Jack Conan is hoping he can get a "stop-start" season up and running this weekend, as Ireland welcome Fiji to the Aviva Stadium for the second of their Bank of Ireland Nations Series games.
The Leinster back row earned 12 minutes off the bench against South Africa in last weekend's 19-16 win against South Africa, but could come into the starting team for this weekend's visit of the Fijians, with Andy Farrell expected to rotate his squad after a bruising weekend.
Having been first choice at number 8 for Ireland following his summer with the British and Irish Lions in 2021, the 30-year-old saw his place in the starting back row taken by Peter O'Mahony in the last few months, the Munster captain starting ahead of Conan in all three Tests versus New Zealand in July, as well as last week's visit of the world champions.
The Leinster back-row's chances of breaking back into the starting side took a blow after a stuttering first block of games with Leinster - a last-minute back injury saw him miss out on playing in the shootout versus the Sharks while a blood injury saw him depart after just 33 minutes the following week against Connacht.
Conan admits he's been frustrated at times in the opening eight weeks of the season.
"Early on I was bit in and out. I had a few knocks and things like that, so it was a bit of a stop-start kind of few weeks," he said.
"But I'm feeling good, haven’t missed out on training sessions here. Body feels great so hopefully I will get an opportunity at the weekend and get a proper run out.
"I’ve just had little things. My back was at me one day. I had a load of just little things that were poorly timed with a lot of the games. I cut my eye open against Connacht and that was just something that couldn’t get fixed up in time to go back on. It’s great to be here. It’s great to be in camp back with Ireland and winning games and performing well with the lads."
He's eager to get back into a starting role, but says he won't be banging down Andy Farrell's door to make sure he's in from the beginning.
In 12 minutes from the bench last Saturday, his biggest contribution was in defence, logging three tackles, as well as securing a late lineout as Ireland saw out the victory.
And he says when coming into a tight game for the final quarter, it's more important to make the right impression, rather than a big impression.
"You just want to come on and not make a mistake that loses the lads the game. I didn’t feel like I got the opportunity to do a whole lot, but that was just part of the nature of the last 10 minutes.
"We were just trying to keep it tight and not give them anything. I had one opportunity to jump in the lineout and contribute something. Obviously I’d have liked more minutes but the lads went well and it was a very tight game. So, I understand the lack of changes.
"It's tough, coming on at any stage. You don’t know when you’re going to get on. Mentally, you’ve got to make sure that you’re on it, that you’re ready to go.
"When you’re on the bench you don’t know if you’re going to be called on in the first minute or the 79th minute.
"You need to be mentally at that fever pitch.
"Physically, you’re so eager to get on and do well, and contribute and add value to the lads where they need it, especially that late on in the game when the lads need a bit of energy, you’re ready to go.
"I didn’t get a whole lot of collisions when I came on, it was just the nature of the game, it’s about picking your battles and any opportunity you get to lay down a physical marker, you take it."
The win against South Africa gives Andy Farrell some breathing room heading into the second game of this month's schedule against Fiji this Saturday, and a chance to get a look at some wider squad players ahead of the World Cup.
It's also a big shop-window for the likes of Conan, should he be named in the starting team tomorrow. With Australia still to come to Dublin later this month, a big performance against Fiji could give Farrell a lot to think about for his team selection next week.
Conan says the win against the world champions has created a new energy around the entire squad this week.
"It's massive, you want to play against the best team in the world, we are the best team in the world at the moment.
"It's a platform and a springboard going forward. We took a lot of lessons from it. There are massive areas we can get better at but it's great Fiji this week, Australia next week, and leading into the Six Nations that we have that good performance under our belt.
"The lads set an unbelievable platform at the weekend, the 15, the 23 that ran out. The physicality, the defensive pressure they put on, our set-piece as a forward pack was really nailed on.
"We spoke this week about that being the status quo now, and we need to push on from that and get better. That is going to be the challenge because lads went so well on the weekend.
"It’s a different challenge in Fiji, but again massive physical bodies, so it won’t be easy in that regard either."
Fiji were beaten 28-12 by Scotland on Saturday, but impressed in the opening half where they led 12-5 at one stage.
And while the Pacific islanders always present a huge, physical challenge, Conan says it's a much different type of challenge to the one posed by the Springboks.
"South Africa wouldn't play a whole lot in their own half, whereas with Fiji, it's the complete opposite, they will play from anywhere.
"We were looking at clips today of them playing against Wales last year. [Josua] Tuisova takes a mark on the 22, there's 44 minutes gone, they're down a red card, most teams would just kick the ball and play in the other half.
"But he takes it quickly and goes, and they run 80 metres, so that's the challenge this week. You have to be on consistently for 80 minutes because you know that these lads are going to take any opportunity, even if it's not on, they're going to run and play. They'll play far more expansively than South Africa will.
"The ability they have to a man to beat people one-on-one is some of the best in the world. So, there will be no time to switch off or catch your breath really. It'll be a consistent performance that is needed to beat them."
Follow a live blog on Ireland v Fiji on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app this Saturday from 1pm with live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.
Watch highlights of the Women's Rugby World Cup final on Saturday from 6pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
