Calvin Nash earns his good fortune on return to Ireland action

That Ireland hardly missed Mack Hansen was testament to the ease with which Nash adapted to the top tier, and it’s worth remembering that he had only the one cap to his credit before that big break

Ireland’s Calvin Nash scores a try against Scotland

The first and easy assumption to make when Sam Prendergast fed Calvin Nash for Ireland’s opening try in Murrayfield last Saturday was that the Munster winger had little or nothing to do to touch down for his third Test try.

Well, yes and no.

Nash was in acres of space when the Ireland out-half looped a long one in his direction just a few metres from the Scottish try line. Catching that and cantering over was catnip for a man of his talents, but he had more than earned the score in the months before.

When Mack Hansen was unavailable for Ireland’s Six Nations campaign last year it was Nash who stepped into the breach. And again for South Africa for Ireland’s two-Test tour. He started all seven games and impressed with an absence of fuss.

Hansen had become a key member of Andy Farrell’s side, his ability to beat defenders, be a presence in the air and roam off the wing to use his playmaking skills having all been supported by the Aussie-born player’s outgoing personality.

That Ireland hardly missed him was testament to the ease with which Nash adapted to the top tier, and it’s worth remembering that he had only the one cap, against Italy in a 2023 World Cup warm-up, to his credit before that big break.

So, yeah, he earned that try last weekend.

“Look, being out of the squad is tough, especially when you're close and training the whole time with them and at the start of the Six Nations as well. I wanted to put my best foot forward and try to get in. Obviously there's a bit more disappointment not getting selected.

"But I think with this team, as long as the competition is pushing everyone forward and the team is going in the right direction, I can slot in or anyone can slot in,” said Nash. “It's probably a good sign of the squad.” It is that.

There have been times in Ireland’s recent and more distant past when head coaches have leaned a tad too heavily on the old, dependable guard and to the detriment of the younger players and the team’s evolution.

Eddie O’Sullivan relied on an almost untouchable core: at a time when strength in depth was more of an issue, admittedly. And Joe Schmidt might have used the likes of Tadhg Beirne, Dave Kilcoyne and Jordan Larmour more in Japan at the 2019 World Cup.

Even Farrell would have heard carps about sticking with the tried and trusted too much after the team’s non-performance against New Zealand last November. Whatever of that, Nash was seriously unlucky not to see a minute of game time in that last window.

So, again, that early try in Edinburgh had been paid for in the patience Nash had shown in recent months as Hansen slotted straight back in, and in his ability to reintegrate again when the Connacht winger was a late withdrawal last week.

“Those are the handy [tries] now: stick out on the wing and touch the ball down. They're the nice ones to get. We were rooming on Saturday night and [Prendergast] told me he'd give me one, so yeah, happy days.” It could very easily have been two when, having kicked a loose ball through and into the goal area, he was nudged in the back by Duhan van der Merwe who picked up a yellow card but without incurring what should have been a penalty try.

Nash could afford to be flippant about that one.

“Bullying the little guy, like, but look, the ref made the call and it is what it is.” James Lowe remains the most lethal of the current crop of Ireland wingers with one try every 2.1 Tests. Hansen isn’t far behind at 2.2, although Jacob Stockdale still narrowly outdoes both as he still averages a score every second game in green.

Nash’s now stands at one every three, which is better than the 3.45 he averages at Munster, and he is still in single figures for caps. At the age of 27, he is only at the start of his prime and his recent provincial form has been hugely encouraging.

“Yeah, I've been confident in my ability, being on the pitch, and the lead-up to this camp has given me massive confidence as well,” he said, having scored twice away to Northampton last month. “So I've just been backing myself a bit more.” Competition for places in that Ireland backline won’t become any less keen. Hansen should be available for Wales on Saturday week and Jimmy O’Brien’s last start of any stripe was in a No.14 jersey when Leinster won in La Rochelle last month.

Opportunities, when they come, need to be taken.