For a little circularity to the blossoming career of Calvin Nash, in his first cap against Italy last August he came off the bench for Robbie Henshaw to play 19 minutes. On Friday in his first start for Ireland on the right wing he will play alongside Henshaw, who begins at outside centre against France for the injured Garry Ringrose.
Gleaning from those who know Nash, the Henshaw for Ringrose switch won’t faze him, even away in Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, a new experience for many of the Irish players. The former Irish under-20s captain comes with maturity, as a leader and with what Irish coach Andy Farrell continues to reward in his players – form.
While Henshaw won’t play the defensive arrangement at 13 exactly the way Ringrose would, it is clear in the minds of those Nash plays for and with week to week that at 27, he is ready to step up. Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby addressed the winger subject recently.
“Jordan Larmour versus Calvin Nash, both really strong going forward,” said Easterby. “They’ve both got brilliant wheels, brilliant footwork, they work really, really hard, not just on the ball but off the ball.
“They’re similar in many ways, they attack the game as if it was their last, they give everything and it’s great to have guys like that around, not only because of their skill sets but it’s the other stuff they do, the extras, and the work that they do around the team both sides of the ball. So, two really, really good players who have just sat in the wings a bit. Jordan has been in and out a bit, same with Nashy, but both have taken their chances with their provinces this year in top-quality European rugby.”
Mack Hansen’s difficulty is Nash’s opportunity. That, at least, is the way Farrell frames it. The Australian-born World Cup winger, who had surgery in early January for a dislocated shoulder suffered in Connacht’s victory over Munster on New Year’s Day, is expected to be out for up to four months and misses the entire Six Nations Championship.
Both Hansen and James Lowe on the left wing have profited, not just from their ability to finish, but from their insatiable appetite for work throughout the game at infield rucking and tackling and ever presence at the cutting edge of the Irish attack. Point of difference, a quality that many of the disappointed Larmour fans would recognise in him, is also what Farrell is looking for from Nash.
“It’s a reward for him coming into camp, understanding what that job looks like for him within our team, and going away and working on those bits, and he’s been very good at improving most parts of his game, actually,” said Farrell.
“I mean it’s a given, isn’t it, regarding his work rate, etc. But his work off the ball and his work with ball in hand and finding a way to make a difference and be that extra link in attack has really come on leaps and bounds. Again, all you need in life is an opportunity, and it’s a big one for Calvin.”
On the left wing for France, Nash will see many of the qualities he has in his opponent, although Yoram Moefana is more experienced at Test level with 23 caps. Patrick Arlettaz, the French attack coach, pointed out that aspect of the Bordeaux-Bègles player on Wednesday with midseason form and willing physicality his selling points.
“Yoram is in good form since the start of the season,” said Arlettaz. “He has a physical dimension, to break the tackle, put pressure on rucks.”
What is not in doubt is that the opening match is shaping up to be an intense baptism for Nash, if only by what Fabien Galthié has uttered. While there is some mystery to exactly what the French coach was saying, there is less doubt about its qualitative meaning.
“The choice was between running intensity and battling intensity. We chose the battling intensity,” said Galthie.
Passion won’t be in short supply in Marseille and the challenge is how Irish payers meet that energy. It is how Nash reacts that will more firmly stake his claim on the right while Hansen mends. That, or, allow Farrell to think again. Either way, Nash has earned his shot.
