D'Arcy has goals in sharp focus

John O'Sullivantalks to Gordon D'Arcy about his plans for the future and hopes for Saturday.

Professional sport by its very nature demands single-minded dedication in chasing success. There is a tendency to view the regimen as an all-consuming preoccupation. It's little wonder that players occasionally covet the distraction of other pursuits, wishing their lives were a little more ordinary.

In seeking to escape the bubble of professional rugby Gordon D'Arcy didn't choose the usual diversions. It's hardly a surprise in that, on or off the pitch, he doesn't conform to stereotypes. A chance encounter a few years ago with GOAL founder John O'Shea nudged a young D'Arcy toward a little charity work.

In telling the story of that first meeting, D'Arcy uses the word "accosted", and for those who know O'Shea, it sounds pretty apposite. The Ireland centre smiles: "John O'Shea told me I was doing a jersey day for him after a particular match a few years ago. I spoke to my dad and asked him who that man was and what he did because I didn't know him and I found him to be intimidating at that time."

D'Arcy looked into GOAL's work with the poor around the world and decided he would like to help, but he wasn't sure what that would entail.

Initially he would be on hand for photographic opportunities if kids had raised money and were presenting a cheque, but he hankered after a more fulfilling contribution.

"He (O'Shea) suggested to me that when I finish playing rugby I go out to one of their locations and maybe raise a bit of awareness. I thought about it and realised I could probably do a little bit more if I was to go now, given the profile I enjoy in rugby.

"It was explained to me that they rely on sporting patrons to create awareness about GOAL because they don't pay for advertising. They have five per cent operational costs so 95 per cent of the money goes to where it's needed. That amazed me. They literally rely on the generosity of other people."

D'Arcy saw a window of opportunity after Ireland's summer tour to Australia and New Zealand last year. He spent a week in Calcutta with the agency, and the experience had a profound effect on him.

"Most of us have won the family lottery in terms of where you are born into the world. The extreme poverty in Calcutta is frightening.

"The remarkable thing about these kids is that despite living under a train bridge in Calcutta, they speak three languages; either Bengali or Hindi, English and then the local dialect. They are the nicest kids you could meet.

D'Arcy admits he wondered what his presence there, as a rugby player they had never heard of, was doing for them. He was struck by the rationale.

"It was explained to me that they have been building up for me coming for a week. These guys get to be kids for half a day because you're here. It's quite humbling when you hear that."

On a pitch under three-quarters of an inch of water, D'Arcy spent an afternoon with 60 children, tackling, kicking and chasing a ball.

"The long-term goal is to be practically useful to GOAL, so the quantity-surveying side of things (he's qualified) would be useful to them," he says.

In the meantime there is the small matter of squaring up to England at Croke Park. The hype about the game and the fall-out from the French defeat have threatened to smother the players. But D'Arcy insists they won't be fazed on Saturday.

"The most important thing for us as players is to remain detached from all the peripheral baggage. As soon as you leave this room today you have to detach yourself from external factors that don't relate to producing a performance on Saturday.

"We are not fighting for history. We are fighting to stay in the championship and beat England. The pressure (on us) is to be able to play the way we want. We had our speed bump the other week (against France). If we don't learn from that then we are likely to repeat it.

"We need to have everything go well to beat England. I don't think there's any point in guys looking to the past to try and motivate them for a game of rugby. We have to tap in to what motivated us against Australia and South Africa during the autumn. It's all about the performance. That's what being a professional is about.

"It's about the specifics. Paul (O'Connell) will go back to demanding everything from his pack and with Brian (O'Driscoll) back, he'll be demanding the same from the rest of the team. Brian says this every week and he's right. It's about individual battles and winning them. It's about everybody performing. It's about being in the right place at the right time and doing your job.

"The result will take care of itself."

The green-shirted hordes on the other side of the whitewash would like to think so.