Irish place still the main landmark

IN FOCUS/London Irish outhalf Barry Everitt: Johnny Watterson talks to Barry Everitt who kicked his 1,000th point for London Irish last weekend

Last weekend Barry Everitt kicked his 1,000th point for London Irish in their win over Leicester. It marked an important stage in what has been a season of frustration and latterly significant rehabilitation. Having won the 2001 season's Golden Boot award in the English Premiership, last week's rugby "grand slam" of converting his own try, dropping a goal and kicking four penalties, confirmed the Irish A international was finding form.

An underage and A international, Everitt has yet to realise his ambition of linking arms at Lansdowne Road and bellowing Ireland's Call. While that remains a realistic goal, it is not burning him up. Everitt is the pragmatist. The Irish number 10 shirt sits firmly on David Humphreys and Ronan O'Gara but Everitt and the director of coaching at London Irish, former Ireland full back Conor O'Shea, are not about to give up.

One of the criticisms that surrounded Everitt's arrival in London, his defence, have, according to O'Shea, been long sorted out.

"He's been unbelievable since he came over. Had the hernia done on both sides and last season caught everyone's eye," says O'Shea. "Yeah, the defensive thing? A few weeks with Brendan (Venter, club coach) sorted that out. In that area Barry's come on no end. He started poorly this year but he's right back up there. He's scored 1,000 points in 69 games and now his confidence has grown immensely."

"Yeah, the 1,000 point mark is good for personal confidence and with the slow start that mounts pressure," says Everitt. "If you're playing well there isn't the same pressure on your goal kicking, otherwise you've got to kick 100 per cent. I've set high standards for myself.

" I have to concentrate on playing well. It's every player's aim to play for their country, so, yes I definitely want back in. Over here you do feel a little removed from the selectors and the action and not being seen on a weekly basis. But the two boys (Kieron Dawson and Justin Bishop) being drafted in gives comfort in that selectors do see what is happening over here."

Breaking into the Irish squad just after the team has beaten world champions Australia and regained the psychological high ground against Argentina is a struggle. But so too is Irish coach Eddie O'Sullivan's management task of holding together a 22-man squad for a year without injury or form loss. David Wallace and Keith Wood know how quickly a season can falter for a player.

"On form Barry has to be number three behind those guys (Humphreys and O'Gara). I'd also have Paul Burke there but I'd have Barry third," says O'Shea. "His big strength is his head and he handles pressure very well. Nine times out of 10 Barry will win us the match. His temperament is such that a miss doesn't affect him."

The view around the Madejski Stadium is that Everitt arrived as a runner unable to kick, while people now see him as a kicker well able to run.

"The result against Australia was fantastic," says the outhalf. "When I watched most of the guys I played with at underage go out and beat the world champions I was overjoyed. That they then went on to beat Argentina shows the team is moving on and I suppose that makes it harder for me to earn the opportunity to represent my country. I'd just like the chance to impress."