KIERAN TREADWELL WONDERED if he’d ever get a taste of a day like this. After making appearances in Ireland’s summer tour to Japan in 2017 and then in a November test that autumn, his international hibernation kicked in.
Others got their chance. He stayed in the queue, the wrong side of the ropes. Even last summer – when injuries mounted and Ireland’s Lions disappeared to South Africa, he didn’t make Andy Farrell’s extended squad for the internationals against Japan and USA. Yesterday he made the bench and then, for the last quarter, the pitch, scoring one of Ireland’s tries in their 57-6 win over the Italians.
“It was massive for me,” Treadwell said of the experience. “2017, it’s been a long time since I got my last cap. So to get in there and get an appearance, it was massive for me.
“Throughout the week, everyone was there to support me and help. We’re a tight-knit squad and that’s happened in a relatively short amount of time. For me, 2017 the last time, that’s a long time and I’ve been trying to get myself back in the frame by playing as well as I can. The fact we have all the same goal made it easier.”
Except his goal was more personal than the ones other players had. He wanted to prove to himself, firstly, that he belonged at this level.
“You have to make it count when you get the chance,” the Ulster lock said. “For me a massive thing is consistency. I think I have a bit more of a hold on what I need to do to be consistently performing at a high-level. That’s something of a change in what I’ve done. Again, it’s just being confident you’re doing the right thing.”
He firmly believes he did the right thing moving across from England, where he grew up, to live in Belfast. Ulster is home now, Ireland his country of choice. England, his place of birth, is who Ireland face next in two weeks.
“It’s keeping myself in the frame and in the mindset. We’re such a tight squad. We’re all going for the same goal and if my job that week is to prepare other people then that’s me. Obviously I’m a hungry, I really want to play, especially against England, playing against players I’ve played with and against while I was growing up. That would be fun.”
Comedian Michael Fry is our special guest on this week’s episode of The Front Row, in partnership with Guinness. Joining host Seán Burke, Eimear Considine and Murray Kinsella, he chats about his family’s rugby background and his short-lived playing days, before using his musical ear to rank the anthems of each Guinness Six Nations team. Click here to subscribe or listen below:
The42 / SoundCloud
Originally published at 06.00
Not even the best available Ulster lock in my opinion, he has no business playing for Ireland until he reaches that level. I’m also disappointed with our reliance on ‘Irish qualified’ as opposed to Irish born/raised players. We have plenty of homegrown talent available.
@Richard James: I don’t have a problem with IQ players. Irish people have been forced to emigrate for economic reasons and it shouldn’t prevent their children representing Ireland. The residency qualification is the questionable one. We’ve several players with no connection with Ireland playing international rugby here, why highlight the English ones of Irish descent?
@Sustainable Hedgehog: Now the residency rule us changed from 3 to 5 years, I have no issue with either rule.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: Now the residency rule us changed from 3 to 5 years, I have no issue with either rule.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: well said! No problem with players with an Irish parent or grandparent, but the residency rule (no matter how long it is) makes a mockery of international sport and only serves the ‘rich’ rugby nations.
The only exception for me is if someone moves to a country at a young age and comes through that country’s system.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: fair point but I was not highlighting Treadwell specifically because he was born in England but because in my opinion there are better players, even in Ulster. My secondary point related to the IQ issue, but I’d also agree with your point regarding children of emigrants.
@Richard James: I agree there are better locks
in Ulster but he was probably selected for his mobility rather than his grunt.
Anybody else want to play against their home team? Sign up for Ireland and there you go
@alan: Petty remark.
@alan: His home team is Ireland, his mother is Irish and he played for our Under-18s before England Under-20s. He came to Ulster as a 21 year old and has been fully committed to the side. Lots of people have parents of different nationalities who move between countries for all sorts of reasons. You are not the arbiter of anyone’s identity or nationality.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: I was just quoting him.
@alan: He said the fellas he played with growing up, not his home team.
Are any of these guys irish? Aki,carbury, gibson-Park, treadwell, Lowe hansen herring, bealham the list grows by the game. Makes a mockery of calling it an ‘irish team’
@David Lydon: tony cascarino would disagree
@David Lydon: Carbery moved to Ireland at the age of 11 and his mother is from Athy. Hardly making a mockery of anything.
@David Lydon:
Being a bit cruel on Bealham, moved to Ireland when he was 18… Played underage for Ireland.. How high is your Irish test?
@David Lydon: Mack Hansen’s mother is from Cork
@David Lydon: uneducated comment
@David Lydon: all doing more for Ireland than I am, and I’d consider myself Irish, but whatever you’re on yourself.
There’s a clip on twitter of a 64th minute Baird high tackle that was missed by the ref and TMO. If it’s reviewed he could face a ban.
@Sustainable Hedgehog: https://twitter.com/italiansrugby/status/1498062431691722759?t=Ay2OHg7JV5A4OoyFAJmsQg&s=19
@Sustainable Hedgehog: I remember seeing that at the time, but assumed it was not that bad that the Italian player ran into him and he held his ground. But seeing it there it looks like there is force in the shoulder.