Both Ciaran Frawley and Calvin Nash have reflected on their recent Ireland debuts in last weekend's win against Italy during the Bank of Nations Series. Frawley, hailing from Leinster, and Nash, a Munster playe have had to be patient to gain their inaugural Ireland caps.
Frawley, renowned for his versatility, made his debut appearance as he took the field in the second half, replacing his Leinster teammate Jimmy O'Brien. The young Leinster talent assumed the 10 jersey for the remainder of the game at the Aviva Stadium.
💬 "I've been in camp since November 2021 so it has been a long time coming."
After a series of injury setbacks, Ciaran Frawley last night became an Ireland international 👇#TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/rejVzdC57V— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) August 6, 2023
Describing the experience as "unbelievable," Frawley, aged 25, shared his sentiments. "It was unbelievable, very special," he exclaimed. The journey for this Leinster player had been marked by periodic appearances and persistent patience on his part to secure a coveted cap.
He elaborated on his wait, saying, "It's been since November 2021 that I've been in and out of camp, so to finally get it was definitely worth the wait. I got the nod at half-time with Jimmy O'Brien picking up a bit of a knock, thankfully he's alright, but it was nice to get the time I got."
Recounting a near-miss with an injury that almost resulted in his debut, Frawley added, "I was probably close enough to getting capped and picked up an injury which I was sidelined for four months with. I went back into a Six Nations camp and was on the outskirts of that, probably knew I wasn't going to get capped then but my priority was to go back to Leinster, play well, try to get into this summer camp and aim for the World Cup. Delighted I got it tonight and hopefully there will be more to come, please God."
Frawley's teammate, Nash, had an extended wait before attaining his first cap. He entered the field just after the sixty-minute mark, stepping in for Robbie Henshaw.
Nash, a key player for Munster, admitted his eagerness to be on the pitch after witnessing Frawley's debut. "I saw Frawley getting on early and I was wondering when I'd get on, itching to go," he shared.
He further described his initial moments on the field, saying, "When I got the ball, I just wanted to get straight into the game and get as many touches as I could. It was class. I suppose being on the pitch for two seconds and nearly getting into a bit of a scrap was a bit funny, a good way to start and settle the nerves a tiny bit."
Nash also revealed a collective determination to impress Ireland's Head Coach Andy Farrell in the forthcoming weeks. The goal is to create a dilemma in the selection process before the final squad is trimmed from 41 players to 33 on August 28.
Speaking about the recent developments, Nash stated, "This week, Andy gave us the nod Monday, which was great, settled the nerves a bit, but my goal was to make sure you put in a good performance and that way you put your best foot forward for selection. I just feel like regardless of what happens over the next few weeks, as long as I put my best foot forward, I can be happy and definitely know that I've developed as a player. But naturally, when we're after getting our first cap, we both want to push on and get to the World Cup and get a few more caps. That's the aim but all we can do is our best."
Ireland's next match is scheduled against England on August 19.
💬 “It has been something I’ve been dreaming about.”
Calvin Nash on his Ireland debut 👇#TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/PTyB6cs3in— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) August 6, 2023
