For 10 to 15 minutes after full time against Ireland, the Aviva Stadium pitch looks like a nursery.
Johnny Sexton once said that his son Luca knew he could only be on the pitch after the match if Ireland won. It has been some time since it became necessary to try that policy.
Today marks three years since Ireland’s last defeat at the Aviva Stadium, a crushing 15-13 Six Nations loss to France. Under the coronavirus guidelines at the time, even if Ireland had won that day, no one would have been on the ground to watch it.
Andy Farrell’s side are currently on a 16-game winning streak at the Aviva Stadium, and each successive run has seen the players enjoying small moments with their families.
The gate opens and the children come out. Some will come out to run around, and if they are big enough, they may even do a kickabout. Others sit on dad’s shoulders. Some people aren’t old enough to know what’s going on.
Finlay Bealham is the latest addition to the dads’ club, with the tighthead and his wife Sarah welcoming their baby boy Jaoquin into the world last week.
And for James Rowe, whose son Nico is less than a year old, the moment after the game was special.
“It’s cool, it’s really, really cool,” he says.
“There’s a lot of kids running around. I think you saw it after the game, all the kids are there.”
Farrell’s emphasis on creating a family-friendly environment has been consistently mentioned by other players in recent years.
Aside from the post-match moments spent on the pitch with the kids, it’s clear that a healthy work-life balance is highly valued by the players. Before and during the World Cup, players will have more time to spend with their loved ones, and during milestone moments such as debuts and landmark caps, parents, partners and children will be present at the jersey presentation. We were able to share a special occasion. .
And Lowe says it’s an important way to say thank you to those who have sacrificed so much.
“The involvement of your wife or partner is a big part of it, because at the end of the day, they’re probably the ones who are going to figure it out for the most part. No matter how you go about your day, they’re who they are.’ It’s a bit of a sounding board.
“My wife is pretty good, I’m not going to lie. If we win, they win because they hold down the home fort.”
“It’s tough sometimes. Rugby is great, but it still takes something away. It takes away from your family.
“I came back from France last week and was very grumpy. Poor wife, hey, she’s blooming… She took it at her own pace as usual, and she understood I am.”
“Sometimes you have to take a step back and understand what it is.” [rugby] What you were given and where it took you. At the end of the day, I love rugby and I plan to continue playing it for as long as I can. ”
Now, the 31-year-old is at the top of his game.
After the World Cup, Lowe was given additional time off to return to New Zealand, but upon his return he sustained a minor injury and his return to the Leinster squad was postponed until 13 January.
The beak seems to have done him more good than building rust, and despite his lack of game appearances, he looked very sharp in Ireland’s first two Guinness Six Nations games, and was the best for Italy on Sunday. He won the Player of the Match award for the 36-0 win. He was one of the players who stood out in last week’s win against France.
“I feel like things are going pretty well, I’m feeling good physically and I’m saving time.
“Defensively, I’ve been getting good reads and picking off passes every week. I probably just want to handle the ball more. I’m not going to lie, I’m just trying to find ways to get into the game. There is.”
“I’m happy, but obviously we’re only two rounds in. We can’t stop now. “We can break down the match and see where we could have made a bigger difference, both individually and collectively. We’ll see where we are and move on from one thing to the next.”Hopefully we can do well there and be even better for Wales in the next two weeks.”
With their next match against Wales not until February 24, Ireland’s players are enjoying some downtime before meeting up on Thursday and Friday for a short training camp.
The defending champions looked their most consistent to date in the opening two games of the championship, with bonus point wins against both France and Italy.
And Lowe said his main focus has been on firmly establishing the fundamentals of the game.
“It’s a simple game if you do everything right. You just have to take the set pieces right, organize the ruck, play in the right areas of the field and put pressure on. It’s a simple game, but the other team can also play against you. I’m trying to do the same thing.
“So we’re in a good position at the moment and, like you said, we’re doing the basics right. Our set-pieces have been great the last two weeks, going away to Marseille, and our forwards. We did it so that we could perform like them, and we do it again today. [against Italy], the way they did it makes it easier for them to receive the front foot ball a little bit as a backline. ”
Watch the BKT United Rugby Championship double-header Leinster v Benetton (3pm) and Cardiff v Connacht (5.15pm) on Saturday from 2.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player