Johnny Wickham Interview: Gerry Thornley talks to Clontarf's young captain ahead of Saturday's Division One final

He's 23, he's very driven, he's played (and scored) for the Irish under-21s in the World Cup final against New Zealand two years ago, and despite his relatively tender years, this Saturday Johnny Wickham will captain Clontarf on what is one of the biggest days in their history against the AIB league kingpins from Shannon.

That, his coach Phil Werahiko admits, graphically illustrates the high regard he has for his loosehead prop. "He has a great personality, is well respected here at the club, and has so much drive and ability, and he's smart."

Wickham clearly has some physical developing to undergo, as well as acquiring more knowledge of scrummaging. But as he and fellow prop Rob Sweeney showed last Saturday against Cork Constitution, and what Werahiko considers one of the best front rows in the AIL, Wickham has a strikingly impressive work-rate and mobility, both in defence and attack. "He is very much in the Southern Hemisphere mould of props," says his coach.

Wickham admits he's young to be captain: "But the guys are all good guys, I get on great with them and I'd like to think I'm a good leader on the pitch."

He never captained any of his Belvedere schools sides, though was vice-captain when suffering what he admits was a bit of a drubbing against Clongowes, having lost to Pres Bray in the second round the year before.

Belvedere was, he admits, a great springboard for a rugby career. "I was a tubby kid so they put me in the front row," he jokes. "I think I tried to bluff them so they put me in the centre for my first game but quickly realised I was a frontrow player, so I've been stuck there ever since."

When he finished in Belvedere, he played a few underage games with his local club, Suttonians, before opting for Clontarf and the first division.

Four years ago Wickham came on as a replacement for the last 10 minutes of the losing final against Ballymena. One of his more vivid memories was of sustaining a dead leg courtesy of James Topping. "I was playing with guys . . . many of them have gone on to play with other clubs or at provincial level. Great players, like Bernard Jackman and Ben Gissing, and to be involved with them really gave me a hunger for it, so this is the catalyst to spring from a Clontarf career and get going."

Such naked ambition is very much typical of the philosophy, individually and collectively, fostered by Werahiko who gladly forecasts leading Clontarf ought to be a stepping stone for Wickham. "There's no end to how far Johnny can go."

In Wickham he has a willing disciple. "Phil works really hard. His life revolves around rugby. I had the privilege of working with him in Belvedere College coaching this year. He just has so many different ideas and so many views on the game that it's a wonderland of knowledge for anyone who wants to get into rugby.

"He brought me into the final against Ballymena and from there he pushed me at times, let's say, when a coach mightn't have taken a chance with a frontrow player who was so young."

Wickham likes Werahiko's loyalty to players and his sense of fairness, picking players on merit, and not handing out criticism unless it's due. He also admires Werahiko's video analysis and meticulous preparation.

A development contract with Leinster has constituted the next step up the ladder toward a full-time career. "With Michael Cheika this year I've taken on a lot of different physiological programmes, whereby I gained 10 kilos and increased strength and power. There's been a lot of specialist scrummaging sessions with Mike Brewer and Roly Meates. It's a lot of top-class coaching so I'll avail of that the best I can."

It is, Wickham, concedes, a very different team from the one that lost to Ballymena four years ago. "There's been big packs, there's been smaller packs, there's been fantastic backs, there's been seriously quick backs or strong backs, but I think this year we really have a strong balance in the team. We're all mates and everybody has bought into the whole thing. We stay back after training and have a dinner after training every night."

Victory on Saturday would be the ultimate reward, against what he concedes are the ultimate cup final specialists. For a Sutton boy, groomed in Belvedere, captaining a community club side like Clontarf to their first league title would be quite something.

"I think it would be monumental for Clontarf rugby. There's been so many people for so many years putting their lives and souls into the club, guys working 24-seven, coaches like Phil and backroom staff nobody sees, players who've come and gone, everyone trying for that one holy grail. I think this year if we lift the cup it would be the best thing for Clontarf ever."