Ireland's James Ryan: how Joe Schmidt bulked up my 'mind gym'

NO ORDINARY JOE: James Ryan poses for a portrait after an Ireland rugby media conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney, Australia. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.

Amongst the growing list of firsts for Ireland over the past decade, experienced lock James Ryan believes beating Australia down under in 2018 was the moment the rugby powerhouse nation truly believed they could beat anyone.

“We won the Grand Slam that season, but it's probably a different challenge coming down here,” the 29-year-old lock told reporters in Sydney, eight years after playing a key role in the side that came from behind to beat the Wallabies 2-1 on Australian shores.

“Whether you're going down to South Africa or Australia or New Zealand, just trying to prove a point really, which was great that we did. Then I think we had New Zealand in that November. We beat them at home, so it was brilliant.

“It gave us confidence at the time that we could beat the best in the world in the backyard when we were at our best.” Nor was it against any Australian team, certainly not the one that is currently eighth on the World Rugby rankings and didn’t progress through to the knockouts of the 2023 World Cup.

No, the 2018 Wallabies side featured several Wallabies greats, who only two-and-a-half years earlier had pushed the All Blacks all the way in the 2015 World Cup final.

“Obviously, Cheik (former Leinster coach Michael Cheika) was coaching it, but I think they had [David] Pocock and [Michael] Hooper in the back row. [Israel] Folau was still playing. So, it was a proper team.

“I remember we lost the first one, [got up in] the game in Melbourne, and the last game in Sydney we won. But my memory from that game was that behind the goal post, it was just a full stand of green. It was mental.” 

So it should come as no surprise that Ireland is desperate to record another win on Australian soil against the Wallabies, not just because it’s the start of the Nations Championship, but because next year’s World Cup will be played in the same country.

After all, Ireland still hasn’t progressed past the quarter-finals of a World Cup despite being near the top of the World Rugby rankings since 2018.

While Allianz Stadium's southern stand will still be packed in green, the narrative surrounding the two nations is vastly different now, though.

Eight years ago, it was Joe Schmidt masterminding the victory over Cheika’s Wallabies. Now, Schmidt’s swapped the emerald green for the canary yellow, with his old right-hand man, Andy Farrell, in charge.

It’s why Ryan says Ireland won’t be taking the Wallabies lightly despite winning their past five Tests over their great rivals.

“I think on their day, they're an unbelievably good side,” said Ryan, who also packed down against the Wallabies during the Lions’ 2-1 series win.

“I thought they were very good in the Lions series. How close was that second game? Obviously, they won the third Test. In the Rugby Championship, they beat South Africa away, which was huge. They beat them comfortably. So when they put their best performance together, I think they're a very, very dangerous.

“I think they're building a nice squad, a nice group with the World Cup next year. You've got a few guys that will come in from the rugby league. And there's guys like Max Jorgensen and Tom Wright, who bring a real X-factor.

“Les Kiss is coming in. He will be a new mindset around how they want to play. Obviously with Joe Schmidt, he'll want to finish on a high. I think they'll target this game as a big one for them.” 

Assistant coach and former captain Paul O’Connell agrees.

“I'm probably a product of the ‘90s where I still have scars from those days watching on TV and stuff,” said the Irish great, referencing the World Cup defeats to Australia, including the heartbreaking 19-18 loss in Dublin.

“So, I probably still have that bit of an underdog feeling in me all the time, but we've certainly been more competitive against Australia in recent years than we would have been when I was growing up.

“I think there'd be massive respect from our guys.” In particular, Ryan said he expected the Wallabies to attack Ireland’s breakdown hard and highlighted openside flanker Fraser McReight as one of Australia’s big threats.

“You look at someone like Fraser McReight, he could have the most poaches in Super Rugby,” Ryan said.

“He’s someone who is unbelievable over the ball. So the ruck will be massive. Probably both sides as well, to be fair.

“Obviously, Joe, a big part of his coaching is around the targeting bit around the ruck, so they'll be unbelievably efficient when it comes to their own breakdown as well.” Ryan added that Ireland were on high alert for some more special Schmidt moves.

“First three phases, we talk about that a lot, but that will be huge for us defensively on Saturday because he's an unbelievably creative, smart coach, as everyone knows.” 

Ryan, too, credits Schmidt for setting himself up for success.

“He was hugely influential on me, [especially] around the mindset of the game,” the Irish stalwart said.

“Obviously, people see what players do on the pitch, but there’s a huge amount that goes on off the pitch. He was my first taste of rugby at this level.

“Probably one thing I took away was just how nailed on you've got to be off the pitch in terms of your understanding of the plan and the detail that goes with every week. That was huge.

“I know he was a big believer in the ‘Mind Gym’, as he used to call it.” 

While an end of season tour could feel like a bit of a chore for some 12 months after taking on the Wallabies for the Lions, Ryan, who featured prominently in Leinster's URC win over the Bulls, said he still has a spring in his step.

“I suppose we have played a lot of rugby since we started. It has been a long season. But when you come in here, there's a freshness about it as well. It's such an exciting few weeks ahead,” he said.