Jack Conan: 'You can never reach perfection, but that's what we're striving for'
Ireland's Jack Conan. Pic: Nick Elliott/Inpho
Having got the better of Australia with the British & Irish Lions already this year, Jack Conan is in no mood to allow the Wallabies the chance to even the score at Aviva Stadium on Saturday night.
Joe Schmidt’s team have arrived in Dublin at the end of a demanding year and, most recently, back-to-back defeats to England and Italy but there is a sense from within the Australian camp that a winning reunion for their head coach and former Ireland boss is high on their list of priorities before their season ends next weekend.
So Ireland have to deliver the best and most convincing performance of the month so far after an international window that so far has not set pulses racing in defeat to New Zealand and a disjointed victory over Japan.
“We're not fools. We know we haven't been at our best the last two weeks,” Conan said. “Now's an opportunity to prove it.
“The next opportunity in these blocks is never too far away. Two down, two to go. Take nothing for granted and get better again. That's what we want to do and that's what we're eager to do.
“That's the beauty of what we do. The next opportunity in these blocks is never too far away. Two down, two to go, get better again.
“We're looking forward to it. Relishing the opportunity.
The 33-year-old, who starts at No.8 for his 54th Irish cap on Saturday, was talking to the at the Guinness Rugby Writers Ireland Awards on Tuesday as the game’s great and good gathered in Dublin to reflect on a memorable year.
It was one in which Conan helped Ireland to a Triple Crown, captained Leinster and lifted the URC trophy after a Grand Final success over the Bulls at Croke Park and then started all three Tests for the Lions in a 2-1 series victory Down Under.
Yet this month’s camp has offered Ireland the opportunity of a fresh start two years out from a World Cup on Australian soil and while the noise outside the camp is of a squad in decline, Conan sees “green shoots”.
“I think it's a good time to reset for this squad, to go back to the basics and look at things again and how we can get better because we've been playing the same way for the last few years and we've obviously had great success with it.
“You look at 23 and 24, what have you lost? Two Six Nations games in three years. We ended up coming third last year but we lost one game. But there's something to learn because even in losing those games to France (in 2025) and England (in 24), there's so much room where you can get better so we're just trying to take nothing for granted.
“Obviously there's a core of the lads who have been here since 21 and 22 and they've gone to New Zealand, they've had success and those wins and Six Nations that I spoke about. But then there's also new lads who need to learn and improve and it's a shared learning experience for everyone.
“No matter how far along the line you are, no matter how many years of caps you've been here, everyone can still learn and get better and I think that's why it's a good time for a reset because now we're pushing on for something different and we're looking at the World Cup in two years' time.
“I'm sure there'll be a lot of this group here at it and then there'll be even newer faces that will come in and prove their worth. It's just making sure that we're across everything and we're better again and that's the standard that we're setting for ourselves.
“We're trying to make it click. We're pretty harsh on ourselves and be honest about things that we haven't done overly well over the last two weeks. But we know we have the capability to do it. It's just about making it happen now.
“We know we've done it at times over the last few weeks. We haven't done it as consistently as we'd like but we know we have the ability to do it.
“It's just about making sure that we're doing it every single time. Some teams do it really well in moments, but not consistently. We're aiming for that consistency. You look at the try that Caelan (Doris) sets up with (Jack) Crowley on the weekend. The few phases we looked at was perfect attack, exactly what we're looking for. We just haven't got that the whole time.
“We're just looking to be more consistent and get it over and over and over again. The test is when you're shagged and it’s 70 minutes into the game, can you do it again and again and again, the right way, our way? It's not easy and it's demanding and it takes a hell of a lot of fitness, both physical and mental. But that is the standard and the challenge that we're trying to set for ourselves.
“We'll always be aiming to get there. Will we ever get there? Who knows? You can never reach perfection, but that's what we're striving for.”
Conan is confident he is still at the top of his game and a World Cup 2027 appearance is a realistic goal.
A sixth consecutive Test appearance for the Lions this summer, having started all three against South Africa in 2021, is a testament to his fine personal form and having his first child, daughter Remi, in Australia to witness him in a red jersey will go down as one of his career highlights. Last Tuesday’s awards offered a chance to look back as well as forward.
“I never thought I'd be a Lion, so to have won a series and gone on two tours is unbelievable. I don't think I'll be going on another one at the ripe old age of 36, 37.
“It's weird… I'd like to think I'll play for Ireland for another few years and still feel like I can and still feel like I can produce, and with Leinster, but I'll never get to do that again. I'll never get to wear the red jersey again.
“So it's kind of the first stage of my career where I'm like, that's that done. I'll never do that again. But it happens to everyone and I'm incredibly privileged to have played a part in a part of a bit of history and to have met some great people along the way and made some incredible memories for both myself, my mates and my family.”
There are no immediate plans to follow Cian Healy, Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony into retirement and though admitted there are big boots to fill in the Ireland squad there is also optimism.
“Green shoots there. I think Irish people, as a country, we can be a little bit pessimistic at times. But it's great.
“You can see the quality coming through, the standard of player that we have, the coach and staff that we have. It's still an unbelievably exciting time. Don't believe all the bad news you read.”
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