JAMES RYAN DOESN’T like digging too deep into what captainting Ireland means to him.
Put forward for media duty yesterday after it was confirmed the second row will lead Ireland in Johnny Sexton’s absence against Italy on Saturday, Ryan was soon apologising for repeating himself as he looked to deliver a simple, straight-forward message: captaincy is an honour, but he’ll just try be himself this week. There’s not much more to it.
Sitting in front of cameras and dictaphones, Ryan can come across as somewhat reserved, but there’s clearly another side to him.
When Brian O’Driscoll and a handful of other guests visited the camp to speak about the Troubles and Ireland’s Call recently, Ryan and Keith Earls also addressed the group. An impressed O’Driscoll later stated that Ryan spoke “incredibly well” and Mack Hansen has since added that he found the speech “really powerful”. At one point yesterday Ryan spoke passionately about that subject – a glimpse as to why those inside the room were so captivated.
There were more kind words ahead of the round two defeat of France, where Ryan produced another excellent display as he won his 50th Test cap, with Ireland head coach Andy Farrell stating before the game that the rest of the squad “all look up to him.”
It’s evident the 26-year-old has something special about him, and with Sexton expected to step away following the World Cup in France, Ryan might just have to get more used to these mid-week press duties.
Advertisement
James Ryan pictured in the Ireland squad gym yesterday. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
He feels anything he’s learned about leadership has come from those he’s worked closely with at both Leinster and Ireland.
“I think it’s more that I learn from people I’m surrounded by, like Andy Farrell, Paul O’Connell, Johnny,” Ryan says, “and you just learn from being in good environments as well, whether in the national team or Leinster.
“You learn little bits here and there. Obviously Stuart (Lancaster) has been great for learning, in terms of leadership and those things as well. So maybe just in terms of being in environments that are full of guys that definitely understand how and what it is to be a leader.”
Saturday will be the seventh time Ryan has captained Ireland at Test level. His first was an Autumn Nations Cup defeat to England in 2020 at the age of just 24, his most recent the Six Nations loss to France last year. Along the way, he’s gathered a decent understanding of how to manage the week.
I enjoy it because it’s such an honour, but yeah, I do enjoy it and it’s just making sure that it doesn’t become a weight for me, just making sure that I’m focussed on myself as well.
“Probably a little bit more responsibility. I need to say a few words on Friday and Saturday before the game, so maybe at the tail end of the week there’s a little bit more to get across.
“To be honest it doesn’t change a massive amount… I need to get my own game right, so making sure I’m focussed on and getting that part of the game right, and maybe have a little bit more to do at the end of the week but certainly earlier in the week, there’s so many guys here that you can lean on… Hendy (Iain Henderson), Garry (Ringrose), Peter O’Mahony, Johnny is around, so there’s plenty of voices there.
“Maybe I’m a bit better prepared now than I would have been a few years ago. But I never expected to be named captain as well. It still comes as a surprise to me. I’m a bit more experienced now than I was a few years ago so maybe I am a bit better prepared.”
Ireland head to Rome looking to make it three wins from three in this year’s Six Nations, having taken maximum points against both Wales and France.
“It’s been a good campaign so far,” Ryan continues.
“We’re where we want to be, at the top of the table with 10 points, but I think there’s definitely a lot more in us. So I think good, not great.
“I think it’s a number of things. After the French game we took bits that we could have done better, obviously defensively there was more in us, we could be more connected, stronger around the ball defensively, understand the threats that they bring.
“It’s been a big focus for us, there’s more in us there defensively. But there’s always more in us, the environment that we’ve created in here now is that even when things are going well, we’re always trying to get better.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Ireland lock James Ryan continues to grow as a leader
JAMES RYAN DOESN’T like digging too deep into what captainting Ireland means to him.
Put forward for media duty yesterday after it was confirmed the second row will lead Ireland in Johnny Sexton’s absence against Italy on Saturday, Ryan was soon apologising for repeating himself as he looked to deliver a simple, straight-forward message: captaincy is an honour, but he’ll just try be himself this week. There’s not much more to it.
Sitting in front of cameras and dictaphones, Ryan can come across as somewhat reserved, but there’s clearly another side to him.
When Brian O’Driscoll and a handful of other guests visited the camp to speak about the Troubles and Ireland’s Call recently, Ryan and Keith Earls also addressed the group. An impressed O’Driscoll later stated that Ryan spoke “incredibly well” and Mack Hansen has since added that he found the speech “really powerful”. At one point yesterday Ryan spoke passionately about that subject – a glimpse as to why those inside the room were so captivated.
There were more kind words ahead of the round two defeat of France, where Ryan produced another excellent display as he won his 50th Test cap, with Ireland head coach Andy Farrell stating before the game that the rest of the squad “all look up to him.”
It’s evident the 26-year-old has something special about him, and with Sexton expected to step away following the World Cup in France, Ryan might just have to get more used to these mid-week press duties.
He feels anything he’s learned about leadership has come from those he’s worked closely with at both Leinster and Ireland.
“I think it’s more that I learn from people I’m surrounded by, like Andy Farrell, Paul O’Connell, Johnny,” Ryan says, “and you just learn from being in good environments as well, whether in the national team or Leinster.
“You learn little bits here and there. Obviously Stuart (Lancaster) has been great for learning, in terms of leadership and those things as well. So maybe just in terms of being in environments that are full of guys that definitely understand how and what it is to be a leader.”
Saturday will be the seventh time Ryan has captained Ireland at Test level. His first was an Autumn Nations Cup defeat to England in 2020 at the age of just 24, his most recent the Six Nations loss to France last year. Along the way, he’s gathered a decent understanding of how to manage the week.
“Probably a little bit more responsibility. I need to say a few words on Friday and Saturday before the game, so maybe at the tail end of the week there’s a little bit more to get across.
“To be honest it doesn’t change a massive amount… I need to get my own game right, so making sure I’m focussed on and getting that part of the game right, and maybe have a little bit more to do at the end of the week but certainly earlier in the week, there’s so many guys here that you can lean on… Hendy (Iain Henderson), Garry (Ringrose), Peter O’Mahony, Johnny is around, so there’s plenty of voices there.
“Maybe I’m a bit better prepared now than I would have been a few years ago. But I never expected to be named captain as well. It still comes as a surprise to me. I’m a bit more experienced now than I was a few years ago so maybe I am a bit better prepared.”
Ireland head to Rome looking to make it three wins from three in this year’s Six Nations, having taken maximum points against both Wales and France.
“It’s been a good campaign so far,” Ryan continues.
“We’re where we want to be, at the top of the table with 10 points, but I think there’s definitely a lot more in us. So I think good, not great.
“I think it’s a number of things. After the French game we took bits that we could have done better, obviously defensively there was more in us, we could be more connected, stronger around the ball defensively, understand the threats that they bring.
“It’s been a big focus for us, there’s more in us there defensively. But there’s always more in us, the environment that we’ve created in here now is that even when things are going well, we’re always trying to get better.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Captain Six Nations Ireland james ryan