The Ireland tight-head may well be humming the theme tune to Fame as he takes to the pitch on Saturday… ‘Baby remember my name’
Mike Ross has not forgotten his anonymous summer and World Cup sojourns to Australia and New Zealand. The Leinster prop was part of the Ireland squad at RWC 2011 that defeated a Wallabies team oblivious as to who most of them were. Radike Samo, the laconic Queensland Reds forward, admitted before the encounter he had never seen Sean O’Brien play. He certainly knew about The Tullow Tank after Ireland shocked the Aussies 15-6 at Eden Park.
‘Some of these Southern Hemisphere guys probably don’t know your name,’ Ross comments ahead of this weekend’s clash with Australia. ‘That’s the impression you get but that certainly won’t be the case with Michael Cheika (as coach).
‘I had him for years and I have an idea (of his style). Every team he puts out always fronts up and looks to win the collision. I’m sure Australia will be no different this weekend.’ Pressed on why the Antipodeans may not be aware of his existence, Ross replied, ‘It’s probably a bit more about getting their own stuff right than anything else. Especially when you look at New Zealand’s results, you can’t really argue with their approach.’
Ross and Simon Zebo are the only two players selected to start in each of the three November Tests. Ross thrives on stringing matches together, rather than rotation, and feels close to his scrummaging best after testing encounters with South Africa and Georgia.
The tight-head entered the current run of games having missed a month of rugby – following injury against Munster. Asked by SportsJOE if he ever entered a match at 100 per cent, Ross replies, ‘Never.’ He continues, ‘apart from pre-season most guys will go into a game with some sort of a niggle. That’s the same in the majority of cases. I don’t think you’re ever going to feel 100% but if you’re 95% that is generally good enough.
‘You just have to go by how you feel, if you’re offering value to the group at whatever level you’re at, then you go ahead. If you feel like you’re going to be a hindrance then it is upon you, to be honest, to put your hand up and say ‘I’m not right’ and leave a guy who is to come in.’
Ross concedes last year’s humbling at the hands of Australia ‘rankled a bit’ but believes Ireland are in good shape to reverse that result. ‘You need your pack to front up against the likes of South Africa or Australia, otherwise you are in for a long day,’ he added.
