ANDREW CONWAY IS very honest about his development as a rugby player.
While he was one of the hottest prospects in Irish rugby as a schoolboy and U20 international, he had to wait until the age of 25 to get his senior Test debut – coming off the bench against England in the 2017 Six Nations.
As he emerged from Blackrock College, many people would have predicted that he would make his Ireland bow much earlier, but Conway is quite clear in saying he wasn’t ready before his time came.
“I’d perform throughout my career in drips and drabs,” says the Munster man, who is hopeful of featuring for Ireland against Argentina on Saturday.
“I’d have a good game then I’d have a few average games in a row without actually being consistent.
“That was the main thing - that upon reflection I was able to look at my preparation and realise that my preparation wasn’t consistent and that was bleeding into my game.
“It took a while to get there, to create a training regime outside of the set training facilities that was actually a smart way to train, a way that was actually going to improve me and just consistently chipping away, building blocks and getting better and better.
“So, to be honest with you it probably came at the right time. I probably wasn’t ready for it until it came.”
The Andrew Conway of today is a very different professional to the one of years gone by.
His consistency of performance is now at an all-time high, whether on the wing or at fullback.
While the now 27-year-old insists he’s not quite obsessed with rugby, he spends the majority of his time thinking about it and focusing on ways he can become a better player.
The little details matter.
“Something I’ve been looking at is the ball transfer in contact,” says Conway by way of example.
“If I beat someone off my right foot, am I getting the ball into my left hand and getting my right fend out? That was a weakness of mine, that I stepped off my right and the ball was staying in my right hand.”
Conway has become better at identifying the “small stuff” like that, then going to Munster attack and backs coach Felix Jones and putting together a plan with him to improve that aspect of his game.
Conway’s excellence in the air nowadays is a fine example of the power of “chipping away” at his skills.
He had a superb aerial take for Ireland against Italy last weekend, soaring to gather an Italian kick and sparking momentum into his team’s attacking play, leading to Luke McGrath’s try off a Jordan Larmour break.
Conway has been working hard in this area for years now, utilising high ball catch pads as an important tool, while also citing Munster assistant coach Jones waving flags in front of him in a bid to distract Conway as he works on his fielding.
“I was shocking in the air at the start,” says Conway. “I remember when I started playing for Leinster, I would be waiting for Isa [Nacewa]. He would know it was coming and he would start moving over from fullback and kind of say, ‘It’s okay, I’ve got you’.
“That was what made me work harder and harder. I remember even in Leinster doing high-ball stuff after training sessions with Joe [Schmidt].
“Joe is just standing there and you are there waiting under the kick. That’s harder than waiting under a kick in the Aviva or the RDS or wherever it was.”
Again, consistency was the key for Conway.
“That skill is probably something that I have worked on the most over the years,” he continues. “It didn’t click one day, but slowly and surely you start getting it right. You start getting the cradle right and it comes together. It’s a constant work-on.
“I went after a ball at the weekend and I went out like that [he stretches his hands out in front of himself] and it went through the space. I didn’t have my cradle in tight.
“Those are the ones you want to be getting in international rugby. It’s one of my points of difference so I want to continue doing that.”
Conway says he is happy to play on the wing or at fullback for Ireland, having filled both roles with Munster at times over the past four seasons.
Hopeful of continuing to be a “viable option” in both positions, Conway just wants to play and keep getting better.
“My job is to be the best rugby player I can, whether that’s running the pitch with tries or whether it’s taking high balls or making my tackles or setting my defensive line from the width.
“There are so many different things that create a balanced rugby player, especially in this environment, to go out and do a job in the system.
“To be able to do both is great, to be able to have big moments, beat a defender and score a try in a big game is a huge thing. But probably just as big at this stage are the basics and being consistent at the basics.”
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Cambridge to win!!!!
In the boat race Ben yea ?
Jaysus, if Cambridge did win, would he still call it a twitchy ass?
No train tunnel !
Did Cambridge back off to get the payday?
Ha ha
Cambridge, a town known for its University and Academics,more than its Football. Locals out in force supporting their local team, even though there is a massive gulf in class and they would be regarded as minnows my many.Now imagine if this game was in Dublin, a town that claims to be sports mad. The locals would be supporting the team in Red. We’ve a lot to learn here, as to what supporting a team is really all about.
A town that claims to be sports mad, but in truth is drink mad, and the premier league is on every weekend down the pub. Maybe the fans in Cambridge need a lesson in what latent alcoholism is all about.
Aye but no one turns out for a regular game, that’s not what support is about!
The fact United were the first team to play at the New Lansdowne road was a joke….. “Fans” were cheering goals scored by United against a league of Ireland 11, so embarrassing.
