Ireland wing Andrew Conway admits it was a “bizarre feeling” watching his country face up against New Zealand in July after being ruled out with injury before the tour.
Although the Munster man was disappointed not to travel with Ireland, he was impressed with how well the team performed as they secured a series win in New Zealand, becoming the first northern hemisphere side to achieve the feat.
Ireland had the confidence
Conway felt that he was still part of the team all the way from Ireland but revealed it was difficult to watch at times. However, the 31-year-old said the squad always had the confidence to go and challenge the All Blacks in their backyard.
“Yeah, it is, of course it is, it’s not the most pleasant viewing in the world at times, you’re just conflicted, it’s a bizarre feeling,” Conway said.
“It’s one of the worst parts about professional sports, particularly because it’s a team game. But in saying that I think I’ve matured a lot over the last number of years where you kind of realise it doesn’t mean that lads … I know you’re not physically there but you’re massively part of the team and there is a feeling of that as well, and you throw in a little baby as well, you do see life a bit different.
“It was unbelievable to see and I remember chatting to Tadhg Beirne after the first Test and I was kind of taken aback by how confident they were.
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“I watched the first Test and New Zealand were good but they got a few gimme tries that they tend to do anyway, but I was just a bit taken aback by Tadhg saying how confident the group was.
“It was just a bit more unusual than I was expecting, and then they went out and they were spot on, the messages Faz [Andy Farrell] was giving them, by all accounts, was spot on, ‘this is here to be won’.
“And you obviously throw in the first loss, the Maori one, and it was a special, special few weeks to be involved, to be an Irish rugby fan and an Irish rugby player, to go down there and do that.
“Obviously New Zealand aren’t going that great at the moment but it’s still no joke to go down there and do that.
“Beat them once, fair enough, beat them the second time is the really tough task and they did that pretty well.”
Munster’s new set up
Munster has undergone a coaching revamp after the departure of Johann van Graan saw the arrival of Graham Rowntree as the new head coach. Conway says the Englishman has a straightforward and “authentic” approach to coaching.
“You get what you see with him, I think, he’s not going to bluff you, he’s not going to butter you up, he’s not going to tell you something to make you feel better,” he added.
“He’ll tell you how it is in a way that is authentic to him and those northern English old school rugby boys have a very good way of doing it, similar to Faz, where they can balance the toughness and the fun and get it across to you right.”