Garry Doyle reports from Dunedin

JAMES RYAN INSISTS the All Blacks have the capacity to cope with Sam Whitelock’s absence from their side for this weekend’s second test in Dunedin.

Whitelock, the second highest capped player in All Black history, doubles up as their pack leader and lineout caller, with Irish Examiner columnist, Ronan O’Gara, saying that the Crusaders second-row is worth 10 to 15 points to the All Blacks.

Ryan too is a fan – although perhaps not as much as O’Gara is:  “He is very good defensively, but I think (Brodie) Retallick will fit into that role pretty seamlessly.

“Last week, I thought we struggled at times (in the lineout). I thought our winning was good at times, for our exits or when we got into their 22, but we probably struggled a little bit around the amber, or the middle of the park, and they got up to compete a good few times quite well.

“So for us it’s just making sure that our drill is as good as it can be so that we can be as good as we can be in that part of the game because we couldn’t really launch the way we wanted.

“We couldn’t properly put our best foot forward in terms of our attack and in terms of our starter plays because of the set-piece at times. That’s one that we need to fix for this week.”

Another area is a mental one. It has often been said that this Irish team lacks leaders – beyond the usual suspects, Sexton, O’Mahony, Henderson.

Others are, by nature, quiet people – including Ryan.

“Faz always drives that (need for more people to lead),” said Ryan. “He wants not just Johnny or Pete or whatever, he often says he wants everybody to be a leader, everybody to come out of their shell.

“It’s a big part of this tour and we’ve talked about how the Maori games are just as important as the Tests in terms of building that squad and that depth and helping the young guys step up. We’ve definitely seen guys step up to the plate and be more vocal and have a point of view.”

They need to. One-nil down in the series, memories of 2018 have been refreshed here. Then Ireland were in Australia. They lost the opening game of that series as well before bouncing back.

The scenario here is identical – except the opposition is considerably tougher.

“But it’s just a great opportunity, what we’ve said all along. So 2018 was the last tour,” said Ryan, “but this tour is just different, the five games.

“We’re trying to build over the next 18 months and this tour is a huge part of that. It’s been about making it as tough as we can for us and seeing how we respond. Similarly last time in 2018, we lost the first Test and we had to respond, so we need a big response this week.”

Away from the pitch, he has enjoyed the touring aspect to the trip, noting the number of rugby pitches located both in city centres and tiny villages, the constant questions from educated fans who are fascinated by Ireland’s progress over the last couple of decades.

Even the non-rugby stuff, his role as ‘Sheriff’ who hands out the fines to players who turn up late; the easy access to Asian cuisine, his favourite dish; the freedom to zip around Auckland on hired scooters, has helped him enjoy the five-game touring experience, one he knows may be the last type he may get with Ireland.

“That’s what they said to us at the start. When you think of five games in the space of a few weeks, it might never happen again, so that’s what this whole tour is about. It’s about really challenging ourselves in the toughest conditions and that’s what it was like last week.

“We had the Maori game and a Test on the Saturday, and that’s what it’s going to be like in the next couple of weeks. That’s exactly what we want. Obviously we’re disappointed with the weekend but the great thing about a Test series is that you get to go again this week, and the best thing about this tour is that it will give us clarity about where we’re at and where to improve on.”