As the Rugby World Cup looms, Ireland winger Fergus McFadden has claimed that this Saturday’s warm-up match against Wales is more than just a friendly, saying it is a Test match with a huge amount at stake for the players involved.
Ireland play four games in the build-up to the RWC, with the 31-man tournament squad being named on 31 August by coach Joe Schmidt. That makes the clash with Wales a massive chance for fringe players, of which the team is largely selected from, to push forward their case for inclusion.
The 29-year-old from Kilkenny, who starts on the left wing on Saturday, also highlighted that the Wales team is also selected from largely fringe players, which gives the game added spice right from the get-go.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, McFadden said: “It’s incredibly special and emotional when you get the chance to start for your country and that’s been one of Joe’s main drivers over the last week: this isn’t just a warm-up or a friendly, this is Test match. We’re going over with a full house and looking to get a win. The individuals are looking to put their hands up for selection, but at the end of the day it’s team Ireland looking to get a win.
“By the looks of the team Wales have put out it’s a mix as well, similar to ours, of some experienced, some inexperienced lads and some new caps. Their squad of players are absolutely dying to make an impression as well.
“That’s going to be the case for both sides. I think for a first warm-up game of the season, it's a Test match at the end of the day, but I think it might be a small bit more unstructured than normal, because there hasn’t been that much rugby in the lead-in. I think the physicality and the pace will be ferocious.
“In fairness to the Welsh squad they’ve got real strength-in-depth now as well, particularly guys in my position, they’re getting their opportunity this weekend and will be looking to stamp down a bit of a marker for the other lads that might get opportunities the other weeks. I have to be on my toes and I'm just looking forward to it now.”
“These games are just a window and an opportunity to put your hand up to Joe and that’s all you can do” - Fergus McFadden
McFadden also gave an insight into the structure of the pre-season training that the Ireland squad have undergone to take them to this point in the season, saying: “The legs have been run off us in all that fitness and that, and we’re just looking forward to getting stuck into all the rugby. It should be a really tough game against Wales in a really full Millennium Stadium.
“We’ve done a fair bit of ball work. We went from running, into fitness, and then more ball work in the last three weeks. And then the last two weeks has been more so rugby. Lads are fairly tuned in and switched on now, so lads are now just looking to take the opportunity and take the chance for Saturday."
Forty-six Ireland players trained today at Carton House and Leinster utility man McFadden feels this group is the most competitive Ireland squad he has been part of since his international career began in 2011.
“I’m not sure of the exact numbers that were out there training today, but it was probably in the region of 45 lads, and that doesn’t go into 23,” said McFadden.
“And with four games, you don’t even know if everyone is going to get a chance within this period, so I’m just thankful that I’m getting one on Saturday and I just need to grasp it now.
“The competition all over the park is pretty horrendous in the best way possible. It’s definitely, from what I’ve seen, the most competitive Irish squad I’ve come across.
“There’s great strength in depth in several positions and guys are going to have to battle to get on that 31-man squad.
“These games are just a window and an opportunity to put your hand up to Joe and that’s all you can do.”
The roof at the Millennium Stadium will be closed for Saturday’s encounter and McFadden feels that having guaranteed good weather will lead to an open game of running rugby in Cardiff.
“The last experience I would have had with that [the closed roof in Cardiff] would have been the Heineken Cup final in 2011 with Leinster, which was a big day for us coming back against Northampton [to win],” said McFadden. “But the atmosphere feels, particularly with the full house, which Joe says it’s going to be on Saturday, it feels even more intimate with the roof closed.
“You also don’t have to wake up worrying about the weather because the roof is going to be closed, so that allows for a bit of a quicker game with the ball being drier and I suppose the weather just doesn’t come into the equation.
“It should just be a day where we can throw the ball around if we can.”
Follow the action on RTÉ Radio 1 on Saturday Sport, and on our live tracker on RTÉ.ie/sport.
