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'It's a touch frustrating' - Ireland's Jacob Stockdale eyes green dream

Ireland players Jacob Stockdale and Peter OMahony acting as water carriers before the Bank of Ireland Nations Series match between Ireland and Fiji at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Jacob Stockdale has been through the full range of highs and lows on and off the field during his rugby career, with plenty of frustration along the way over the past couple of years.

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But now he feels he has re-emerged a tougher character for the experience and with big hopes of playing an important role for Ireland come the World Cup.

He is also a new dad, with a seven-month old daughter, which he says has been a real life-changing experience. Life is now also good out on the pitch, with fitness fully restored and a first competitive try in two years notched up over the weekend, while he’s back in the Irish squad.

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It has been a real rollercoaster ride for the Ulster winger who made a stratospheric start to his Test career, marking his first Six Nations campaign in 2018 by setting a new try-scoring record for the tournament, touching down seven times to be named Player of the Championship.

He remained a regular in the Ireland team over the next couple of years, taking his cap tally to 35 and his try haul to 19.

Jacob Stockdale
Jacob Stockdale of Ireland scores his sides third try during NatWest Six Nations match between England and Ireland at Twickenham Stadium on March 17, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

 

But then, in the autumn of 2021, came the serious ankle injury that was to put him out of the game for some 12 months.

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“It certainly has been a tough journey for me over the last couple of years,” he admits. “The injury to my ankle was probably the toughest year I have had as a professional rugby player.

“I picked it up in the first game of the 2021-22 season when we played Glasgow. I was out pretty much for a full year, coming back at the start of this season.

“That year was incredibly frustrating because it was a pretty unusual injury and not many people have re-habbed it or experienced it.

“Then I came back for a couple of games and injured my other ankle, so I would say 2022 as a whole was a pretty frustrating year for me.

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“Outside of rugby though it was brilliant. I got married and had a baby, so I probably made the most of it!

“My daughter is seven months old now. My life has changed incredibly with becoming a dad, a lot more than I expected it to.”

Ulster <a href=
Glasgow URC” width=”1200″ height=”675″ /> Jacob Stockdale /PA

He continues: “Look, it was a really, really tough year for me rugby-wise and this season has been another pretty frustrating year just in terms of a few games not going the way I wanted them to, picking up a couple more injuries.

“But I finally feel like I’m now really fit and getting the performances.”

Reflecting on what he has been through, he adds: “It’s all been character-building, absolutely.
“I am a lot tougher now than I was a couple of years ago and I think that’s only going to do good for me over the next couple of seasons.

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“I am feeling good now and kind of excited for what the next couple of years hold. There is lots for me to aim for.”

Selected in the Ireland squad for this Six Nations, Stockdale hasn’t been involved in the opening three victories over Wales, France and Italy, with his last cap having come against Japan back in July 2021. It’s a situation he is pretty philosophical about.

“The lads are flying right now. They are performing really, really well, the number one team in the world. I suppose it’s not necessarily a bad thing that you can’t get into the number one team in the world!” he says. “Obviously it’s a touch frustrating, but it’s an exciting place to be in that squad. I am very appreciative to Andy Farrell for giving me the opportunity to be there and trusting in me.

“I just want to show what I can do in an Ulster jersey over the next couple of months to try and get back into that green jersey come the World Cup.”

Stockdale, who is still only 26, did just that over the weekend, having been released from the Ireland squad to get some game-time in the BKT United Rugby Championship clash with Cardiff at the Arms Park.
He scored one of Ulster’s six tries in a 42-20 victory and it was a pretty special effort, as he received a pass out on the left, chipped over the top and collected the ball on the bounce to touch down in the corner.

“Accept for one in a pre-season game, I haven’t scored since 2021. That was my first competitive try since then,” reveals the man from the County Armagh town of Lurgan. “It was a great feeling. I just felt like it was coming and coming, but I never quite got it. It was a pretty nice way to score it as well.”

Ulster coach Dan McFarland was among those to cast an admiring eye.

“There are not many players that can do that kind of thing,” he said. “Jacob is such a dangerous threat in attack and it was really good to see him on fire there.

“He demonstrated what he is capable of in attack. His running was really good and he was good under the high ball as well. It was nice to see him back running with the ball and beating defenders.”

Jacob Stockdale
Jacob Stockdale /PA

It was a bonus point victory that took Ulster back up to third in the URC table and keeps them in the hunt for the top-two finish that would earn them home advantage through to the semi-finals in the play-offs. They are currently five points behind the second-placed Stormers, but their last three games are all at home while the South Africans have to travel to unbeaten league leaders Leinster in the next round.

Giving his thoughts on Saturday night’s Arms Park triumph, Stockdale said; “Cardiff are a very good team and particularly dangerous in attack. So we are delighted with that result. To win 42-20 away from home is a great performance. Five points is exactly what we needed and wanted.

“We have to keep winning now. We probably have a bit of an easier run-in than the Stormers do. That being said, there are no easy games in the URC anymore. They are all tough. From our point of view, we just need to do what we can, which is gain as many points as possible.”

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner

Why is Joe Schmidt the best option for Australia? (LONG READ)


An essay for @OJohn with love from South Africa.


OJohn keeps banging on about kiwis and Saffers and everyone else seeking to undermine and bring down Australian rugby… Blah, Blah, Blah. It’s boring and not worth responding too 99 days out of 100.


He misses the point completely that Australians either are or are not the masters of their own destiny. So to blame anyone else but themselves for what the state of Australian rugby is in - is hypocritical.


