2023-09-16 17:00:05
Josh van der Flier (center), during Ireland’s victory against England (29-10), Saturday August 19, 2023, in Dublin. CLODAGH KILCOYNE / REUTERS
John Hayes, Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, Rory Best… For decades, the stars who have worn the XV of Clover jersey can no longer be counted. But if they managed to increase their nation’s record on a European scale (23 titles during the Six Nations Tournament), they all experienced the same disappointment in the World Cup. Never in its history have Ireland managed to get past the quarter-finals, failing seven times at this stage. She is trying her luck again this year, and got off to a good start by unceremoniously dismissing Romania (82-8) on Saturday September 9. The XV du Trèfle will seek to confirm against Tonga, Saturday September 16, in Nantes (9 p.m., on TF1).
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To try to win the grail, the XV du Trèfle is banking on its star Jonathan Sexton (38 years old) – for whom this is the last competition before retiring – but perhaps especially on Josh van der Flier. At 30 years old, the third-row wing is far from being a popular figure in his discipline, or even in his team. Yet he has the track record for it. In 2022, he deprived Antoine Dupont of a double by being elected best player in the world by World Rugby, the international federation.
On the collective side, van der Flier largely contributed to his team’s grand slam during the last Six Nations Tournament. He was also on Ireland’s victorious tour of New Zealand in the summer of 2022, thanks to two wins in three matches against the All Blacks. All without attracting light. “He is a fairly reserved person who is not the type to make sensational outings in the media, estimates former Blues third row Serge Betsen (63 caps). He naturally has this restraint which corresponds well to the collective image of rugby. »
Like Thierry Dusautoir – nicknamed “the Dark Destroyer” for his harsh contacts – van der Flier stands out above all in defense (67 tackles during the last Six Nations Tournament, the best total for his team, as in 2022). But the man who played scrum half until he was 14 is not clumsy with the ball in hand either, as evidenced by his six tries scored during the last Champions Cup, the “big” European Cup. The Irishman led Leinster to the final, before losing, like the previous year, to La Rochelle.
Long relegated to the substitutes’ bench
Van der Flier does not seek the spotlight when arriving on a pitch, but rather to relax. “It’s something I’ve found that works well for me. Before, I didn’t joke around before a match. But now I talk to the substitutes and ask them if they have any jokes to tell me.”explained the thirty-year-old to the Irish media Independentin September 2022.
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