HIS LOW-RIDING shorts gave everyone a laugh, but Jack Conan’s performance for Leinster in their Champions Cup quarter-final win over Ulster was no joke.
The number eight was named man of the match for a complete display that saw him further press his claims for a place in Ireland’s team at the World Cup.
Conan was man of the match against Ulster. Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
26-year-old Conan was handed a start in Ireland’s victory over Scotland in the recent Six Nations and did a fine job, while he also made replacement appearances off the bench against France and Wales, scoring a powerful try against les Bleus.
CJ Stander is the incumbent at number eight and a vital player for Ireland, part of the leadership group and a consistently strong performer. It would be a major surprise if he did not continue as Ireland’s first-choice number eight at the World Cup.
Joe Schmidt has major faith in Stander’s ability to deliver for Ireland and his form for Munster and in green has been strong too, but Conan will seek to continue to ask questions with his form for Leinster.
It’s worth noting that Stander and Conan played in the same back row against France and Wales after the Leinster man had come off the bench.
In both instances, Stander moved to openside flanker as Conan slotted in at number eight and Peter O’Mahony remained on the blindside.
It would seem like an unorthodox back row combination to start a game with, but Schmidt may ponder something similar in the future.
Whatever way the Ireland head coach does go with his back row selection for the World Cup, it looks like 14-times capped Conan will have to be part of the squad that travels to Japan as he continues to impress.
Conan played three times in the Six Nations. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
As Conan showed with his offload for a brilliant Adam Byrne try against Ulster, he offers something a little special to go along with the physicality and work-rate he generally brings.
Schmidt has pushed Conan to work hard on his concentration and defensive decision-making, with both aspects showing clear improvement in recent times.
With a Champions Cup semi-final and the Pro14 run-in to look forward to, Conan will strive to continue his form until the end of the season.
Byrne’s try against Ulster was some time in the making, as Leinster adapted to the width and linespeed of Ulster’s defence in this quarter-final.
As we discussed yesterday, Ulster did a superb job of shutting down Leinster’s attempts to play into wide channels, with Garry Ringrose often feeling the brunt of that focus.
Realising that they would have to find another way, Leinster adapted.
Just before half-time, with the clock in the red, Conan makes a similar dart to the one that will set up Byrne’s second-half try.
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Scrum-half Luke McGrath has to clear out the jackal threat of Jordi Murphy and, as Iain Henderson folds to the left side of the Leinster ruck, Conan spots his opportunity.
As we can see below, Henderson [white] has folded around the corner.
Marcell Coetzee [red] is slightly slow to close into the space Henderson has vacated and Conan simply picks and carries into the gap.
Henderson and Coetzee both react to tackle Conan but it’s a sign of things to come.
Let’s fast forward into the 53rd minute, seven phases before Conan makes his linebreak to set up Byrne’s try.
We see something similar from scrum-half McGrath, who darts over the top of the breakdown for another half-break.
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Again, this gives us a hint as to the refocusing from Leinster in their bid to negate and exploit the linespeed Ulster are bringing further out.
Tadhg Furlong makes a dynamic ‘croc roll’ clearout on Sean Reidy to open up McGrath’s access to the ball and McGrath identifies the chance to snipe directly over the top of ball carrier James Ryan, who has fought strongly on the ground after being tackled.
As we can see below, Ulster tighthead prop Marty Moore [yellow] has folded around the corner this time.
Loosehead prop Eric O’Sullivan [white] is closing to be the pillar defender on the other side of the tackle.
Two props in movement – this is exactly what Leinster would have been hoping for with the snipes around the breakdown. McGrath takes his cue and picks to carry.
While Moore and O’Sullivan adjust to tackle him, McGrath makes it beyond the gainline and provides another clue as to what is to come seven phases later in this Leinster attack.
After Leinster play off a ruck in the right-hand 15-metre channel, Conan pounces.
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Scott Fardy makes the carry into a tackle from Ulster’s Murphy and Nick Timoney.
As we can see below, O’Sullivan [white] folds around the corner onto the fringe of the ruck.
Ulster scrum-half John Cooney [yellow] sweeps up from behind the ruck into the defensive line too, having made a tackle on the previous phase.
Although McGrath is arriving to play the ball away from this ruck, Conan opts to pick and carry himself.
His cause is aided by the ruck work of Leinster captain Rhys Ruddock, as we can see below.
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Ruddock hits the breakdown in order to clear Timoney away from the ball, as indicated in red below.
Dissuaded, Timoney attempts to step away from the breakdown and be part of the defensive line.
O’Sullivan appears to expect Timoney to join the line just on his inside, covering the ‘pillar’ area on the very fringe of the ruck.
But, as we can see below, Ruddock stays bound to Timoney’s leg, pinning him into the ruck.
There is only a sliver of space for Conan to exploit but he does so powerfully. Timoney attempts to grab out at Conan but he can’t connect.
Conan’s pick and carry from a brief standing start is explosive and O’Sullivan can’t adjust in to tackle him.
Conan’s leg drive and dynamism are obviously vital here, but there is intelligence in the initial carry too.
Immediately upon scooping the ball off the ground, Conan gets it into his right hand [yellow above], therefore freeing his left to fend O’Sullivan [white].
Conan’s fend is onto O’Sullivan’s tackling arm, reducing the Ulster prop’s ability to get a strong wrap in the tackle and he falls off as Conan accelerates away.
From there, Conan’s work is superb.
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Rob Herring is coming from the far side of the ruck, the ‘negative pillar’ slot, and is late in reacting to cover into the space Conan bursts into.
Conan’s pace takes him clear, with his shorts riding low as he evades the diving Herring.
Conan reaches his left hand behind him as he goes, seemingly trying to pull up his shorts.
“Thank God I didn’t drop that ball,” said the Leinster number eight afterwards. “Could you imagine I dropped it because I was trying to pull up my shorts? It would have been the end of me.”
Swiveling his head to see if he has team-mates in support, Conan realises that his next task is to beat the advancing Ulster fullback Michael Lowry.
Conan swerves to his right, stretching out his left arm to fend again.
Lowry looks to tackle low and he gets a very brief wrap onto Conan’s left leg, but the Leinster man shows great strength and balance to get through the tackle attempt on his feet. Lowry will likely have been disappointed not to cling on in the tackle here.
The retreating Jacob Stockdale almost instantly engages with Conan around his upper body, keen to block the ball.
As we can see above, Conan is scanning to his right [indicated in white] and now picks up Byrne working hard to get in support on his right.