But recently, Australia has shown signs of life. Personally, I always believed they would be back at some point. At the beginning of this year I predicted that the wallabies would bounce back this year. I predicted that they would overtake England in the world rankings. I am predicting that they could finish second in the RC, could win the Lions series and could make it to a RWC final at home.


I tend to get ahead of myself when I’m excited... Ask my wife. But forgive me for getting excited about the Wallabies looking good! Is it so bad?


Like OJohn, I believe that Australia’s lands abound with natures gifts, including athletic specimens across any sporting code the Aussies compete in. It’s one of the reasons most of us don’t like Aussies. They win sh1t. Regularly. And look smug when they do...


But back to OJohn. And his banging on about the need for Australia to have an Australian coach. Here are a few highlights of his argument:


Several times I've given a list of half a dozen Australian coaches who would be more Australian than Schmidt and just as successful.

Tell me which Australian coaches would be acceptable to coach the All Blacks ......?

Because South Africans and Kiwis and Welshmen and Scotsman are all s.... scared that if an immensely talented and athletic team like Australia is ever able to harness nationalistic Australian passion with an Australian coach, you'll all be s.c.r.e.w.e.d.


And then finally – the list of 6 🥴:


Ewen McKenzie, Less Kiss, Stephen Larkham, Jim McKay, David Nucifora, Scott Wisenthal, Ben Mowen, Rod Kafer, Mick Byrne, John Manetti, Jason Gilmore, Dan McKellar.

Plus, a special request:


Keep in mind Rod MacQueen never won a Super Rugby title before he was appointed Wallaby coach but he ended up the greatest rugby coach the world has ever seen. Better than Erasmus even. Who is probably the next best.

Right. I don’t care about the tinfoil hat theories. I want to assess OJohn’s list and determine whether any of them fit the mold of a Rod Macqueen.

 

Like Rod Macqueen the following world cup winning coaches never won a Super Rugby Title:


·       David Kirk, 1987 (17 appearances for New Zealand)

·       Kitch Kristie, 1995

·       Rod Macqueen, 1999

·       Clive Woodward, 2003 (21 Appearance for England)

·       Jake White, 2007 (School Teacher)

·       Graham Henry, 2011 (School Teacher)

·       Steve Hansen, 2015 (Policeman)

·       Rassie Erasmus, 2019 (36 Appearances for South Africa)

·       Jacques Nienaber, 2023 (Physiotherapist).


I couldn't find out what Rod or Kitch did other than coach.


The only coach who has won a Super title and a World Cup?

·       Bob Dwyer, 1991 (A Tahs man wouldn’t you know!)


In fact coaches that have won super rugby titles have not won world cups. Robbie Deans. Heyneke Meyer to name just two.


I know I’m being childish, but I needed to bring this list in somehow because it’s quite obvious that whatever these coaches did before they became international level coaches is largely immaterial. Or is it?


Interestingly Ewan McKenzie (A Tah Man!) has won a Super title. And despite being a Tah Man made it into OJohn’s list. That’s two strikes for Ewan Mckenzie based on OJohn’s criteria so far. Not to mention his 50% win rate as head coach of the Wallabies between 2013 and 2014 (and the laundry list of off the field fcuk ups that swirled around the team at the time).


So Ewan is out.


I find it interesting that, as we speak, eight out of the ten top ranked men’s teams are coached by former international players:

1.      South Africa, Rassie Erasmus (36 appearances for South Africa)

2.      Ireland, Andy Farrell (8 appearances for England)

3.      New Zealand, Scott Robertson (23 appearances for New Zealan)

4.      France, Fabien Galthie (64 appearances for France)

5.      Argentina, Felipe Contemponi (87 appearances for Argentina)

6.      Scotland, Gregor Townsend (82 appearances for Scotland)

7.      England, Steve Borthwick (57 appearances for England)

8.      Australia, Joe Schmidt (School Teacher)

9.      Fiji, Michael Byrne (Aussie Rules Player)

10.  Italy, Gonzalo Quesada (38 appearances for Argentina).


It would appear as though we have entered an era where successful international coaches, largely, have played rugby at international level in the professional era. Or are ex school teachers. Much like Jake White and Graham Henry! Or a policeman.

 

Back to OJohn’s List. That leaves us with:


·       Less Kiss, (I like the look of)

·       Stephen Larkham, (I like the look of)

·       Jim McKay, (Very little to write home about)

·       David Nucifora, (Too old)

·       Scott Wisenthal, (I literally can’t find anything on him on the Google).

·       Ben Mowen, (Too young, no coaching experience)

·       Rod Kafer, (No coaching experience)

·       Mick Byrne, (He’s coaching the Fijians, Aussie rules!)

·       John Manetti, (Can’t find him on the google)

·       Jason Gilmore, (Seems to be working through the ranks, coaching Wallabies A)

·       Dan McKellar, (Not much to write home about, but could be an option).


Applying some logic, I would say the following are viable options based on age, experience in coaching AND the fact that they have played rugby for Australia in the professional era:

·       Less Kiss, (I like the look of)

·       Stephen Larkham, (I like the look of)

·       Jason Gilmore, (Seems to be working through the ranks, coaching Wallabies A)


After having done all this research, I think it’s fair to say that none of these three have the same pedigree as Joe Schmidt, the teacher. Who took a sh1tty Ireland team to no.1. Won a few 6 Nations and helped get the All Blacks to a world cup final in 2023.


Joe’s the best option for now. But if Kiss, Larkham and Gilmore are the business for the future for Australia get them in now as assistants to Joe and stop moaning!!


And, for the record, NONE of the above are good enough to coach the All Blacks. The All Blacks have the guy that hasn’t won a single Super title. He’s won 6.


Errors and Ommissions Excepted. Mispelling of names is OJohn's fault.

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