Mature Johns back where he began

WHEN Paddy Johns plays for Ireland against France in Paris this weekend, he will be winning his 28th cap. Only hooker Terry Kingston and loose-head prop Nick Popplewell of his forward colleagues on Saturday have exceeded that total.

Johns will celebrate his 28th birthday on Monday and is now one of the senior players on the side, having been first capped against Argentina in 1990 while a dental student at Dublin University. When he won that cap he became the first forward from Trinity to be capped since Donal Spring.

He had served a very worthy apprenticeship before gaining the ultimate distinction. He played for Ireland Schools while at the Royal School Dungannon and went on to play for Ireland at under-21 and under-25 levels and made his senior interprovincial debut for Ulster in 1988.

His performances for his province earned him a B cap when he came on as a replacement against Scotland at Murrayfield in the 22-22 draw in December 1989. Two of his team-mates that afternoon were the current Ireland captain Jim Staples and tight-head prop Peter Clohessy.

He had played for Newcastle University and for a season for Newcastle-Gosforth before he went to Trinity and in October, 1990, he gained the precious first cap in that match against Argentina. His international debut was marked by a 20-18 win thanks to an injury-time penalty from Michael Kiernan. That game was the first for Ciaran Fitzgerald as Ireland coach.

As he puts it succinctly himself, "the next cap was a long time coming." In the interim he played for Ireland B in the 24-10 win over England at Donnybrook in March 1991. Further B honours followed but the elusive second full cap was still out of reach. He moved back to Dungannon after his spell at Trinity and when he won his third B cap, it was in the number eight position.

Indeed not long after his return to Dungannon he expressed a desire to be considered as a back-row forward. But circumstances were to decree a rapid return to the second row. When the Ireland party to tour New Zealand in the summer of 1992 was originally chosen, he was not named in the squad. But he was called into the party before departure and played in both tests. "That tour was to have a considerable influence on my career," said Johns.

"In fact when I was called in for that tour it was a replacement for Philip Lawlor who had to withdraw because of an ankle injury and I was chosen as a number eight. But I was then chosen for the tests as a second row and got that long awaited second cap."

Johns played extremely well on the tour to New Zealand and he has been chosen for every match since. He has missed just one. That was against France last season when he had to withdraw from the side because he was threatened by appendicitis.

While it was not until the match against Wales in 1994 that Johns first played for Ireland in the number eight position, he has filled that berth in every match he has played since with the exception of the encounter against Scotland last season in Murrayfield, when Ben Cronin was at number eight. But following that match he reverted to the middle of the back row.

On Saturday he will be back where he began his international career in the second row. "I am delighted to be chosen for Ireland in any position but it is not true to say that second row is my preferred berth. I enjoy playing there but I think like most people who have played in the second row and number eight, I feel I have more freedom and am more involved at number eight. To that extent you could say it is my preferred berth."

Did he feel under pressure to retain his place after the match against Scotland? "I never take anything for granted and I do not have to tell you we did not play," well against Scotland. I was obviously hoping I would hold on and! was delighted when I heard I was in the team. I am really looking forward now to playing in Paris. A win for us is long overdue there, and maybe it will come this time.

"I feel we are going there with a definite chance. If we play the type of game we are capable of!, playing and do not allow the French to dictate the pattern of the match, then we can win. Ulster beat New South Wales by," using our strengths and by diligent application and we did not allow the Australians to impose their pattern on the game. It would be great to win in Paris and on a broader sphere it would be great to get things back track after the disappointment against Scotland."