t go your way. Sometimes you feel it’s the right option, they get in the air and a turnover, and then you probably get a bit of flak for not taking the points. But sometimes you’ve just got to back yourself and we felt it was the right thing at the time, and I thought Rob did so well to finish it off the back.” 

Even with a 10-point lead at 32-22, there was still work to be done and the tourists defended heroically in the final 10 minutes, not least Ryan’s second-row partner Tadhg Beirne. Yet even with time nearly up and possession regained when All Blacks flanker Akira Ioane dropped the ball inside his own 22, Ryan was not amused by celebrations that had started both on the pitch and away on the far sideline where the Irish bench and staff joined by the rest of the squad had already started to party.

“I was screaming for them to shut up because there was another minute to go. If there’s any team that can score a couple of tries in a minute or two it’s them.” 

They did not, and Ryan could finally let go and drink in his team’s achievement at the final whistle.

“It was almost a sense of disbelief, not that we didn’t believe, but it just means so much to win over here, and to win a series over here, and to back up last week. I’m just so happy for the group and for the squad and for the support staff and management, because there’s so much that went into this."