A schoolboy dream realised

"It was a sense of relief, a realisation that I had done something and if nothing else came of my career, I had contributed in the national jersey. I had scored a try on my debut, something that couldn't be taken away." The sentiments belong to Ireland's fledgling right wing Shane Horgan as he tried to articulate an ostensibly personal moment, scoring his first try for Ireland.

Although the Lansdowne centre (21) managed a try on his debut against Scotland, last Saturday at Lansdowne Road broached the realms of fantasy. "It really is a cliche but this is what you dream about as a schoolboy, scoring tries for Ireland, scoring at Lansdowne Road. It is an unbelievable feeling. All the things that you would expect to happen, the sensation of hairs standing up on the back of your neck, stuff like that."

Horgan's brace against the Italians on Saturday takes his try tally to a remarkable three in just two appearances, a decent strikerate, especially for a recently converted centre. As the young Bettystown resident conceded recently, "No it doesn't bother me playing on the wing. You're playing for your country, if they stuck me in the (second) row I would be happy."

Experience tends to colour personal judgement and if that is the case then Horgan may continue playing on the wing until it is time to hang up his boots. It would be a mite difficult to indulge in an artistic flounce, to complain about being played out of position when a new role currently offers only bouquets: three tries in a 160 minute international career is a very generous reimbursement for being discommoded.

Horgan laughs: "Yeh, I don't think that I'm going to be in any rush to play centre. I've scored more tries in the last couple of games than I've managed in a lot more games playing centre. Obviously centre is my preferred position and hopefully where I'll end up, but I wouldn't swap what's happening now for the sake of not adapting.

"People have put trust and faith in me being able to play where I am selected on the Ireland team. I am learning how to play on the wing and I am enjoying doing so. I have roomed with Dennis (Hickie) over the past few weeks and he has been very good in offering a few pointers.

"One of the most important aspects is good communication and that is something at which Dennis, myself and Girvan (Dempsey) work at. We are doing fine at the moment but you can always improve. I like to get involved, like to see the ball being moved around. Playing in this team is just fantastic. You are encouraged to be positive, given a licence to take on your opponent if it is on.

"I think the way we play is exciting and I think people enjoy it. Sometimes a team can have a tendency to be a bit too structured."

Last night Horgan made the short journey to Boyne Rugby Club, who nurtured the young international in his formative years, for a presentation to mark his first cap. Horgan is very grateful for not only his former club's support but that of the local community just as he would have been when he endured a living nightmare in the days leading up to his first cap.

Suffice to say that he hopes that that affair is consigned to the past and the only reference is a fleeting one. "It was terrible, a very traumatic week and not something I want to revisit," he says. His team-mates rallied to try and ease the pressure and given the circumstances Horgan showed great maturity and strength of character to produce a debut of the quality he managed.

Discussion reverts to the Scottish game and Horgan laughs at the assertion that his try was shrouded in a little controversy. "I wasn't aware of it at the time but then one or two people suggested that I might not have touched down properly. I half fumbled the pass initially, losing control for a split second but my problem was that I was desperate to get across that line and get the ball down. I sort of slammed it down."

Kieron Dawson, who scored his first try for Ireland on Saturday, recalled the main sensation at the time as not being able to breathe. Horgan suggests that his was "just a wave of euphoria," a feeling to which he is getting used after his brace against Italy.

"The first was down to a great break by Brian (O'Driscoll), I just happened to be trailing him. The second followed a great burst by Hendo (Rob Henderson) and a ruck. I was stuck on the wrong wing but just decided to stay there. Strings (Peter Stringer) saw me and took out two players with the pass. My job was straightforward."

There is a joie-de-vivre in the present Ireland team sustained by two victories and the swagger of youth. Girvan Dempsey neatly packaged it: "The new players have brought a lot, skill, confidence and another thing, boldness."

Ireland captain Keith Wood was still determined to cap the bubbly enthusiasm only to occasionally succumb himself. "We played very well for periods in the first half and those scores took the pressure off us but there was some things with which I was disappointed. We turned over too many balls and didn't scrummage as well as we would hope and at times we took our foot off the pedal."