by When the victory was over, the first plans were put in place to ensure that Ireland would have no victory in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Paris.
The day after the 28-24 loss to New Zealand last October, Ireland coach Andy Farrell gathered his squad and their families to enjoy a day together to remember what they had done and the sacrifices that had been made. to celebrate five months before.
While the event was designed to allow the players to blow off steam, it also included discussions between Farrell and David Nucifora, the Irish Rugby Union’s director of performance, about the next steps forward.
“We only had a few beers,” recalls Nucifora. “I think it was just about enjoying each other’s company, because there was a group and families, it was great. It’s something that Andy is very focused on. It is extremely important that his family is close to him and on top of that the group and the IRFU have been very supportive of that.
“We had a day to enjoy each other’s company after the pressure of development. We knew what we had to do. There is nothing fake about what we do. We are driven, we are determined. It is ongoing. For us, it was clear that when we came back in, we would continue to work.
“One of the things that stood out about the World Cup was the connection the team had with the Irish community. The support they received in France was incredible. If there was a feeling of disappointment individually as a squad, so were the fans.
“Everyone is different and some guys worked through it differently, but when we got back together, we talked about the campaign, reviewed it and moved on to the next challenge they faced. Teams talk all the time about wanting to get better but this team really does and they couldn’t wait to get back at it.”
If there was a desire for that reunion in Paris, Farrell gathered his coaches together not long after their return to Ireland. His instinct was to push forward. After a 17-game winning streak, the All Blacks faced so much compensation. This was not the time to get all ripped up at the start of a new four-year World Cup cycle.
Nucifora’s review of the campaign highlighted Farrell’s point of view. The former Wallaby hurler and head coach at the ACT Brumbies and Auckland Blues, who laid the foundations for Ireland’s success by overhauling their high-performance central control program after arriving in 2014, revealed he and Farrell spoke daily in France with him. provide real-time feedback.
“I’m not a fan of those big reviews that ‘look back’ months later because it’s too late. We learn as we go and apply that learning to what we do today, tomorrow, next week. We think in similar ways about that so there is trust and confidence between us in how we do our business and that allows us to keep moving forward,” said Nucifora.
One of the criticisms was that Ireland leaned too heavily on a core group that played in all four pool games in a five-week period, as well as the quarter-final win.
“At the time we felt it was the right thing to do because no one knows the group better than the group itself, so we knew they were the right choices we were making,” ‘ argued Nucifora. “We would have a lot of confidence in the condition of our players. You see the way we play the game. It is a compliment to our team for getting the players in the shape they are in for the coaches. All our players are capable of playing the way we want to play.
“There are a few things we learned along the way on the field, things we talked about that probably aren’t for the public.
“You have to be adaptable and flexible in this business, and you have to make decisions based on what’s in front of you, today. I think that’s a real strength for this team – the way we play, the type of players we have, the skill sets we can deliver. I think Andy would be proud of himself and the team are proud of being able to deal with any circumstances that are thrown at them.
“That’s a really important indicator of what they’re up to, the resilience they’re showing. They have so much trust and confidence in each other as players and in their coaches and staff. They just clean themselves up and move on and that’s what they did after the World Cup.”
When 34-year-old Peter O’Mahony was appointed to succeed Johnny Sexton as Ireland captain, he made a statement about his desire for continuity, and Farrell turned his eye to backing their victory Grand Slam last season and told his coaching staff. : “Go make it happen.”
“Peter got it right with his performances and respect,” said Nucifora. “It was a mutual evolution for the team. How long he stays in the role will depend on performances. Things will eventually unfold and it will become clear how we move forward rather than trying to think things through.”
With such a strong base, the introduction of new players such as Jack Crowley, Joe McCarthy, Ciaran Frawley and Calvin Nash has proved seamless, an evolution made easier by their recent integration into the wider squad. a couple of years. If the competition for places has never been tougher, Farrell’s mastery has been in creating an environment that is also fun. “Nobody wants to lose,” Nucifora said.
Australia’s involvement with Irish rugby is coming to an end after 10 years. His last involvement will be overseeing Ireland’s Sevens team at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. He was involved in giving priority to the Sevens program in a country where 15 a side was king. But perhaps his greatest legacy was a change of heart.
“I’m proud of the way the Irish team thinks and behaves,” he said. “It’s the legacy they’ve built that has gone right through the Irish system. We have had several years now where our young players have watched the senior team consistently beat the best teams in the world.
“When I came, the mindset was: ‘well, we’ve never won in New Zealand, we’ve never won in South Africa, we’ve never won a series in Australia or New Zealand’. That change in the way Irish people think about their ability to win is the most important thing. We have changed how they think about themselves and what they are capable of. They are now comfortable with being the best, and expect to win. In the past that is something that Ireland have not been good at.”
