Josh van der Flier relishes Chicago return as Ireland chase more history

Van der Flier had two caps under his belt when Ireland beat the All Blacks nine years ago. Now he has 73, and is the most experienced member of the backrow. 

Josh van der Flier, Nick Timoney and Finlay Bealham in Chicago ahead of this weekend's Test against the All Blacks. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Josh van der Flier is back to soaking-it-all-up mode. It hasn’t always been that way. At times in his career he’s strolled no more than 100 metres from a team hotel and left it at that.

Back on familiar and favoured turf here this past week he’s been outgoing again. There’s been community engagement clinics, a round of golf at North Shore, steakhouse sittings with bone-in ribeyes that would feed a small family. If a carb-loading day allows he’ll drop into Mr. Beef, the sandwich shop made famous by restaurant drama The Bear. He’s taken the soaking literally, strolling from the Ireland hotel with towel under arm and braving the bracing waters of Lake Michigan with Garry Ringrose and Jamison Gibson-Park for company.