Van der Flier embracing Nienaber advice to temper Leinster frustrations
PERSPECTIVE: Josh Van der Flier during Leinster training. Picture: ©INPHO/Ben Brady
It’s the morning after the night before. Ireland’s women have just shocked the rugby world by beating New Zealand in Vancouver and budding superstar Aoife Wafer did more than most to establish the winning platform with two first-half tries and an all-round barnbuster of a performance.
Josh van der Flier didn’t stay up to watch it. Couldn’t.
The 3am kick-off didn’t sit well with the routine of a professional athlete who had training the next morning but he could only laugh when asked, tongue in cheek, what it was like now that he was only the second most prominent Irish player to don a red scrum cap.
“I know, gosh! It doesn’t bother me,” he said ahead of Saturday’s URC game away to Benetton. “Fair play to Aoife, she was great. It was brilliant and she played really well. And her try-scoring record is pretty nuts.”
Few players could match Wafer’s numbers. Six tries in just nine games is, indeed, nuts, yet van der Flier has built up an impressive body of work over his decade and more with Leinster and with Ireland.
Being named European and World player of the year in 2022 was an obvious peak but there have been undoubted challenges since then with the 31-year old having to settle for a place on the bench in three huge fixtures last year.
Twice he was called in as a replacement against La Rochelle and Leo Cullen delegated him the same role for the Champions Cup final against Toulouse in London. Van der Flier ended up playing for an hour that last day but still...
“I definitely feel frustration, yeah," he admitted Jacques Nienaber has spoken to the squad as a whole about this. The defence coach has told them that there’s no point in pretending everything is fine when they aren't picked. They expect disappointment and annoyance, and for players to be pissed-off with the coaches.
The key is not to let that fester.
“Everyone thinks they should be playing, everyone’s parents think their kid should be playing,” said van der Flier. “That was great advice, because there is no way you won’t be frustrated. If you’re not frustrated you don’t really care enough, so that’s kind of… I found that really helpful anyway. It makes a lot of sense.
“Of course you’re frustrated, be frustrated, but when you come in tomorrow don’t be frustrated. The Heineken Cup final thing, I had a good chat with Leo anyway. He was very much saying ‘nothing against you, this is the role we want for you this week and just the way it is’. It is part of the game. Happy to be part of the game.” Perspective helps too.
His father came across an article one time that said the average professional career lasts something like 60 games. Here he is now closing in on 200 having won eleven major trophies (not including two Grand Slams) and with plenty more to play for.
“I often think of Dan Leavy who was a similar age to me but had to give this up because of injury [at the age of 27]. It’s part of the sport and I’m just very blessed that I’m still going. Hopefully I can be like Cian Healy and keep going!”
He thinks back now to his first time in Ireland camp eight years ago. Rob Kearney was his roommate at the time. Then aged 30, Kearney told his young teammate to soak everything up, that it would all fly by in the blink of an eye.
If van der Flier is closer to the end of his career now than the beginning then that doesn’t mean the finish line is in sight yet. Far from it. Ten years ago he was coming out of the academy with hip issues and an injured ankle. That was then.
Time and experience have taught him how to manage his body, what works for him and what doesn’t. He adapted to the escalating demands through the school-academy-club-Test pathway. The injuries began to ease, even if they never fade away in rugby.
“I reckon my body was in a lot worse shape then compared to now. I feel great now. I feel good.”
Benetton away today isn’t an easy staging post. The weather is likely to be warmer and muggier than home and the Stadio Comunale di Monigo pitch isn’t exactly a fast track, but there is always the Italian carb load with their excellent bread and pasta to compensate.
It is just one chapter in what is a big year for a Leinster team that has flattered to deceive and failed to win a trophy for three seasons. And for Ireland who play four times in November and then defend their Six Nations title come the spring.
And beyond all that there is the carrot that is a British and Irish Lions tour. Andy Farrell has never gone the Leinster route of using van der Flier in the reserve ranks. If he’s fit he plays. Odds are Farrell will see a big role for him with the Lions in Australia.
“You think about it but then it’s, ‘oh no, I’m not going there’. Just try not to think about it and try and do as well as I can,” he explained. “It’s a product of doing your job where you’re at with Leinster and Ireland.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