I think we support out national game quite well in Dublin, hill 16 is packed every championship game! Soccer is a foreign game, and the club/ league/ national soccer set up in this country is a complete joke! The GAA make the FAI look like amateurs
I’m assuming u were at the Aviva last season Luke for Rovers v Liverpool. You’re a Liverpool supporter so maybe you ll point out the difference….
I think they average 4-5000 a game so fairly decent. Still chose to get behind their team tonight instead of the ‘big club’. People support their local side in the UK, like people here do their County in GAA. To do anything else would be perceived as odd over there.
Yeah sure Ger. That’s why there are so many Man United fans in London !!!
That’s just not true. Having met countless English people in hostels whilst traveling I can tell you that unless they come from a place with a big club eg Manchester, most do not support there local club. It’s very strange because they don’t even support there nearest biggest club. The amount of people I met from south England who support Man U even though they have no connection to Manchester is staggering and as far as I could see it wasn’t considered strange by other English people.
I wasn’t at that game Gerry because I was on holidays but to be honest if I did Go I wouldn’t have been cheering Liverpool goals any loader than I would have cheered the local teams goals, i am Irish after all.
That Liverpool game was different because it wasn’t the grand opening for our new national stadium. A bunch of sad gits cheering United while their own country men got hockeyed wasn’t the best way to open something we all paid for.
Not as many as in Dublin and people go watch their local teams in London too. Look at attendances across the UK. Even the Conference averages higher attendances than the LOI. Why? Because there is a culture of attending games, regardless of how big or small your team is.
Chadwick has really grown into his face
So far jones final balls have been shocking poor like, Fellaini given away free after free. It’s been pretty tame the last 28 minutes.
LVG should get Ander Herrera, to teach Fellaini on how to tackle and not give away frees all the time. Herrera had more of an impact in the last 15 minutes than Fellaini.
That was just apalling. I don’t care about the conditions or any other excuse. getting stressed watching it. Ruined my Friday evening.
My God that was painful to watch. LVG can take his philosophy and shove it where the sun don’t shine.
Sloop you can’t blame LVG for players poor choice decisions in the final third, to many time player check back instead of going to the byline
I
Sorry B, don’t agree. The manager picks the team so the buck stops with him. Blind was terrible all thru the game but was only substituted near the end. I’ve heard of “blind” loyalty but that was ridiculous.
Of course you can B, That’s his philosophy. It’s brutal to watch, the attacking UTD is long gone with LVG. Very patient but very hard to watch.
Dion Dublin to come on and score the winner for Cambridge
200 million….well worth it.
Well done Cambridge, horrible conditions but they deserve there day out now at Old Trafford . A nice payday for the club aswell now . Will look forward to the replay .
This the real Bazinga?
Ahhh ffs…. You guys always chop my comment…. Journo, why does this happen?
Baz, was saying this year it seems the cups have been about the lil clubs….. Great to see!
There’s a local Malahide lad doing well with Cambridges youth team the last 2 years. It would have been nice to have seen him play tonight. A year or two early for him though!
Cork lad too playing tonight!
Jones , one of our better headerers of the ball hitting corners. Very poor corners at that. Hmmm
Jones is absolute shite. He looks so cumbersome on the ball, gives it away most of the time.
Squeaky bum time glory seekers.
Who do you support then Ben? If it’s anyone except Accrington Stanley then you can FRO
Blind is the furthest thing away from a left I have ever seen!
Any idea why he’s getting booed? It’s hilarious but baffling
V poor, Cambridge were superb. Conditions were poor but no excuse for lads been paid a normal persons salary a week. At least the replay will ensure Cambridge keep their heads above water. Their fans were superb.
F@#King hopeless!!!! Poor tactical formations and no heart from the utd players. Hard to watch.
Why does LVG persist with 3-5-2 ? http://wp.me/p3yGUO-IC
Except it’s 4-4-2 tonight
If that’s your own blog you’re linking you might want to give it a quick proof read for detail. Murinho, while a very good manager, tends to be successful with the traditional 11 man teams, so unless he abandoned the goalkeeping position in his initial spell as Chelsea manager I don’t think it’s accurate to say he “brought in the 4-4-3 so successfully.”
No sure Jose has played the keeper up front loads of times.
Poor Trapattoni lost his job because he insisted on playing 4-4-2 …….
4 4 2
4 4 2
4 4 2
Herrera for felliani, RVP for Wilson.
Falcao doing nothing Time to bring rvp on
They need to provide him with some proper balls
Whats wrong with ball they are using now?
Pretty sure Utd will win
Crikey neither of em !!