Seán Cronin sees start against Canada as ‘massive opportunity’

Damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. Sean Cronin has long since had to adapt to being an impact replacement for his country and, of course, the more he does so, the more he becomes pigeon-holed as a specialist in this role.

In his eighth season playing Test rugby, Cronin will earn his 54th cap on Saturday, but only his ninth with the number two shirt on his back. The other 45 have been earned off the bench, thereby eclipsing Ronan O’Gara as Ireland’s most used replacement of all time.

“I suppose you could flip it around and say it’s maybe gotten me into a few squads, when there’s pressure and competition,” he reasons. “Rory’s there, he’s the captain, he’s the leader, but what I can offer off the bench has maybe gotten me into squads before.”

“Obviously I want to get that ‘2’ position, and the best way to go about that is get things right when you get that opportunity, like this weekend. Then when it comes to asking the coaches about ‘why amn’t I getting selected?’ at least the pressure’s on him. That’s all I can do,” he resolves, philosophically.

Indeed, with Rory Best having succeeded Paul O’Connell as captain, Cronin has long had to be philosophical, and he maintains that preparing in the week of a Test match is not significantly different as a starting or replacement hooker.

“If you’re on the bench, you need to be ready. Leading into the week of the All Blacks game in Chicago, I remember three years ago when Rory went off after 15 minutes, and bang – I was literally right into the game. So, a lot of lessons were learned from there. You have to be prepared, to be prepared to have the number ‘2’ on your back. You can be on in the blink of an eye.”

Best moments in his career

All that said and done, you can understand why Cronin describes his nine-minute cameo as a replacement in the historic win over the All Blacks as “up there” with the best moments in his career, rather than the stand-out moment.

“It was up there; a real special occasion. From facing the haka with the little tribute we paid to Axel, up right until the end and the fans, it was real special. It’s up there, I’ll probably really look back on it in a few years as the momentous occasion it was. Now it’s about getting refocused, this is a big opportunity for a few lads.”

“I’ve had a good few high wins in my career that I’d put it up there, I wouldn’t say it was the best moment of my career. Hopefully I might have a few better ones. It was a great day, I look back on it fondly, but hopefully there’s more to come.”

Along the way, in what is also a tribute to Best's longevity and durability, Cronin has never started a game in the Six Nations yet also holds the record (25) for the most appearances off the bench in the history of the tournament.

Yet last season, despite typically strong cameos off the bench in the World Cup against Canada (scoring a try), Romania and Italy, he was curiously left out of the match-day squads for the games against France and Argentina.

It was a similar story in the Six Nations, when Richardt Strauss was again picked on the bench ahead of Cronin in the defeats to France and England, and despite another try-scoring half-hour off the bench in the win over Italy, he was again omitted for the final game against Italy.

Joe Schmidt again rotated his replacement hookers in the series in South Africa, when Cronin played in the first and third Tests.

All players want to play, and preferably to start, and so while Cronin is grateful to be involved in days such as last Saturday, one ventures that playing the first hour of, say, the 29-15 win over South Africa in November 2014 gave him more personal satisfaction.

That game, and his try-scoring hour on the pitch in the World Cup warm-up win over Scotland in August of last season have been his only starts since the 2011 World Cup win over Russia.

‘Huge motivation’

His other 36 caps since then have all been off the bench, so you believe him as much as any of the debutants when he says of this evening’s game against Canada: “I just look at it as a massive opportunity, you get the chance to put on the jersey again, especially after how well last weekend went you want to put your best foot forward no matter who’s up this weekend.

“It’s a huge motivation for the lads. Getting a massive opportunity to start, then you’ve the kids getting their first caps, and caps off the bench. It’s a real exciting mix of youth and lads who have been there a while.”

Not only has Schmidt refreshened things with an entirely rejigged starting XV, with Cronin one of seven promoted from last week’s bench, but needless to say he quickly had the players refocused on Saturday’s match.

“Brought back to earth alright”, confirmed Cronin. “We were straight back here, a small bit of a rest day, then some meetings Monday evening. Trained Tuesday, then a bit of a day off Wednesday. It’s been a quick turnaround to get focused on this weekend’s game. It was a huge win but he brought us back down to earth quick enough.”

Cronin doesn’t feel he has a point to prove, but gives an insight into the details and off the ball work-rate demanded by Schmidt. “I wouldn’t say prove a point. But it’s just every player knows what Joe’s looking for; that’s accurate in the set-piece, accurate at the break down, knowing your role, doing your job right, and then the big saying is ‘making the guy outside you look better’.

“If that’s animating off the ball, you might make a hole for someone else, it’s that unseen work that sticks in Joe’s mind. All those little aspects I’ve to try put together this weekend. I’ve to try to take my opportunity this weekend. I haven’t had many starts, so it’s a big opportunity for me.”

He looks at the younger players such as his room-mate last week, and is in awe of their calmness, although Cronin himself says he has learned over the years “to be calm and controlled when you come on. Try and bring that calmness into your play, the ‘fit in first mentality’ and not do anything stupid by getting out of the system.”

Yet while now in his 30s, just, you get the distinct impression that Cronin believes he has much more to achieve.

“Yeah, I do. I think I do. Hopefully I’ve got a few more years left and that’s the good thing, I think I’m a driven person and I’d like to get better and push on for bigger and better things; just put in the performances and try and put pressure on in terms of selection and future squads, and keeping the head in the door.”