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Jack Conan: 'We're gutted but we'll get there someday'

Updated / Sunday, 15 Oct 2023 11:28
Conan with the departing Sexton
Conan with the departing Sexton

"We'll get there someday," promised Jack Conan after Ireland’s crushing quarter-final defeat to New Zealand in Paris ended their World Cup dream.

Conan described his beaten team-mates as "the greatest bunch of lads I’ve ever known" and lamented the team’s failure to give the retiring Johnny Sexton and Keith Earls the World-Cup-winning send-off he felt they deserved.

"It wasn’t to be. We gave it our all. At the end there, 30-odd phases, you can’t fault the effort from anyone," Conan told RTÉ Sport.

"You can’t fault lads’ attitude, their work-rate for each other, how much they wanted to work hard for each other. The greatest bunch of lads I’ve ever known. It’s just so gutting not being able to do it. But it’s such a pleasure and honour to play in this jersey with this bunch of men.

"Just not the ending lads deserved. Johnny, an incredible servant to Irish rugby over the years and the greatest player I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with or knowing, he just deserved so much more. All the lads are gutted that we couldn’t give him what he deserved.

"We were so full of confidence that we were going to go do the job. That’s rugby, it’s just a bounce of a ball. We scored one try in the second half. Just so gutting. The overall feeling is just gratitude to everyone in the country who made the last few weeks so special. People who paid out of their own pockets to be here, we’re sorry we couldn’t do it for you.

"Rugby can be cruel. We played really well at times today. A few decisions, a few bounces of the ball didn’t go our way but credit to New Zealand, they played a great game. It’s a similar story that we bowed out at this stage, but everyone should be incredibly proud of their efforts, not only over the last few weeks, but the last few years.

"The success we’ve had as a squad, the faith and confidence that’s been instilled in us by the greatest coaching staff I’ve ever played under or known. We’ll get there someday. I don’t know if I’ll be there, maybe a lot of us won’t but a lot of us will. It’ll come."

Conan’s team-mate Josh van der Flier echoed the number eight’s sentiments and admitted the team’s sudden exit has left them in a mild state of shock.

"It’s very hard. In everyone’s heads we have two and a half more weeks here," Van der Flier said. "That was all anyone was thinking. It’s almost a bit of a shock, you’re trying to work out now when we go home or when we’re back into the provinces or whatever it is. It’s very hard to come to grips with.

"It’s really disappointing. Our goal was to go all the way. Things looked so good up to now but I suppose that’s the nature of rugby and sport, really. You try to be as prepared as you can. We thought we did everything we could leading into the game, just didn’t manage to get the win.

"I thought New Zealand played really well, came up with some really big moments. We couldn’t quite finish it off so, yeah, disappointing.

"We’ve pulled moments out like that a lot over the last three or four years. I thought we were going to do it. It’s obviously hard against New Zealand, they’re a good defence and they were going hard at the ruck as well, it was never going to be easy. It’s a pity we couldn’t do it.

"One of the hardest things is seeing Johnny finishing up and not being able to do better for him. You can see how upset he was as well. I hope he looks back very happily on what he’s one and what we’ve done. He’s been probably the best Irish player in what he’s done and how he’s led Ireland and led Leinster. But a disappointing day today."

A relatively youthful Ireland would appear to have time on their side. But flanker Van Der Flier didn’t shy away from the fact that the squad were very much in the win-now mode heading into this tournament. "It feels like now is the time that we have the great team," he said.

"But I was thinking during the week, looking at the players who aren’t here, who weren’t selected to come on the World Cup squad, the quality of people that’s there, there’s so much depth at each position.

"It’s definitely exciting going forward but it’s a disappointing day. The support has been absolutely incredible, it’s been a dream come true. The atmosphere has been incredible. There’s Irish people everywhere. You can’t go anywhere without bumping into someone with a green jersey on.

"Thanks to everyone who supported us, it’s been absolutely incredible, it makes it more disappointing that we couldn’t do it for everyone at home as well."

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park was somewhat lost for words after the loss. The Leinster number nine offered: "It’s a tough one to sum up. This team’s been on a pretty wicked journey over the last few of years. We were hoping to do a bit better tonight, obviously…

"There was no sense of panic in our camp, we knew we could work our way back into the game. Which we did. To have it a one-score game in the last 10 or 15 minutes, we gave ourselves opportunities to score points but couldn’t quite come away with it. You have to give credit to New Zealand and their defence.

"Fine margins. One of those games that could have really gone either way. But credit to New Zealand, they got the 'W’ in the end and that’s the only thing that matters, really."

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