Rob Baloucoune desperate to take All Blacks opportunity with both hands

ALL SMILES: Robert Baloucoune during an Ireland Rugby media conference at the Pullman Hotel in Auckland. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Ireland might be near the bottom of the globe in New Zealand about to take on the All Blacks, but flying winger Robert Baloucoune is fit and feeling on top of the world.

That’s because after a stop-start couple of years, the winger is moving freely and in line to take on the All Blacks at Eden Park.

The 28-year-old finally showed what he’s capable of producing in a green jersey earlier in the year as he played the final four Tests of the Six Nations. Ireland didn’t lose a Test from that point on.

In fact, Ireland have not yet lost a Test in which Baloucoune has been involved.

That’s not a bad record given he’s played eight Tests.

But just as impressive is his tryscoring rate, including the three tries he scored from four Tests earlier this year.

So it should come as no surprise that Ireland were itching to unleash the former sevens flyer down under, especially after he missed much of the second half of the URC season with Ulster because of an elbow injury.

Baloucoune was in line to take on the Wallabies in the Nations Championship opener but was a late withdrawal because of a slight hamstring strain.

Now, however, he’s ready for lift-off.

“The hamstring is good, trained well today,” he told reporters in Auckland.

“I just got a small strain in training during the week but ran well last week and back in for training tomorrow as well.” 

Baloucoune could have been rushed back to take on Japan, but after already losing Mack Hansen to injury and James Lowe to Japan, Andy Farrell was never going to risk throwing him out in the middle if there was any doubt over his fitness.

“It’s risk and reward,” Baloucoune said. “That's sort of where I was. I’ve played with these sort of injuries as well, so it's more so just getting right for this fixture here.” 

Baloucoune in training at King's College. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Nor is Saturday’s fixture any one either, with a place in history at stake as Ireland try to end the All Blacks’ 31-year, 51-Test unbeaten streak at Eden Park.

“I know a small bit about the record and stuff, spoke a tiny bit about it, but it's exciting to be out there as well,” the softly spoken winger said.

"I obviously missed quite a few tours before, so it's nice to be on tour with Ireland, especially coming out to New Zealand.” 

Asked if this is the biggest Test he’s been involved with, Baloucoune, who is an Arsenal tragic and barely watches rugby beyond his own opponents, played down the fact he’s in line to play in one of the biggest Tests on this year’s international calendar.

“Every game is a big game, but definitely, over in New Zealand, it’s a big test and I think it's definitely a game you want to be a part of and be a part of history as well,” he said.

That’s not to say Baloucoune doesn’t recognise the Test’s importance. Far from, in fact. He also wants to nail his opportunity, having had to wait patiently for an opportunity because of either injury or form.

It’s why he’s desperate to take this week’s opportunity with both hands.

“I've had chances before in camp and probably haven't put my best foot forward or been as involved as I wanted to,” he said.

Baloucoune said he drew plenty of confidence from playing a strong role in this year’s Six Nations.

“Being able to be a big part of the Six Nations and being able to get a run of games as well for Ireland, a lot of confidence in myself, and being able to score tries and be a part of some of the plays has been special for me,” he said.

“Then being able to bring that back into Ulster as well has been good for my confidence and I suppose as a team in general as well.” 

Baloucoune is perhaps more important to Ireland’s hopes than even he knows it.

Capable of running under 11 seconds over 100 metre, the electric winger has brought a new dimension to Ireland’s attack recently – a factor that’s been missing on the first two Tests on tour this July.

With Baloucoune back in the picture, it will be important for Farrell’s men to shore up set-piece. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Farrell, too, wants his wingers to be untidy in a sense, causing havoc for opposition defences.

“If there's space there, you want to be trying to beat people and make the most of it and, you know, go looking and working for it as well, if it doesn't come to you,” he said.

“And then just your ability to scan and run and find the best pictures and the best space, that’s what I look for, and inevitably you seem to get more ball or more tries as well.” 

With Baloucoune back in the selection picture, it will be even more important for Farrell’s men to shore up their set-piece, which has been one of the side’s shortcomings this tour.

While the winger won’t be able to add his weight to the set-piece, he did acknowledge that tidying up the crucial areas of the game had been discussed.

“It is something that we've looked at and reviewed after matches,” he said. “I'll go looking for work, trying to find the best space and sometimes that is through the forwards.

"It just depends on what's in front of us. It would be nice to have a bit of that as well, a bit of fluency in the back-line and get some tries in the wing."