Stewart taking 'each day as a learning day' and enjoying the moment 

SOAKING UP INFORMATION: Tom Stewart at training camp in Portugal. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

There are 18 days to go until Andy Farrell unveils his 33-player squad to go to the 2023 World Cup in France.

For many of the 41 players currently in Ireland’s training squad, Monday, August 28 is just another date in the countdown towards the opening pool fixture against Romania, a day of review and recovery following the previous Saturday’s final run-out in Bayonne, when Samoa will provide the opposition.

It will be a very different experience, however, for perhaps a dozen others. They are the cohort less certain of their footing and wondering if they did enough to push the dial enough in their favour to convince head coach Farrell and his assistants they are worthy of a place on the plane and in the competition for selection for that September 9 opener in Bordeaux.

How are those players feeling this morning as the clock ticks inexorably towards decision day? Some will fancy their chances, particularly if they featured in last Saturday’s opening pre-tournament fixture, a 33-17 win over Italy at Aviva Stadium. Others will perhaps be resigned to their fate.

All but the short-term injured Jack Conan - one of those who looks assured of his place in the tournament squad, fitness providing - took part in yesterday’s conditioned training session with World Cup minnows Portugal at the warm-weather camp on the Algarve and will know by this stage that such workouts are scrutinised as intently as the Summer Nations Series of three warm-up Tests this month.

Opportunities to impress are decreasing by the day in direct correlation to the mounting pressure. Do they dare to dream of an autumn in France or just keep the head down, ignore the noise and just enjoy the moment for what it is.

Hooker Tom Stewart is firmly in the latter camp. The 22-year-old appears to be behind three more experienced candidates for what seems likely to be three available spots. Dan Sheehan, Ronan Kelleher and Rob Herring have age and experience on their side but Stewart got his chance off the bench against the Italians last Saturday.

One of three Ireland debutants alongside Munster wing Calvin Nash and Leinster playmaker Ciaran Frawley, the hooker will hope he made the most of his 29 minutes after he replaced fellow Ulsterman Herring in the second half but having expressed his surprise at even being in Farrell’s plans, he was playing it safe in his public utterances when he faced the media from Portugal this week and was asked about the pressures of the selection process.

"I'm trying not to think about it too much, I'm just trying to take each day as a learning day,” Stewart said. "It's very special for me to be here as it is and learn and to be involved with the wider squad, let alone if I was involved in the World Cup squad.

"So I'm just trying to soak in and sponge as much information as I can, that will help my game in the long run and what will be off the back of that will be.” 

Defence coach Simon Easterby was given an opportunity to place Stewart as a future rather than present prospect for the number two jersey but declined the invitation, no doubt raising the player’s hopes of a late surge into the travelling party for France.

“Certainly the present. He’s got huge amounts to offer,” Easterby said on Tuesday. “He’s a real athlete. I first came across Tom when we went to Bloemfontein with the Emerging Ireland team (last autumn) and he was excellent to work with.

“A great kid who works really hard. He’s diligent and adds a huge amount in his game in terms of ability and his try-scoring figures are pretty high, as are Rob Herring’s and our other two hookers, I have to say.

“They benefit from a lot of good work that goes on in front of them but all four hookers have the ability to score tries on the back of good maul work in the provinces and with the Irish team.

“So, yeah, Tom’s done really well. He presents another great prospect and someone who has really put his hand up for selection across the last four or five weeks. If he gets an opportunity in the next couple of weeks I’m sure he’ll do the same.”