'Trust' - The simple word that sparked Baird's timely Italian performance

The 23-year-old has staked a claim for more involvement in Andy Farrell's squad.

Wed, 01 Mar, 2023 - 07:05

Simon Lewis

Trust. It took just that one word to spark the kind of performance off the bench that made Ryan Baird such an integral part of Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations victory over Italy last Saturday in Rome.

The 23-year-old powerhouse forward had not featured in a green jersey for 12 months but when his opportunity finally came last weekend at Stadio Olimpico, Baird was emphatic in the way he grasped it, empowered by that simple cue.

On as a 52nd minute replacement for second row Iain Henderson, the rising Leinster star played a vital role in securing the 34-20 victory that has propelled Ireland a step further towards a first Grand Slam since 2018.

And with a penalty turnover at a ruck and a crucial lineout steal from an Italian set-piece as the home side threatened to close the gap on the world number one side, Baird has advanced his claim to even greater involvement for the remaining two fixtures, against Scotland in Edinburgh on March 12 and the finale six days later against England in Dublin.

“My focus was just to be present out there, play what was in front of me,” he explained. “Use my strengths, lineouts, and just playing off the lads, know what I mean.”

Of the turnover, he added: “Great tackle and I saw the ball and I thought ‘fuck it, I’ll dive on it’. So I was just out there playing, whatever was in front of me, I just kind of did.

“A lot of the work is done in the middle of the week, I put on my sheet today just ‘Trust.’ I went out and just trusted it, I didn’t think much out there to be honest, whatever was in front of me, just go and do that. I visualised a lot of it during the week.

“Like it was tough for the first two games not playing so I said when I got my chance, I’m going to take it. And I felt I played well, I knew the system, when I came on, I tried to give the boys a boost, I’d fresh legs, try and just bring a bit of energy into the team, yeah, it was great.”

Baird explained the process that delivered that one-word cue, adding: “I’d just put down the points the night before, journaling, I’ll list out a couple of things I want to focus on.

“A lot of us do that. Kind of just zone in, because you’ve taken in so much information throughout the week, as the week goes on, you just want to slowly funnel it into two or three words that are going to stick out to you. And then you just go for those in the game.

“The last bit is trust, trust that you know the majority of information and have two or three cues that just kicks it in, so I’ve them written on my wrist.”

Discretion kept him from revealing the exact contests of what was written on that wrist but Baird was happy to share the feeling of satisfaction that victory brought in his ninth Ireland cap at the stadium where he made his debut during the 2021 Six Nations.

That his father Andrew, and brothers Cameron, a rower studying on an Erasmus programme in Barcelona, and Zach, a hooker with Trinity College in the AIL, were also present meant the world to lock/flanker.

“Oh stop. Like after the Captain’s Run, I was just lying on the ground looking at the stadium for 10 minutes. And then today, walking around after, it’s just beautiful seeing everyone celebrate, you know if you focus in on a few people ,you can see how much it means to individuals out there, I seen my Dad, and my two brothers, it’s very special.

“I obviously made my debut here two years ago, so this will always be a special ground, to come back here. But to do it in front of my family was particularly special.

“He’s just so proud of me, I’m just so thankful to him. When I see my brothers, one is in Spain so I don’t see him that often during the year. He’s always trying to get me to maximise my performances. Kind of do that, and have him there witnessing it is great.

“And my youngest brother, trying to inspire him to get his best potential out on the rugby pitch. If I can do that he takes something from seeing me, then it’s a job well done.”