For the past three years, Ireland’s wingers have been key in turning defence into attack. They are the high ball specialists. Scoring tries, at times, appears to be bonus material.
This season, and the last two months in particular, an alternative has emerged. A throw-back to the past.
Niyi Adeolokun and Craig Gilroy are the in-form wingers of the Guinness PRO12. They are outsiders for Ireland’s tour to South Africa but their names should be right in the mix.
The Connacht and Ulster wingers have chipped in with 15 league tries all season – they have registered seven since April. The semi-final weekend found them in unstoppable form. Gilroy danced over for a double and Adeolokun was denied a double be a pernickety TMO.
Connacht captain John Muldoon raved about the Nigerian-born winger after his side’s 16-11 win over Glasgow. He said:
“He came in very raw, very light; a very shy young man. Things have changed. He’s dancing in the dressing room, scores a couple of tries and confidence beams through. He’s a lovely, humble young fella and it’s amazing what getting over the whitewash can do.
“One of the things is that he’s not the biggest lad but he’s very, very brave. In defence, especially, for a lad that’s only in a professional environment for just over two years, he’s doing phenomenally well.
“You can’t beat speed. He’s electric and a couple of times up the wing when he got the ball, I was thinking, ‘Jeez, he’s tackled’ and then he gets another 10 metres. Matty [Healy] the same; when you’ve got wingers who are able to do that you’ve always got a chance of opening up a game.”
Now that you mention him John, Matt Healy is another name worthy of Springboks talk.
On Friday, Ulster sent out Gilroy and Iain Henderson to face the press. It is standard procedure when a team gets beaten – put out your best performers.
Gilroy was still shook after his three loss in a winner-takes-all battle with Leinster. He scored two fine tries, generating chinks of light in the tightest of corners, and was bothersome throughout.
With the Ireland squad set to be announced this week, Gilroy is hopeful of being involved. He said:
“There’s guys trying to put their hand up for that and it would be great to be involved. I was down at the training camp at Carton House and it was good to be involved.
“Obviously, that will be cut down. For me, personally, it will be a case of looking after myself and trying to not switch off.”
Barring summer surgery announcements, Joe Schmidt’s contenders for wing berths are Andrew Trimble, Dave Kearney, Andrew Trimble, Keith Earls, Gilroy and Healy. Simon Zebo is seen as a fullback, more so than a winger, by Schmidt. Adeolokun could go, for a look.
Watching Adeolokun and Gilroy in action, in recent weeks, has reminded us of the blistering unpredictability that Ireland could unleash on the hard pitches of South Africa.
