IT WAS A change that appeared to be part of the plan for Ireland to up the stakes physically and in that sense, James Ryan delivered.
The second row was involved in the first tackle of Saturday’s win over the Springboks, thundering in Kwagga Smith after Rónan Kelleher had landed a strong shoulder into the South African number eight, Ryan showing his motivation in the opening seconds.
He barely let up until he was called ashore in the 58th minute. Despite not playing the closing quarter, Ryan was among Ireland’s top tacklers with 12 completions from 12 attempts.
He also had more impactful clearouts at the breakdown than any other Irish player, according to Opta, although Ryan admitted he was lucky in the croc roll incident that saw Caelan Doris sin-binned.
“I didn’t have any malice in it,” said Ryan. “It was just awkward the way it ended up. Caelan was a bit unlucky to go off, it could probably have been me.”
Nonetheless, Ryan came up with a big performance that also featured two lineout steals.
Not that Ryan was absorbed by his own showing – he was just thrilled that Ireland’s season ended with a win.
“It makes a huge difference, even to the next week,” said Ryan. “When you are in a sport like this, it’s all in.
“We have been on both sides of it. When you get a win like that, it makes your summer. It’s not an exaggeration. The ball goes over the bar, just the difference it makes to everyone’s summer. It’s the business we’re in, it’s like a drug.”
The man who sent the ball over the bar to win it for Ireland was Ciarán Frawley.
Ryan was delighted for his Leinster team-mate.
“It’s serious going,” said Ryan. “The first one was probably more impressive. It was brilliant. I don’t think he gets fazed by much, which is the right way to be, balls of steel.”
The winning moment reminded Ryan of Ireland’s win over France in Paris in 2018 when Johnny Sexton slotted the game-winning drop goal in the very last act.
“I couldn’t believe that it went over,” said Ryan of Frawley’s game-winning drop goal.
“I said, ‘Nah, it didn’t go over’ when I was standing up and then I saw Frawls and Pete [O’Mahony] coming towards us.
“But then the ref kind of blows his whistle, my heart dropped, I thought he was checking something. I was going, ‘Oh, no.’
“It’s funny, it’s amazing the difference it makes when the ball goes over the bar. It’s fine margins, we have been on both sides of it but the difference it makes to the mood.”
There was a sense within Ireland camp that a big performance was coming. They were disappointed and frustrated with their effort in the first Test defeat.
Having called his players out, Andy Farrell got a big response.
“We were probably disappointed with last week in terms of how we started the first half,” said Ryan.
“The big thing this week was to start well. When you are playing the world champions at home in their back garden, it is such a great opportunity. This week we talked about attacking the game, properly going after it, attacking it. Sometimes on these big days and opportunities, you can go into your shell.
“Whenever we have had our best performances, we have gone after it.”
No better man than Ryan to go after it.
