THE EXACT DETAILS and content of the speech will remain under wraps for some time, but the words are still swirling in the heads of players and they are being re-applied to the Argentina
Paul O’Connell’s last rallying cry for his troops before Sunday’s Pool D clincher against France was, by all accounts, epic. And the fact that the Limerick legend now won’t wear a jersey with ‘Cap 109′ sewn into it, means every last man is having to dig deeper to make up for the chasm the lock leaves.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“The team talk does write itself ultimately this week,” says Chris Henry, who is likely to start at openside against Argentina even if Sean O’Brien’s citing hearing ends with good news for Ireland.
“There’s a lot at stake and Jamie (Heaslip, vice captain) speaks really well, but I don’t think it’s going to need too much speaking. Everyone’s very, very focused, you can see it in the way people are floating around the place at the moment — not too many words will be needed.”
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The Ulster seven added: “Paulie wouldn’t be one that speaks that often. I guess at times, it’s more about how he leads.
“It’s going to be about how we front up on the pitch because if you look at past games whenever Ireland have maybe faltered or had slow starts, it’s usually Paulie who’s the one who generates something and smashes somebody or gets the ball and does something different.
“He just keeps on going whenever there’s a brick wall in front of him. If we can use any sort of inspiration that we want to try and do something for him, that might give us a bit extra then we might use that as well.”
“Paul and Peter set the tone for what followed on the pitch last week, and hopefully that’s some small solace for them.
“They were playing unbelievably and that’s the heartbreaking thing.
“If we can use that as any extra motivation, if it can give us just one per cent more in terms of performance, then we’ll try. And we want to do it for those players, they’ve given so much not just in the last five weeks, but in the last decade.
“So it would be incredible to do something special for Paul and Pete.”
However, winning it for the current and former Munster captain is just one motivating factor. Henry and his team-mates will face Argentina looking to set a new high watermark for Ireland in this tournament.
‘Always going to be injuries’
“It’s a bit of both. The players that are here, we know that we have a chance of making history this weekend and that adds the pressure.
“In the last two years, we’ve risen to the pressure. But look, we’re playing against one of the form teams. They’ve scored a ridiculous amount of tries. There’s always going to be injuries and it’s just unfortunate that they’ve come in such a short space.”
The replacements for O’Mahony and O’Connell are in. The show must go on and Ireland’s players, when they’re not called up for media duty, have well and truly moved on from France and are focusing on Argentina. But O’Connell’s fighting spirit remains embedded in the squad.
“(Sunday’s pre-match speech) is obviously just for the players, but it was just basically what it meant to him and what it meant to all of us. That was the gist.
We were very privileged that we were able to stay in that huddle with him. I won’t get into too much more detail about it but the whole weekend was about meaning more.
“For the last two years, we’ve been very focused on being clinical and knowing our roles, but rugby is an emotional game and that can get that extra bit out of you.
“It showed in the way the 15 players who took the pitch against France were able to get on top of them and hunt them down.
“You can lift all the weights you want in the gym, but sometimes having a massive heart – and that’s what Paulie has – and that’s what the 15 players who started the game had.”
Henry: It was a privilege to be in the huddle with Paulie, the team-talk writes itself this week
Sean Farrell reports from Cardiff
THE EXACT DETAILS and content of the speech will remain under wraps for some time, but the words are still swirling in the heads of players and they are being re-applied to the Argentina
Paul O’Connell’s last rallying cry for his troops before Sunday’s Pool D clincher against France was, by all accounts, epic. And the fact that the Limerick legend now won’t wear a jersey with ‘Cap 109′ sewn into it, means every last man is having to dig deeper to make up for the chasm the lock leaves.
“The team talk does write itself ultimately this week,” says Chris Henry, who is likely to start at openside against Argentina even if Sean O’Brien’s citing hearing ends with good news for Ireland.
“There’s a lot at stake and Jamie (Heaslip, vice captain) speaks really well, but I don’t think it’s going to need too much speaking. Everyone’s very, very focused, you can see it in the way people are floating around the place at the moment — not too many words will be needed.”
The Ulster seven added: “Paulie wouldn’t be one that speaks that often. I guess at times, it’s more about how he leads.
“It’s going to be about how we front up on the pitch because if you look at past games whenever Ireland have maybe faltered or had slow starts, it’s usually Paulie who’s the one who generates something and smashes somebody or gets the ball and does something different.
“Paul and Peter set the tone for what followed on the pitch last week, and hopefully that’s some small solace for them.
“They were playing unbelievably and that’s the heartbreaking thing.
“If we can use that as any extra motivation, if it can give us just one per cent more in terms of performance, then we’ll try. And we want to do it for those players, they’ve given so much not just in the last five weeks, but in the last decade.
“So it would be incredible to do something special for Paul and Pete.”
However, winning it for the current and former Munster captain is just one motivating factor. Henry and his team-mates will face Argentina looking to set a new high watermark for Ireland in this tournament.
‘Always going to be injuries’
“It’s a bit of both. The players that are here, we know that we have a chance of making history this weekend and that adds the pressure.
“In the last two years, we’ve risen to the pressure. But look, we’re playing against one of the form teams. They’ve scored a ridiculous amount of tries. There’s always going to be injuries and it’s just unfortunate that they’ve come in such a short space.”
The replacements for O’Mahony and O’Connell are in. The show must go on and Ireland’s players, when they’re not called up for media duty, have well and truly moved on from France and are focusing on Argentina. But O’Connell’s fighting spirit remains embedded in the squad.
“(Sunday’s pre-match speech) is obviously just for the players, but it was just basically what it meant to him and what it meant to all of us. That was the gist.
“For the last two years, we’ve been very focused on being clinical and knowing our roles, but rugby is an emotional game and that can get that extra bit out of you.
“It showed in the way the 15 players who took the pitch against France were able to get on top of them and hunt them down.
“You can lift all the weights you want in the gym, but sometimes having a massive heart – and that’s what Paulie has – and that’s what the 15 players who started the game had.”
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