RUGBY:As Cian Healy and Gordon D'Arcy join up with the squad, Ronan O'Gara says Ireland have put warm-up defeats behind them, writes GERRY THORNLEY
IT’S CRUEL really. When they invented Queenstown, with its bungee jumping, its skiing, its luge, its hang-gliding, its array of outdoor activities, they had the Cian Healys of this world in mind.
Having made his delayed arrival yesterday along with Gordon D’Arcy four days after the remainder of the squad, he was banned from taking part in any of the activities due to his eye injury. It’s like taking the kids to Disneyworld and not letting them on any of the rides. To compound his misery, yesterday was a down day and, he’d have been told, a great day.
“Talking to some of the squad, they seem to have settled in really well and combined training with some time to relax and get involved in the whole spirit of the tournament,” he observed soon after arrival, no doubt with more than a hint of envy.
“It’s good to get that down time before we pick the pace up this week, so I think the intensity will start to rise now another couple of notches as we look forward to the USA game.”
There remain clouds over Rob Kearney, Brian O’Driscoll and Seán O’Brien, and like Healy, one presumes another Leinster man, D’Arcy, has little or no chance of playing against the USA this Saturday (the team will be confirmed on Friday) due to the calf injury he sustained on the morning of the squad’s departure last Tuesday.
“There was a terrible sense of dread for me when the calf tightened up that morning,” said D’Arcy. “And there was a couple of anxious hours before the scans came through and showed that it was not too bad and that it would not rule me out of the tournament. My focus now is to get it right and get on the field to put myself in contention for selection as soon as possible.”
Almost two decades ago Declan Kidney took an Irish schools’ squad on tour to New Zealand which incorporated a trek to Queenstown, and vowed one day that if he ever took an Irish squad of any kind back to New Zealand he’d make a point of stopping off here. With another five ports of call even before the quarter-finals, this has the feel of a tour about it, and the first port has gone down very well.
“I didn’t expect Queenstown to be like this,” admits Ronan O’Gara, on his sixth visit here with Ireland or the Lions. “I’d heard a lot about it, (but) it’s breathtaking once you’re here. It feels surreal to come here for a rugby World Cup, but it’s very pleasant.
“In Ireland we have plenty of beauty of our own, but the drive to training was stunning and we’ve been taken aback by it.”
It has helped to purge the August programme, though the acid test of that will be Sunday’s opener against the USA Eagles on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, but O’Gara says he has noted a distinct difference in attitude at training.
“Maybe we viewed the warm-up games as trials while other countries saw them as full-on Test matches,” he added, a tad disconcertingly, though echoing the views of his room-mate Donncha O’Callaghan.
“When we have our best 22 we’re capable of dealing with any team. But maybe when we were pushed to 30-35 players, we were stretched a bit. There’s no panic in the camp. We’re not denying that we wanted to win those games but at this level you have to be at fever pitch. We weren’t and it’s important we are during the World Cup. That should bring out the best in us.
“Confidence is a personal issue. Only deep down inside yourself can you answer that honestly. From my point of view I don’t see it as a team issue but certain individuals’ confidence may be affected.”
Ironically, O’Gara is probably in a better place mentally and form-wise than in France four years ago, when his personal life was at the centre of the bush fire of false rumours which swept around the Irish camp, though it seems likely that Jonathon Sexton is set to be first-choice outhalf.
Now the oldest member of the squad on foot of David Wallace’s horrible misfortune, O’Gara maintains: “I’m enjoying my duel with Jonny. It’s reinvigorated me big time and I’m enjoying the challenge. We both have big importance to the team. The most important thing is that Ireland do well and I’m sure we both have key roles to play in that.
“The fact that this is my last World Cup is important. I’ve had a good career and made an impact at European level, but this is the elite level. It would be hugely fulfilling if I did have a role at world level and that’s a goal of mine. Until you perform at a World Cup you shouldn’t talk about it because you haven’t done it. For years at Munster we were unlucky not to win the Heineken Cup but then when we did win European Cups we earned respect.
“We haven’t earned that respect at world level. It’s up to us to try and earn it. Anything can happen. It’s typical of us. We can have a bleak campaign or a fantastic campaign. I suppose that’s an upshot of our careers.
“That’s what makes it hugely exciting – at this level anything is possible. There’s a great mood in the camp and we’re excited. It’s a tough group but there are opportunities there as well. It’s important to get off to a good start and try to build momentum.”
