Quiet man shows open side

Conversation is clipped, words are dispensed warily, information rationed: an immediate impression suggests a quiet and reserved character, until, that is, Kieron Dawson takes to his chosen forum for freedom of expression - the pitch.

Reckless, dashing and without inhibition, Dawson conjures an image of perpetual motion, a player who can never be sated within 80 minutes of competitive fare, no matter what is accomplished. The contrast in demeanour, either side of the touchline, is difficult to reconcile.

Next Saturday, the 22-year-old London Irish flanker makes his senior debut for Ireland against New Zealand at Lansdowne Road. The timbre of his voice initially offers no hint of the satisfaction and pleasure he must feel: he does, though, articulate those sentiments later, almost reluctantly.

Eliciting a reaction, demanding more than just a few measured words is a difficulty that extends to not only journalists but to coaches. Former Irish under-21 and current US Eagles coach, Eddie O'Sullivan, guided Ireland to a Triple Crown in 1996. Dawson was an integral part of that success.

"I remember the first time that I saw him, at a training session prior to the England game in Northampton. I had heard that this kid was really good. At that stage he was coming back from injury, the England match was to be his first game.

"You could see instinctively that he understood what was being said to him, demanded of him. You can see that in a player's eyes. That was fortunate in his case because he didn't say very much. In the time that we were together I can say that conversations were brief. He was a quiet person but a popular member of the team."

His performance in helping Ireland defeat a big English team that night is easily recalled. "He was so good it was frightening; the real McCoy. He was the closest I had seen to a Fergus Slattery or Nigel Carr. He is very quick and has superb angles of running.

"Usually in an open-side you get one or the other, a player who runs lousy angles but makes up for it somewhat by being quick, or someone who is cuter but lacks basic speed. Dawson has incredible talent and is one of the finest open-sides I have ever come across. With a bit of luck he will get a ton of caps for Ireland."

O'Sullivan does add a cautionary note: "He puts his body on the line, takes immense punishment. It's the way he plays but obviously leaves him wide open to injury." His fledgling career attests to those sentiments.

Dawson has suffered two shoulder injuries, the first when at Bangor Grammar School which kept him out for four months and the second while playing for the Irish Students in South Africa again in the same shoulder . . . but with a twist.

He explains: "This time I actually put it out through the back of my shoulder. It's a very unusual occurrence but not as damaging. I was back playing again within about four months." Dawson will never be accused of being lucky with regard to injury.

While assisting London Irish in the play-offs at the end of last season he damaged a knee against Coventry. Subsequently selected for the Irish Development tour of New Zealand, he only began training in the second week, played the first 20 minutes of the game against NZ Academy, and was promptly hauled off.

"I had a cortisone injection in the knee after that and everything was fine fortunately, because I certainly did not make a good first impression." But once fit, his ability and talent ensured that he was indispensable by the end of the tour.

Injury blighted his progress again at the beginning of the season, sustaining a broken thumb in the warm-up prior to a game against Connacht. Undeterred, Dawson worked harder and when he returned to the London Irish first team, made a huge impact, ensuring that he reclaimed a right of accession to the senior national side that has been suggested since his school days.

Educated at Bangor Grammar, Dawson played on the senior cup team for three years, on the final occasion enjoying the distinction of playing out half for his school, ("they were desperate"), and flanker on the Irish Schools team that won the Triple Crown in 1993.

A companion during the Schools and under-21 success was the player who will once again pack down inside him on Saturday, Eric Miller. "We enjoyed some good times, including probably the best moment of my career, the Schools Triple Crown."

Success has proved a welcome bedfellow throughout his career to date. Dawson joined the Foundation squad programme initiated by the IRFU for promising young players on leaving school and cites this, along with London Irish coach, Willie Anderson, as the primary rugby influences in his life.

Leaving Bangor for London Irish and the inherent transition from the amateur to professional life has not been without its teething problems for Dawson. "I am going to continue studying as it gets a bit boring not doing anything. I will probably enroll for Business Studies and Accountancy at Brunell University. I have to do something, I can't just sit around.

"Rugby players aren't footballers, they need something else to keep the ol' brain ticking away."

His focus for the next seven days remains acutely trained on the All Blacks and the prospect of a tete-atete with Josh Kronfeld, a player whom he respects. "I am looking forward to that. He's very quick and is everywhere on the pitch."

But Dawson does not rate him as the best practitioner in his position, that accolade he affords AJ Venter. He hopes to get an opportunity to face the South African but for now the All Blacks are a more than acceptable substitute.

The London Irish flanker is passionate about Ireland's chances next Saturday. "It really annoys me when people are prepared to settle for second best. I believe we can beat New Zealand if we play it right. This is the best prepared Irish team ever so now it is down to us, the players.

"Obviously they are favourites and it will take something special from us to win, but we are capable." The edge is palpable, for once the measured, clipped reply deserts him as the intensity of the occasion afflicts even the quiet man.