Ulster captain Iain Henderson was recently added to the Ireland leadership group. By accentuating the positives under new coach Andy Farrell the 27 year old shines a light on a culture of fear that previously manifested in the national squad.
“There is a different mentality around the place,” began Henderson’s reply to a straight question about his new responsibility. “There is a different mentality in meetings. There is a different relationship between players and coaches. There is a different relationship between players and players going over stuff together.
“Everything that’s done is done in a real positive manner to ensure we are getting the best out of each other, to ensure if I go to Cian [HEALY]and ask him for help or he comes to me and asks me for help we are doing it to make each other better and ultimately to get a better result at the weekend. And everyone knows that.
“Maybe, in years gone by, guys might be a wee bit tentative of who they asked questions to or who they are trying to get clarity [FROM]for fear of people thinking they don’t know their detail, they don’t know stuff. But now there is a very open learning system, I would say, [THAT]has been put in place to ensure guys are free to get information whenever they want.”
Meetings are shorter, relaxation periods longer. Now all the players have to do is deliver against Wales on Saturday.
Speaking of which, the Welsh enigma was discussed in camp on Tuesday morning. Pick a player, any Wales player; analysing Alun Wyn Jones in an Ospreys shirt is almost useless when it comes to knowing how he will perform in the red of his country.
The opposite applies inside the IRFU system. Star for Leinster, like Max Deegan has this past month, and a national call is guaranteed.
The Irish provinces have a proud 21 year history of contesting European finals. The Welsh regions have one moment to remember when it comes to that tournament. Since Cardiff lost the inaugural final in 1996, no Welsh team has repeated a journey that has, in stark contrast, shaped Irish rugby indelibly.
Because, quite clearly, it doesn't matter to them but something stirs inside a Welsh player on a Six Nations Saturday.
The only anomaly was the Scarlets capturing the Pro 12 title in 2017, under the guidance of new national coach Wayne Pivac’s expansive attacking style, twice arriving in Dublin to pick off Leinster and Munster.
Still, only the Ospreys qualified for the Champions Cup this season, losing all six matches. Twice Munster made Wyn Jones and friends seem ordinary, the same men who transform into superheroes when called for national service.
As sporting nations these rivals are incomparable as rugby in Wales means something deeper to Welsh people as a whole than rugby in Ireland means to residents of this island.
“I’m not sure it’s about matching [THE PASSION],” said Healy. “We’ve got a lot of national pride and we’ve got a lot of club pride. This came up years ago in one of the infamous meetings about ‘play for your country as you play for your club.’”
Healy presumably speaks of a young Rob Kearney challenging older Munster men in 2009, a tale that has already gained enough mythical status to include hound and hurl.
“That’s not really an issue here,” Healy continues. “Lads come in and it becomes one team, you are expecting higher standards across the board and we enjoy doing what we do and we enjoy being together. That, without any effort, creates a drive to succeed together and to enjoy those times.”
None of this is disputed. The current Ireland squad includes all but three of the players responsible for the Grand Slam at Twickenham in 2018.
“I wouldn’t be too much into looking at how other teams get up for games,” said the 92-times capped prop. “You might look at what drives [WALES]but we are kind of set on what their tactics are and how they want to try and stretch our defence and such but it’s kind of all about us from this side of it.”
Maybe so, but they are not ignoring what motivates these Welsh men.
“The motivation for me here is to succeed with this team,” Healy adds when asked about being present for Wales’ Grand Slam in Cardiff last year. “I’m not looking for vengeance or revenge or anything like that.
I want success with the lads around me. That means going to the well, to the dark places. That means doing the harder thing than the easier thing. That’s what would be more enjoyable if we come out of the weekend with the win - knowing that I put myself in that place. Not thinking - if I don’t do it [2019 in Cardiff] will happen again.”
