IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell has revealed that they have drafted in high-performance coach Gary Keegan to work on their mental skills this autumn.
The IRFUโs review into last yearโs disastrous World Cup campaign found that Irish players had suffered from โperformance anxietyโ at the tournament in Japan.
Long-serving mental skills specialist Enda McNulty parted ways with Ireland in the wake of that tournament but Farrell, who took over from Joe Schmidt after the World Cup, has now called in the highly-regarded Keegan to work with his players.
Keegan was previously a major influence in the transformation of Irish boxing, helping to drive it towards to big successes at the Olympics.
He has worked with hurling and football teams, as well as with Leinster Rugby. The experienced Keegan is now part of the IRFUโs National Professional Games Board and also chairs Cricket Irelandโs High Performance Advisory Group.
Questions continue to be raised about Irelandโs confidence and mental skills in the wake of their dire second-half performance against Georgia last weekend when they failed to pull clear of the visitors in Dublin.
But Farrell says Ireland have been working on his side of their game with Keegan, while former Ireland team manager Mick Kearney โ who left that role in 2016 โ has also been helping players to deal with pressures outside of rugby, having come back in during the 2020 Six Nations.
โGary has been with us for some weeks now and he has been doing a tremendous job, so that process has started,โ said Farrell.
โMick was obviously here in previous years as the manager but he is there as a mentor for many of the players as well.
โA lot of our players, it isnโt just the stress of a match week. For a lot of our players, it isnโt just the stress of a match week, they are dealing with life outside of rugby that can build up in a different manner.
โMick helps massively with mentors for players outside of rugby. With Gary and Mick, we are well on our way to starting something there that will be a big help in the future.
โGaryโs mental skills as far as how that translates to performance is second to none and his whole connection piece in bringing the whole squad and the management into a place together is a big part of his remit.
โStress comes from people wanting to put their best foot forward when they are given the opportunity. How do you deal with that? Thatโs something we can help from the outside, to help them along with that stress. Thatโs international football, isnโt it? Thatโs why itโs so different and why everyone wants to be a part of it.โ
Ireland hooker Rob Herring says he and his team-mates have enjoyed Keeganโs input over recent weeks.
โItโs been good,โ said Herring. โItโs something you probably hear a lot โ trying to find an edge mentally and just to change things up.
โI guess itโs good to get another personโs insight into how weโre doing in camp and some of the things he has picked up, what we can improve and what weโre doing well.
โIndividually, weโre connecting with him and heโs just looking at what your routine is and where you can make more improvements.
โItโs nothing major, just small things heโs noticing or where we can improve. Ultimately, everything you do individually adds up towards a better team performance. Thatโs the main thing we gain out of it.โ
Farrellโs Ireland will need to be mentally clear and sharp for this weekendโs Autumn Nations Cup third-place play-off clash with Scotland in Dublin.
With Ireland having struggled in the second half against Georgia, the Scots will be eyeing their first away win in Dublin since 2010.
While Farrell noted Scotlandโs improvements in 2020, he underlined his belief that Ireland will deliver a โbig performanceโ this weekend and welcomed the return of captain and out-half Johnny Sexton.
โJohnny coming back from a hamstring injury is a big boost for the lads,โ said Farrell. โHeโs our captain and has been missing for a couple of weeks, although he has been working unbelievably hard in the background to make his presence felt.
โHe has been ahead of schedule, chomping at the bit, and heโs ready to go.
โHe brings a feeling to the group that makes everyone feel right and ready to go for a big match at the weekend.โ
Bernard Jackman, Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey preview Ireland-Scotland, chat Ben Healy and Johnny Sextonโs futures, and discuss Argentinaโs shocking handling of the racism storm involving their captain:
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
Both the Dublin footballers and hurlers are arrogant and seem to display little or no respect for other teams. The funny thing is, they have won f**k all and are disliked universally throughout the land for their attitude. Kerry will win, as alwaysโฆobviously. Duh!
Thatโs just Dubs in general. They canโt help it. Youโd nearly feel sorry for โem
Your basing this opinion on previous Dublin teams,who believed their media hype,this team doesnt have that arrogance and youl see it when they play Kerry on Sunday.Remember everyone said Tyrone would wipe the floor with Dublin and Donegals defence would be too much oh and not to forget the fact that Kildare had already won the all Ireland according to some parts of the media.So you cant write the dubs off just yet.
And as for saying all dub people are arrogant,its like me saying all non dubs are uneducated farmersโฆnot true of course.
Yes, whereas the footballers and hurlers from all other counties are demure and chivalrous to a man. What a pile of prejudiced sh!te.
Well yes, they are actuallyโฆcompare Kilkenny senior hurlers to Dublin hurlers. One team have won it all yet remain humble and respectful, the other teamโฆwell yeah, just Dublin being Dublin
You really believe the Dublin hurlers disrepect possibly the greatest hurling team ever to grace a park? Youโre more twisted in your Dub hatred than I first thought.
