Conan: ‘I’m probably a little bit frustrated. I’ve set high standards for myself’
Despite the strong position his team finds itself in, Leinster back-row Jack Conan admits the 2022/23 season has been a frustrating one thus far from an individual perspective.
While the Wicklow man has started four games for the Blues across the United Rugby Championship and the Heineken Champions Cup, he was restricted to cameo appearances off the bench in their brace of triumphs over arch rivals Munster in the former. He also had to be content with a 16-minute run-out against Racing 92 in Europe with Caelan Doris the preferred choice at No 8.
Doris was afforded a rest for the St Stephen’s Day showdown with Munster at Thomond Park, but it was Max Deegan who got the nod over Conan for that tense interprovincial bout.
The 2021 Lions tourist feels his form has yet to hit the heights of previous campaigns, but sees Saturday’s URC encounter away to the Ospreys (kick-off 7.35pm) as the perfect opportunity to put things right.
“I’m probably a little bit frustrated. I’ve set high standards for myself. I probably feel like I haven’t hit my straps as well as I have had previous times. Probably would have liked to play a lot more. That is the nature of Leinster rugby with so many high-quality back-rowers in particular,” Conan explained.
“Fortunately, we get a shot this weekend against Ospreys and get to put my foot forward for another two weeks in Europe. Mentally I’m hungry, so I’m looking forward to taking my next opportunity. You can train as much as you want, but if you don’t get the opportunity to do it on the pitch it doesn’t really count for a whole lot.
“Obviously it was great to be involved down in Thomond against Munster on St Stephen’s Day, but I’m always hungry. I always want more. I want to start. I want to be on the team from the get-go, so hopefully I’ll get an opportunity this weekend.”
Although Leinster have looked indestructible at times this season (registering 10 try bonuses from their 13 straight wins in all competitions), Conan is fully aware that there is still a lot of work to be done.
The eastern province were in a similar position 12 months ago, with a string of victories either side of a home defeat to Ulster making them the early pace-setters in the inaugural URC. The controversial concession of a 28-0 walkover to Montpellier put them under pressure in the pool stages of the Champions Cup, but they comfortably advanced to the knockout rounds of the competition nonetheless.
Yet defeats to La Rochelle and the Bulls at the business end of the season ultimately left them without a major trophy for the first time since 2016/17.
“We are in the position we wanted to be in a few months ago. We spoke about winning all our provincial games which was great to do, especially in the fashion we did. I think you can really only truly judge it in its entirety come the business end of the year. Leinster rugby is all about winning trophies,” Conan added.
“That’s all that it’s about. Getting more silverware and building on a legacy that past players and coaches have built. We’re going full steam forward, but this will count for absolutely nothing in six or seven months’ time.
“If we don’t come back with a trophy no one is going to look back and say ‘you were great at Christmas, when you hadn’t lost a game’. It won’t matter. It’s great to be here, but it’s not the end destination that we want to get to.”