Straw clutching down Carton House way. A staid media afternoon before the daunting Welsh opener should not be taken as reflecting the mood in the Ireland camp.
There have been moments in the past which sparked hope.
The mere presence of Paul O'Connell always did. Gordon D'Arcy words before New Zealand in November 2013. Even a grumpy, monosyllabic Peter O'Mahony can provide comfort. Jamie Heaslip did some talking on this rainy Friday.
The print media were given Mike McCarthy. Those paying close enough attention should know the 34-year-old has earned selection. He’s been the tough old warrior in a season when his Leinster pack have often been overrun, smashed or simply non-existent at the breakdown.
There's plenty of nuisance in those ageing bones, enough grabbing to spark angry retaliation from known enforcers like Toulon's Duane Vermeulen in December.
Ultan Dillane was deemed ready to train with Ireland this winter without bringing enough to shift McCarthy or Donnacha Ryan from the match day squad.
Grim season
Joe Schmidt
went with quiet experience to face Alun Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris, with
Bradley Davies
to come in, by returning to McCarthy with Ryan to come in. McCarthy caught everyone at unawares, including Eben Etzebeth, in November 2012 with that bullish, man of the match display despite the 16-12 defeat to South Africa.
Schmidt deemed him surplus to requirements for the World Cup though.
But with the decks cleared by O’Connell’s retirement and Iain Henderson’s hamstring snapping, the country needs this London-born lock to play way beyond the expected once again. He must keep the fires burning until the next wave of Irish locks develop similar man strength.
“It’ll be a day in the trenches with the weather going to be like this,” said McCarthy, nodding out across acres of grey planter’s land outside Maynooth. “You are going to have to front up and be the best you can be.”
Earlier, when asked about the confidence levels within the group, cocooned from actual public opinion in their splendid retreat, Schmidt turned to his long-serving vice captain.
“After Joe speaks we are left to our own devices,” went Heaslip. “We talked among ourselves. I won’t tell you exactly what we was said between the players but we are in a very good mind space. We know exactly what we have to do...It’s Test match rugby, it is a test, it’s the team that makes the least amount of mistakes is going to win. If we execute we are giving ourselves a good shot at it.”
Last season Ireland hit the required intensity levels to match this same Welsh pack in Cardiff yet still came up short.
“If you don’t front up physically, if you come second best you are not going to win the game. That starts with the scrum and the front five,” McCarthy added. “I always relish the physical battle. It’s going to be a massive task for us against Wales. They are big, strong, physical, experienced. hopefully we can stand up to them.”
Before letting McCarthy escape, we wondered what voices have filled the silence behind closed doors now O’Connell and O’Mahony are absent.
“Dev, obviously Bestie being captain, Jamie. Seanie spoke really well today in the meeting. You are definitely hearing those lads a lot more.”
Shame that O’Brien’s words will not be matched by actions.
