IT’S LEINSTER INSTEAD of Ireland duty for Jack Conan this weekend, but the fact that the 22-year-old was even close to Six Nations contention represents an achievement he can be proud of.
Alongside the likes of D’Arcy, O’Brien and Ross, Conan played all 80 minutes for the Ireland Wolfhounds against England Saxons at the end of January — less than a year after making his professional debut.
He hasn’t done enough just yet to force his way into Ireland’s highly competitive back-row equation, but he knows what’s required to change that. There were encouraging words from Joe Schmidt following the Wolfhounds’ loss at Musgrave Park.
“A few days later you step away from it all, you get to look back and think of the areas that didn’t really go the way you wanted on the day,” said Conan.
“And then he [Schmidt] will kind of have a word with you and go through the game, how he felt, how you felt, and you kind of get an idea of where he stands.
“I suppose he just said to me I’m not too far away. A few things like the timing of things; everything is that bit quicker at that level.
“It’s difficult to go from training and then in to play a match and be ready for it, so it does take a few games to get to that level and kind of up-skill yourself — even mentally as much as physically, to think that you have to be there that bit earlier for everything and everything happens that bit quicker.
“Now that I’ve seen that I’ll know what’s coming if I get an opportunity.”
Having been told to improve in certain areas in order to force his way in to Joe Schmidt’s World Cup plans, Conan will aim to begin that process when Leinster face Newport Gwent Dragons in the Pro12 on Sunday at the RDS (3.00pm).
Conan said: “I think I’m 15 or 16 games in to my professional career, so as much as I want to improve and get better, I have a lot to learn.
“And I can’t do any of that if I’m not playing week-in-week-out. So when I’m here with Leinster, I’ll just train as hard as I always do and make those small improvements.”
Having had that first taste of the international set-up, Conan insists that it hasn’t been difficult to revert back in to the bread-and-butter of provincial action.
“If anything it makes me a bit hungrier. It shows me the level I want to aspire to and it shows me what I need to do to get there. This is where you get to showcase your talent, what you have learned and what you need to improve on.
“It’s been a year since I made my debut so a lot has happened for me. I’m interested to see what happens in another year’s time.”
If his current rate of progress continues, it certainly will be interesting — and a very exciting prospect for Irish rugby fans — to assess Jack Conan’s standing 12 months from now.
Galway are showing that the Leinster final was no fluke. Still a long way to go, though!
Come on Galway!!!!!!!! The cats have too many at this stage!!!
Great game of Hurling. A draw was a fair result
Kilkenny let themselves down badly.
For a county that has won so many titles,their sportsmanship leaves a lot to be desired.
Brian Cody,shame on you.
How so?
Good bye Da rant, after that comment, you will be no where to be seen or heard in about an hours time
Canning had a poor second half, so credit to him for nailing the final free. Galway had 6 or 7 bad wides in the second half, so u have to wonder if they lost their chance today. Sheflin’s 2nd half performance was awesome.
@Neil agree about sheflin but he chickened out with the lousy penalty
Kieran – I honestly don’t know, but I would strongly suspect that he was acting on instructions from Cody.
“Chicken”? Hurler-on-the-ditch nonsense. He played the percentages.
@will I agree chickened is not the right word for a man like shefflin, the greatest player in the game this century, probably. No doubt whatsoever though with 4 or 5 mins to go (incl injury) it was a very poor call. Kilkenny should have won it then. Galway had 3 maybe 4 attempts at scores after the penalty and eventually converted.
It was a shockingly bad call to take the point.
Penalty was Sheflin’s call, Cody said in the after-match interview. Go for goal and miss dsaster, goal and you are a legend, but a point put the ahead with 2 minutes to go. Surely the right option in such a close encounter, especially considering the keeper’s performance.
Sheflin is probably the greatest player there’s been in his generation. Anyone knows me as a Tipp man knows just how hard I find it to admit that!
But to call him a chicken for the penalty is nonsense he played what at the time seemed the smart move.
if it was saved maybe they lose scoring it he put them a point up heading into injury time.
Pity Galway lost!!!!!
Whatever way you look at it, football is still the only final that anyone cares about.
Waaaaaah! Trolls-r-us!!!