Dublin โ โWe donโt really give a damn about anyone elseโ Good man Dotsy )))
dublin play and act like every other team in the country yous all say we believe in the hype ,dont we all if a countyโs doin well they get mega press and believe in the hype its not just dublin
(((((((((((((Well yes, they are actuallyโฆcompare Kilkenny senior hurlers to Dublin hurlers. One team have won it all yet remain humble and respectful, the other teamโฆwell yeah, just Dublin being Dublin)))))))))))) burnt toast
just remember we beat kilkenny twice in the league almost beat them in the leinster final in which we played fair while kilkenny fouled us everytime vwe got the ball and if we had beaten tip we would have given kilkenny a hell of a game and may well have beaten them
also we have a young team takin out the top teams in ireland all through the year of course some of it will get to the players
dublin of course!
of course ? lol
ROFL
Iโm a dub living in the country and the abuse Iโm getting over my Dublin flag is unreal!! I am by no means arrogant, just a fan. Really hope the lads do it, true blue foreverโฆ..
Haters, twisted haters.
Salt of the earth !
Head says Kerry, heart says Dublin. Up the Dubs!
I commented after the Dublin v Kildare game that I didnโt think either team would win the All Ireland. Given my record to date, you would be well advised to bet on the Dubs to win!
i think the pie chart should have been the โstandardโ shades of blue coloursโฆ
My Dub flag is flying high in Langerlandโฆโฆโฆ Cork people hate everyone other than themselvesโฆโฆ.. Football to win after the donegal fiasco but sam is going to the DUBS
burnt toast give example of arrogance please
The ad for McDonalds โฆ โ โYouโre not in Longford now, Flynnโ,โ and โDonโt be stupid. It wrecks the cheese.โ โฆ Dubs know everything, of course!!
;)
@Alan. Have you ever reheated a big mac in the microwave?
Course not! It wrecks the cheese! โฆ Doh!
Hm where to start, oh yeahโฆ the hurling team pre-booking a bar in Dublin to celebrate their anticipated win against Kilkennyโฆwho of course trashed them. Is that arrogance or gross stupidity, cringe :(
Itโs called contingency, toast, having a plan for all eventualities. But youโre obviously coiled so tightly with apopectic hatred for all things Dublin that youโre ready to take every little detail and blow it out of all proportion.
hahaha oh thatโs what it is called is it, funny how no other GAA team in the history of the game have had such a premature contingency plan blow up in their face lol Good man yourself, anymore jokes ;)
Read this:
http://joe.ie/gaa/gaa-news/the-pre-emptive-dublin-hurlers-party-plans-pr-0013661-1
Think youโll find it was the Bar and not the team who jumped the gun.
Your imminent apology is accepted, toast.
No, donl;t be sillyโฆit was the team and that is well known. No good getting your PR boys to spin a story blaming the bar. Have they booked the Shelbourne for Sundays celebrations yet I wonder, will you be there ? ))
Galvin holds key
Dublin havenโt had a great football team since the 70โฒs. They have Alan Brogan and โฆ.????. Would Alan Brogan make the Kerry team, maybe, maybe not. I donโt like to see Kerry win but iโd say theyโll walk this one, win by 10 points. The cheap Dublin players always hype up Dublin in the campaign and their fans buy in to it every time.
Tony, the Dubs have Alan Brogan and reigning Footballer of the Year Bernard Brogan tooโฆ Read a newspaper, Palโฆ
Up the Dubs ;)
Oh wow, and how many Broganโs have Kerry got ? Stop reading your tabloid papers โpalโ ;)
wrong tony, the media always hype up Dublin, players say no different to players from other counties and the genuine fans know exactly how good or bad the team is so take whatโs in the papers with a pinch of salt.. Iโm hoping Dublin win but not expecting it..
Correct on all counts Peter.
Who gives a flying f**k
I couldnโt care less.
Got any spare tickets?
Galvin to win it from the benchโฆ.
Gooch to be unstoppable, get man of the match and player of the year. You heard it here first.
You would swear life depended on this sport. Its a few guys running around a pitch. Utter boring. Iโd rather sit on the toilet than sit and watch this match or any match for that matter.
Iโll be looking for a pub that has no television, thank you very much.
I take it the glass in your picture is half empty?
Yet you scrolled through all these commentsโฆ
Who cares about bog-ball, horrible primitive sport loved by lads with thick heads, and lasses with think anklesโฆ Man Utd v Chelsea, 4pm Sunday, yes please!
My heart says Dublinโฆโฆhead says Kerry. :(
Iโm so glad Dublin won! Eat your words haters :)
Dublin have a huge advantage playing at home in their usual championship stadium in front of what will probably be over 70% Dublin supporters.
No way , croker is kerrys home stadium , up Kerry
Dublin defensive system will give Kerry half back line too much space, Kerry will score more. So Dublin must attack, reducing their defence meaning Kerry will score more. Galvin is there just in case. I think! Hope itโs a good game anyhoo