While Joe Schmidt and his coaching staff go through their final decisions around their 31-man World Cup squad, the players have to anxiously stand by.
“It’s not going to be nice,” said Andrew Conway yesterday after Ireland’s 22-17 win over Wales in Cardiff. “I haven’t experienced this for a World Cup.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, just do something with my other half, keep the mind active and not be sitting looking at the phone.
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Conway set up a try for Jacob Stockdale yesterday. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“It’s been a big block of work and hopefully I’ve put in a few relatively good performances in the last three games. You never know.”
Conway was man of the match in the home win over Italy, came off the bench in Ireland’s heavy defeat in Twickenham, and then impressed yesterday versus the Welsh, starting on the right wing before shifting to fullback when Will Addison was taken off.
The Munster man can justifiably feel he has made a good fist of these World Cup warm-ups, but now his fate lies in Schmidt’s hands.
“It’s not really about just the games whenever you talk about that, it’s about the training, and the times I know that I’ve dug in and that I’ve put everything into it,” said 28-year-old Conway of his journey to the cusp of being named in a World Cup squad.
“All my preparation – physical, mental, emotional, even going spiritual, meditating – doing all these things to get the extra 1%.
“So I’m pretty comfortable in how much effort I’ve put in. What will be will be.”
Ireland could take encouragement from an improved collective outing against Wales yesterday, when Conway was among the 12 changes to Schmidt’s team, with several of them impressing.
Conway had a possible try disallowed in the second half. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Perhaps as importantly, the three players retained – Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale, and Peter O’Mahony – were all good in a win that still leaves Ireland with plenty to work on.
Having worked hard for a 22-3 lead, Ireland let up the pressure in the closing 25 minutes of the game, meaning they had to cling on for their victory in the end.
After Schmidt puts his players out of their misery by letting them know his final squad, their attention turns towards the final warm-up clash, as Ireland welcome the Welsh to Dublin for a return leg that should see both sides at full strength.
“These games are funny but the likes of England, when they go full-whack at Twickenham, we came up well short and we can’t forget that either. That’s the reality of what happened last week.
“We had a pretty good win here but to compete with the best of the best, we’ve got to be turning up every week.
“We know last week wasn’t good enough, so we’re definitely going to be doing everything we can for that never to happen again.”
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'It's not going to be nice' - Conway waits nervously on World Cup call
Murray Kinsella reports from Cardiff
NOW COMES THE wait.
While Joe Schmidt and his coaching staff go through their final decisions around their 31-man World Cup squad, the players have to anxiously stand by.
“It’s not going to be nice,” said Andrew Conway yesterday after Ireland’s 22-17 win over Wales in Cardiff. “I haven’t experienced this for a World Cup.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do, just do something with my other half, keep the mind active and not be sitting looking at the phone.
“It’s been a big block of work and hopefully I’ve put in a few relatively good performances in the last three games. You never know.”
Conway was man of the match in the home win over Italy, came off the bench in Ireland’s heavy defeat in Twickenham, and then impressed yesterday versus the Welsh, starting on the right wing before shifting to fullback when Will Addison was taken off.
The Munster man can justifiably feel he has made a good fist of these World Cup warm-ups, but now his fate lies in Schmidt’s hands.
“It’s not really about just the games whenever you talk about that, it’s about the training, and the times I know that I’ve dug in and that I’ve put everything into it,” said 28-year-old Conway of his journey to the cusp of being named in a World Cup squad.
“All my preparation – physical, mental, emotional, even going spiritual, meditating – doing all these things to get the extra 1%.
“So I’m pretty comfortable in how much effort I’ve put in. What will be will be.”
Ireland could take encouragement from an improved collective outing against Wales yesterday, when Conway was among the 12 changes to Schmidt’s team, with several of them impressing.
Perhaps as importantly, the three players retained – Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale, and Peter O’Mahony – were all good in a win that still leaves Ireland with plenty to work on.
Having worked hard for a 22-3 lead, Ireland let up the pressure in the closing 25 minutes of the game, meaning they had to cling on for their victory in the end.
After Schmidt puts his players out of their misery by letting them know his final squad, their attention turns towards the final warm-up clash, as Ireland welcome the Welsh to Dublin for a return leg that should see both sides at full strength.
“These games are funny but the likes of England, when they go full-whack at Twickenham, we came up well short and we can’t forget that either. That’s the reality of what happened last week.
“We had a pretty good win here but to compete with the best of the best, we’ve got to be turning up every week.
“We know last week wasn’t good enough, so we’re definitely going to be doing everything we can for that never to happen again.”
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Andrew Conway Bomber Ireland Joe Schmidt NERVES RWC2019