GARRY RINGROSE HAD a front row seat for Ireland’s historic first win against New Zealand in 2016. Aged 21 and yet to win his first cap, Ringrose was on the bench in Soldier Field, joining Kieran Marmion as the only two Irish players not to get on the pitch that day. Not that he had any complaints.
“I was lucky to be on the plane because Keith Earls got injured during the week and that gave me the opportunity to be on the bench,” Ringrose remembers.
“I couldn’t believe that I’d been selected. After the game I had a text or two saying hard luck that I hadn’t got on but I was laughing to myself because that didn’t even cross my mind!
“To be there for such a special occasion, I felt I was lucky to be over there. Even the fact that Joey (Carbery) came on and played so well, I was coat-tailing on how well he had done because we had gone through the week together.
“It wouldn’t have been a thing, any sort of frustration. I was just excited to be there and experience such a monumental day in Irish sports history I think.”
As Ireland toasted their success in Chicago that night, Ringrose received a few quiet words from Joe Schmidt which curtailed his own celebrations.
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Ringrose was an unused substitute at Soldier Field in 2016. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“I do remember after the game in the hotel, obviously everyone celebrating, he let me know, just a heads up, you’re going to be starting next week against Canada. I was pretty nervous from that point on.”
The following week Ringrose debuted in a 52-21 thumping of Canada in Dublin, and since then the Leinster player has gone on to add a further 59 caps.
Seven of those have come against New Zealand. He first faced the All Blacks as a replacement in the bruising Dublin return defeat in 2016, and his home record as a starting player against New Zealand reads played two (2018, 2021), won two. He’s aiming to keep that record intact, with Ireland currently boasting a 19-game winning streak at the Aviva Stadium.
I think it’s continuing to become more special with every experience we have there, some results where our backs are against the wall.
“Even thinking back, talking about that (2016) Canada game, that November in the last Test of that series, I think it was Besty’s 100th cap, there were a few injuries before the game because I was playing 12 which wouldn’t be my first-choice, and then throughout the game, I think Marms was on the wing, Joey Carbery was full-back, but you come out the other end and win a game like that, it just adds to it, us feeling how special those nights can be.
“It makes us all appreciate what’s coming up this weekend. It’s always been special but with every result we have there, it just kind of adds to the legacy and we certainly want to keep that going.”
Last year in particular felt like a momentum shift for this Irish team. While they didn’t reach their stated goal at the World Cup, the squad were taken aback by the wave of strong support which followed to them to France, encapsulated by those memorable nights at the Stade de France.
While Ireland have enjoyed plenty of success across Ringrose’s eight-year Test career, the centre says he has never felt so much goodwill towards the squad.
“From the off, it’s (our goal has) been to prepare as best we can to drive the standards of trying to be the best team possible that we can be.
Ringrose has played an important part in Ireland's 19-game winning run in Dublin. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“That’s always the North Star for us, and we’ve spoken as well about inspiring the next generation, or I suppose it’s anyone out there. But when you see kids get behind us, even elderly people getting behind us, everyone in the country really just giving us unbelievable support, I certainly have felt a massive shift. It’s always been good, but certainly in the last two or three years, it’s just been incredible.
“Maybe personally, (I’m now) paying a bit more attention to it and being a bit more aware of it with getting a little bit older and that experience. When I was younger in the first couple of squads you have the blinkers on, but in the last couple of years I’ve been able to look at it from the wider lens and appreciate the amount of support we have or that I can see around the country.
“And I don’t know what it is, there just seems to be a buzz about it, definitely in the World Cup. I know my first World Cup was in Japan so it was unbelievable traveling support, but going through a World Cup that was a little bit closer to home (in France last year) and seeing and feeling the support was unbelievable. And then there’s a continuation from there, I’ve certainly felt.”
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'There just seems to be a buzz' - Ringrose feels 'massive shift' from Irish support
GARRY RINGROSE HAD a front row seat for Ireland’s historic first win against New Zealand in 2016. Aged 21 and yet to win his first cap, Ringrose was on the bench in Soldier Field, joining Kieran Marmion as the only two Irish players not to get on the pitch that day. Not that he had any complaints.
“I was lucky to be on the plane because Keith Earls got injured during the week and that gave me the opportunity to be on the bench,” Ringrose remembers.
“I couldn’t believe that I’d been selected. After the game I had a text or two saying hard luck that I hadn’t got on but I was laughing to myself because that didn’t even cross my mind!
“To be there for such a special occasion, I felt I was lucky to be over there. Even the fact that Joey (Carbery) came on and played so well, I was coat-tailing on how well he had done because we had gone through the week together.
“It wouldn’t have been a thing, any sort of frustration. I was just excited to be there and experience such a monumental day in Irish sports history I think.”
As Ireland toasted their success in Chicago that night, Ringrose received a few quiet words from Joe Schmidt which curtailed his own celebrations.
“I do remember after the game in the hotel, obviously everyone celebrating, he let me know, just a heads up, you’re going to be starting next week against Canada. I was pretty nervous from that point on.”
The following week Ringrose debuted in a 52-21 thumping of Canada in Dublin, and since then the Leinster player has gone on to add a further 59 caps.
Seven of those have come against New Zealand. He first faced the All Blacks as a replacement in the bruising Dublin return defeat in 2016, and his home record as a starting player against New Zealand reads played two (2018, 2021), won two. He’s aiming to keep that record intact, with Ireland currently boasting a 19-game winning streak at the Aviva Stadium.
“Even thinking back, talking about that (2016) Canada game, that November in the last Test of that series, I think it was Besty’s 100th cap, there were a few injuries before the game because I was playing 12 which wouldn’t be my first-choice, and then throughout the game, I think Marms was on the wing, Joey Carbery was full-back, but you come out the other end and win a game like that, it just adds to it, us feeling how special those nights can be.
“It makes us all appreciate what’s coming up this weekend. It’s always been special but with every result we have there, it just kind of adds to the legacy and we certainly want to keep that going.”
Last year in particular felt like a momentum shift for this Irish team. While they didn’t reach their stated goal at the World Cup, the squad were taken aback by the wave of strong support which followed to them to France, encapsulated by those memorable nights at the Stade de France.
While Ireland have enjoyed plenty of success across Ringrose’s eight-year Test career, the centre says he has never felt so much goodwill towards the squad.
“From the off, it’s (our goal has) been to prepare as best we can to drive the standards of trying to be the best team possible that we can be.
“That’s always the North Star for us, and we’ve spoken as well about inspiring the next generation, or I suppose it’s anyone out there. But when you see kids get behind us, even elderly people getting behind us, everyone in the country really just giving us unbelievable support, I certainly have felt a massive shift. It’s always been good, but certainly in the last two or three years, it’s just been incredible.
“Maybe personally, (I’m now) paying a bit more attention to it and being a bit more aware of it with getting a little bit older and that experience. When I was younger in the first couple of squads you have the blinkers on, but in the last couple of years I’ve been able to look at it from the wider lens and appreciate the amount of support we have or that I can see around the country.
“And I don’t know what it is, there just seems to be a buzz about it, definitely in the World Cup. I know my first World Cup was in Japan so it was unbelievable traveling support, but going through a World Cup that was a little bit closer to home (in France last year) and seeing and feeling the support was unbelievable. And then there’s a continuation from there, I’ve certainly felt.”
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