Baird: 'Frightening' amount still to come from Ireland's Six Nations champions

The 24-year-old made sure he savoured the victory over Scotland on Saturday evening.

Ireland’s Ryan Baird and Tadhg Beirne celebrate with the trophy. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Ryan Baird was lying at the bottom of the game’s last ruck, his arm outstretched and presenting the ball for Conor Murray as a clutch of Scottish players battled maniacally to disrupt, when a thought struck him.

The 24-year had struggled to enjoy the moment when Ireland secured the Grand Slam with a win against England at the same ground on the same Paddy’s weekend 12 months earlier. Some of his mistakes had “kind of ruined it” for him.

These 24 minutes off the bench against the Scots weren’t perfect but perspective kicked in as he lay prone on the grass. He thought instead of the Maro Itoje jersey his mum had framed over Christmas, last week’s loss in Twickenham and how bloody hard these wins are.

“It didn’t give me a crazy high,” he explained, “it just gave me a satisfaction.” There was an appreciation there. Of the eight weeks they had put in to claim a back-to-back Six Nations title. And of the time he had spent with teammates and coaches and staff. He was on the pitch, making the last carry, as Ireland got the job done.

By evening’s end the squad and their support staff were back out on the Aviva pitch in suits and ties, some clutching pints of stout and most belting out the words to ‘Angel’ by Robbie Williams. Living their best lives as a collective.

The party will fragment as the days go on. Baird was looking forward to a few more beers but he was due at the RDS yesterday to watch two of his best friends coach his old school St Michael’s College in the Leinster Senior Cup.

He’s off to London next weekend to rent a bike and cycle down the banks of the Thames as his brother Cameron, who is studying in Edinburgh and has ambitions to make the university’s first boat for the Henley Regatta, goes in the Head of the River race.

Baird is good at switching off. He made for the Antrim coast with his dog Mackenzie, some golf clubs and a camper van after Ireland’s World Cup exit and loved it but there is a determination in him to make the most of where he is as a player.

It was ironic that he should have drawn the straw to face the media on Saturday night, walking in to the press conference room only minutes after Peter O’Mahony walked out, given his candidacy for the veteran captain’s jersey is stronger now than ever.

The younger man declared his skipper to be the epitome of what it is to be an Irish rugby player. He told O’Mahony how much he looked up to, idolised, him prior to the Scotland game and there is admiration for his work ethic and an ability to have fun when the time allows it.

It makes for a fine template.

“Consistency is his friend. He is so consistent in how he delivers and prepares. I guess that’s what I am taking from him. Can I deliver as consistent performances and in training? It’s all well and good doing it for two or three weeks on and off, but can I do it the whole time?” There is a similar point to be made about this Ireland team in general.

Back-to-back Championship titles should foolproof a team from criticism but that World Cup exit, the loss to England, and the diminishing momentum they brought through this tournament leave questions about where they are and where they can go.

A summer tour to South Africa will provide plenty of answers. The visit of the All Blacks and others to Dublin in November likewise. Baird is convinced there is more to come. So much more, he described it as “frightening”, but only if they can bring that consistency.

“If I look at me for example, I do it at times but the consistency is where I think we’re striving for. If we can consistently be the best Irish players that we can be, then I’m really looking forward to the future.

“If we put our heads down and work hard, if we don’t get lost in any nonsense, we stick to our processes, whilst it sounds mundane, if we do that under the guidance of Faz and the rest of the coaches, we’ll have a special team, even though we’re already a special team.” ENDS -- Brendan O'Brien Assistant Sports Editor and Sports Writer Irish Examiner (Dublin Office) Mob: [phone] Twitter: @byBrendanOBrien