Building on form and self-belief

A neatly-parcelled analogy would be to suggest Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan handed Tommy Bowe an early birthday present by naming him on the right wing for Saturday's Six Nations Championship match against Scotland at Croke Park.

Bowe celebrates his 24th birthday on Friday before winning his 11th cap but it would be wrong to portray his recall to the national side as some form of gift. The Ulster wing has earned his place by dint of a series of outstanding performances that stretch back to last season.

He has been the form wing in the country, pushing relentlessly until O'Sullivan was left with no other option but to hand him a starting jersey. Statistics can be manipulated subjectively but two gleaned from this season with Ulster underline his form. Bowe has played 1,280 minutes, 300 minutes more than the next player and is the province's leading try scorer on five, alongside Simon Danielli.

His performance for Ireland A against the English Saxons at Welford Road, embellished by a fine try, made his case for inclusion in the national side, irresistible. It is also worth noting for most of the season with Ulster and in the A match, he was playing on a team without much of a platform to showcase his skills.

Therein, though, lies the difference between the 20-year-old Monaghan native who made his debut against the USA in November 2004 - he scored a try in his first two internationals - and the more mature, assured and hard-working incarnation that will take the field on Saturday. Bowe is better able to cope with the demands of international rugby both from an individual perspective and in terms of team responsibilities.

Bowe admitted: "I think I'm a different player. I have more of a settled head in terms of taking knocks. If I make a mistake in the first minute, I have the ability to move on whereas three years ago that might have hindered my game.

"(I have) been here before and it didn't work out? - It's true enough, I suppose. I had an opportunity similar to where I am at the minute but I didn't take it and a few people came through and took my spot. But I'm here now, and hopefully, I'll take it.

"It's good to be back. I'm excited, I've been hoping to get in the last few weeks and get my shot . . . hopefully I will put in a good performance. I thought I was going well, obviously the problem I have is it is one of the highly-contested spots involving players like myself. I thought if I kept my head down I would get the chance at some stage."

Bowe conceded he had been surprised to vault from outside the match-day 22 for Ireland's opening two matches to wearing the number 14 jersey against the Scots. He did qualify that statement by suggesting his chances improved with the unfortunate knee injury to Geordan Murphy.

He added: "I've been on the edge of the squad for a while. I was frustrated. I thought I was going okay last season but I didn't get the opportunity. But it's up to the coach and fingers crossed, it will go well. You don't get very many opportunities so this is the big chance for me. It's there for me to take."

Croke Park holds a special place in Bowe's affections, an umbilical link to his days of playing Gaelic football with Monaghan at underage level. "It's going to be something else. I was at the two games at Croke Park last year and it's bringing me back to my GAA days, which were a long time ago, unfortunately. I played with a lot of the Monaghan guys who are playing now, at underage level, at under-16 and under-17s. I was a bit cock-eyed; I didn't score too many points. They just gave me the ball and let me run, and I scored a few points."

He knows a bit of Monaghan history too, pointing out he is not the first rugby international from the county. That honour belonged to a "guy who played about 80 years ago. I think he played tennis at Wimbledon as well." One James Cecil Parke

So what can the Irish supporters expect on Saturday? "I think I'm a different player now. I'm coming off a decent run of form and I believe in myself. If I can stick to that, hopefully things will go all right. I've been getting involved that bit more. It's something I have been trying to do and something I didn't do in the past with Ireland. That's going to be the difference this weekend."

Ireland have a new Bowe to their string.