Da-rant and Margaret, two dodgy anonymous posters to ashamed of their own comments to show their real life identities! God knows what your fake profiles look like on dating sites!!!
margaret hayes stick to knitting if you think football is better than hurling your good for a laugh ….
yeah, i believe the final score was a draw.
Back to the kitchen Margaret!
Really Margaret! I think nobody really cares who wins the football. As a neutral I was screaming at the tv for a Galway victory (no offence to Kilkenny). The football will just be another game, where the only people really into it will be from their own respective counties. The northern counties might disagree, but thats probely it :-/
The first ten minutes of the second half could be something like the first ten minutes of Gladiator.
Well maybe not, but the tempo has definitely risen.
Fantastic display by Galway today, they should have gone all the way. I’m gutted for them. The RTE panel had them written off before the game.
Ray – RTE’s panels’ predictions should not be taken seriously. Last week all three panellists predicted a Dublin win – same story today.
What a match !! Couldn’t take your eyes off it !! I’m a Dub by the way,not biased.Looking forward to the replay.
Michael Duignan is some clown
A clown par excellence, all he’s missing is white face paint and a water-squirting flower. Never right about anything except by accident.
Bad result for teams and supporters but a great day for the Grab All Association. Another nice pay day for the nobs at the top
Ross o Carroll and yourself would make a great couple… I like them all (sports) but if you want your world cup here in 11 years then shut your pie hole boy and be greatful for the gaa and the infrastructure that comes with them.
What a ridiculously idiotic and completely moronic statement!
Da rant, where are you???? Fair result, roll on the 30th
Following this on the train on the journal, so handy !
Seems like Galway are giving away far too many frees, Shefflin won’t miss too many !
Same here. Up there with the classics. Galway were marginally better but threw away 13 points with wides. Don’t see how Shefflin could have gone for goal. A miss have been a disaster. A draw was probably a fair result. Roll on the replay!
Smashing match. Shefflin was immense easily in the top 5 of the greatest hurlers of all time
I thought Sheflin in the 2nd half was absolutely brilliant and was by far Kilkenny’s best forward on the day.
It was a performance deserving of a 9th medal and I was shouting mad for Galway!
Looks like Galway will need different forward tactics the next day though. Kilkenny figured them out in the 2nd half and kept Galway scoreless for long periods. They created very few1 on 1 situations with the Kilkenny backs in the 2nd half (their goal came from one such) whereas in the opening period they were pulling the Kk backs all over the shop.
Do they need to look at playing Canning nearer to goal the next day for more of the game? I thought he went out of game for long periods of 2nd half
Still two immense replays to look forward to. The scramble for tickets has started already id say!
Ms latouche, Kk let themselves down badly?? Have you never experienced passion? You have no idea. What nationality are you def not Irish! It’s an all Ireland final passion runs high! And to you….well just jog on!
Starting to look ominous for Galway, they need to do something with their half forward line.
Galway went into a shell in the second half and it nearly all cost of them. Shefflin was brilliant second half. Roll on part 2.
Gawlers galwegians galopili come on now Galway.. I said come on Boys….:)
Savage game. Galway lost their shape in the second half and were lucky to get the draw. Hope Galway can do it in 3 weeks time.
Come on you gawls..
Shefflin is the greatest hurler of all time!
Kilkenny has to be the greatest hurling team of all time,how Cody motivates them is beyond me.A lot of these players have between 5and8 all Ireland each yet the hunger displayed yesterday you would think it was their first.I laugh when I look at today’s comments all pro Galway most probably came from Cork or Tipp hate to be second and third in the list of all time winners.Be proud people you have seen history made in the last twelve years this team has won 8All Ireland’s 6national league titles and11provincial titles.Thank God I was born in Kilkenny.and we’re such a wee county.
Never mind the free immediately after (which was the correct decision), that was a magnificent save.
Still looking like KK though.
Can people not enjoy this amazing game for what it is, instead of bitching and pointing fingers, typical sideline bitterness, debate is good and part of the game but I hate the bitter comments. I’m a proud KK supporter and will support them 100%, they weren’t at their best yesterday but there was huge pressure on them and Galway were brilliant!
As for Henry he had to make a decision, he will always be a legend in my eyes…plus these guys play this sport to such an amazing level for no payment!!! Give them a break and admire them for the athletes they are:-)