Conan the contrarian: 'Mystic Jack' happy to be proven right as he aims for last word

The Ireland back row has played Scotland nine times and won all nine but he knows Saturday could be Ireland's sternest challenge in some time

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026 - 07:21

Brendan O'Brien

Four weeks now since Jack Conan popped in for a chat with the media and ran roughshod over the apocalyptic proclamations that held sway in the aftermath of a pummelling at French hands on opening night of the Six Nations.

The Leinster back row admitted to feelings of hurt and embarrassment, and to a bruised ego, at the time. He also railed against the notion that there might be something inherently wrong on a systemic level after that no-show in Saint-Denis.

Too much talent in the squad for that to be the case, Conan insisted. He pointed the finger at the players rather than the coaches, and he refused to contemplate the idea that maybe there was a British and Irish Lions hangover playing its part.

That all seems a lifetime ago now.

“I was right, wasn't I? Yeah, ‘Mystic Jack’. Lads not losing confidence in what we're doing [was key] because we know we're doing the right thing. We know we have the right people, the right coaches, the right players and so that's been massively encouraging.

“It's been great to see so many lads get first caps or first starts in Six Nations or playing in Six Nations for the first time and then stepping up to the mantle and grabbing hold of it.

“Look at Rob [Baloucoune] on the wing, Tommy [O’Brien], Eddie [Edogbo] getting a first cap, Doakie [Nathan Doak], all these things. Nick [Timoney] getting his first start in Six Nations.”

When Conan steps back from the coalface he sees a wider squad that is in a good place and on the way to somewhere even better. And there is perspective to be noted in his point that Test-match rugby isn’t always going to go your way.

If Ireland still have more work to do to fully convince in this tournament then Scotland provide further proof of the suddenness with which fortunes and feelings can change.

Gregor Townsend’s side lost their first-round game against Italy amid a Roman downpour. The inevitable calls for the head coach to walk have long since fallen silent with the Scots, like Ireland, winning their next three games on the spin and chasing silverware.

They come to Dublin this weekend for what is, at the very least, a Triple Crown showdown and flush with confidence after that stunning 50-40 defeat of France in Murrayfield. Darcy Graham has even suggested that Ireland are ‘there for the taking’.

Conan only caught ten minutes of that epic tie in Edinburgh last week as he was “off to do more important things” on a day off. And there was an intriguing add-on to that when he spoke of the “great results they’ve had in Murrayfield”.

Pointed? Or not?

Credit was given to their next opponents for the rugby they have been playing, but then Conan has already faced Scotland nine times and won each and every one. As we all know, this isn’t the first time that the Scots have appeared with their tails up.

The commentariat are, predictably, waxing lyrical after that 90-point game in Edinburgh. The consensus is that this is their best team of the professional era, which seems premature and harsh on the side that actually won the last Five Nations in 1999.

“Well, they're probably playing the best,” said Conan on that. “They've obviously got some world-class players in there who are peaking at the right time. So fair play to them after their disappointing opening day loss to Italy, kind of not too strange (sic) to ourselves after how we went against France.

“They've bounced back really well and they're playing some great rugby. We need to be at our best and push on from the levels of performance, even from Twickenham, because we obviously haven't hit our straps as much as we did that day. So that'll be the challenge for us: is to be better again than we were then.”

Looking to orchestrate it all for the visitors will be Finn Russell who will be leading a back line dripping with British and Irish Lions. Thirteen Scots featured in Australia last summer, but shut down Russell and Ireland will be a long way home.

Conan knows the Bath No.10 well having started all three of the Lions’ Tests against the Wallabies alongside him. He is one of 14 players in the Ireland squad this week who got to appreciate Russell up close on that expedition.

“Yeah, look, fantastic player and someone, if you give time and space to, he can pick any lock and he can pull a rabbit out of a hat and do unbelievable things. And when his team's on the front foot, he looks fantastic, doesn't he?

“Great fella, unbelievable rugby player, all the ability in the world, and he's playing really well. And, as I said, he takes the good and the bad in his stride and he keeps on going. I’m looking forward to facing him on the weekend hopefully.”