Jennings knows the value of teamwork

ONE OF the most striking features of the build-up to last Saturday’s win was how all 30 players in the Irish squad appear to be pulling together. Not alone have provincial boundaries been erased, but even those not playing against the Wallabies were hailed for their contributions in team meetings and training. It’s a far cry from four years ago.

In particular, the contributions from earlier in the week by the experienced duo of Geordan Murphy and Shane Jennings were singled out by some of those who played in Eden Park. Asked if such selflessness was easy, Jennings – as forceful a talker off the pitch as he is as a communicator on it – said: “No, it’s a pain in the arse but that’s life.”

“You want to be in the 22,” he added, “you want to be in the starting 15 but sometimes you have to be selfless and you have to be a team man. It wasn’t just me or Geordan, it was everybody. There were 30 lads working very, very hard, and it was great to see it happen. It meant so much to everyone and that’s what we need going forward because if we have that, I think we can prepare well to beat the opposition.”

Jennings, who wasn’t part of the squad four years ago, wasn’t sure as to why this would be so. Whatever about the coaching ticket, one imagines the many survivors from France were mindful of lessons being learned. For Jennings, it was a lesson he learned with Leinster.

“If you want to win things, it’s not going to be 15 lads who are going to win things, it’s going to be 22. You’ve got to have the 30 guys who know every call, who know every position and if something happens, that they’re able to go into that role and fulfill it. If not, you’re letting down your team-mates and you’re going to let down yourself and you’re not going to get the opportunity again.”

“There are lads who are really hungry to play and we certainly want to give Deccie and Gert and the other coaches as many headaches as possible. You’ve got to be tight for that.

“You can’t be letting each other down. I think you saw how much it (beating Australia) meant to everybody, not just the team, everybody who was there and everyone at home.”

“It means so much for people to be here. You don’t want to waste and opportunity and look back on it when we’re back in Cork or Dublin or Belfast and say, ‘Jeez, that slipped us by.’ I think there’s a realisation among the 30 lads that we have the potential to do something and we want to come together and make sure that we give ourselves the best shot at it.”

Jennings’ admiration for Ireland’s work at the breakdown was undimmed and with good reason. In terms of sharpness and clearing out hard, low and accurately, it was as good as any for years.

Although David Pocock would ultimately be sidelined, his role as breakdown bogey man had clearly concentrated minds all week, with the selfless Jennings doing his best to impersonate Pocock.

“It’s not much craic, getting the tar kicked out of you every training session,” he smiled ruefully, and revealed that Paul O’Connell was his tormentor in chief.

“No matter who we’re playing, we have to prepare for the opposition we’re going to play. We did our homework on him (Pocock) and he didn’t play – to be perfectly honest, he’s a quality player but I don’t know if it would have made much difference the way the lads played.

“They were up for it, whoever they were up against, and the breakdown was the key. We’ve gotta do the same this week. We’ve gotta prepare well and make sure that we know the people that we’re playing against and if we do that, it will go a long way towards the performance.”

To further enhance the feeling within the squad that they are all contributing, it’s likely that some of those heretofore on the bench or not involved, will feature on Friday when the team and replacements for Sunday’s match against Russia in Rotarua is announced.

Changes in personnel should also freshen up the team and squad dynamic.

“Absolutely, and I think there will definitely be some changes,” admitted forwards coach Gert Smal, “and if the players get the opportunity, they must take the momentum forward. I think there’s a big responsibility on them as well.”

Smal did not envisage too much of a problem in lifting motivation again this week. In part, he says, this is because of the competition, and cited the “urgency in training” yesterday, as well as the confidence and momentum gleaned from two wins out of two.

Nonetheless, Smal accepted that it was easy to be motivated for last Saturday’s game, given it was two years or more in the planning and on the horizon, as well as the big targeted game.

“We invested a lot of time in the USA, Russia and Italy already, back in Ireland, so I have to compliment Declan (Kidney) as well; his planning was spot on.

“I’ve been in previous World Cups,” added Smal, who was forwards coach when the Springboks won the title in France four years ago, “and I think the players at the moment are very energised. That’s what you want to have.

“Confidence is high, they are energized, so the important thing now is to kick on.”

Typical of the bum deal being handed to the ‘minnows’, following on from their defeats to the USA last Thursday in New Plymouth and Italy in Nelson last night, Russia will be playing their third game in 11 days on Sunday.

Not that Smal could afford too much sympathy for them.

“It’s most probably going to be tough for them, but again that’s their problem. For us, it’s important to win the game.”