Phil Dowson, the Director of Rugby for Northampton, is a self-confessed history enthusiast, and this week arranged for the club’s strength and conditioning coach from Ireland, Eamonn Hyland, to present an impactful history lesson to the rugby team about the profounding cultural and historical importance of becoming the first English team to play at the famed Croke Park. The team found the notion of the upcoming game against Leinster on Saturday quite daunting, which provoked an emotional response among the players.
The Croke Park massacre, a historic event that took place 104 years ago when 14 bystanders were killed by the Royal Irish Constabulary, stands out in Croke Park’s history and makes it a symbol of Irish independence. Dowson recently spoke with former Ireland and Munster second-row, Donncha O’Callaghan, increasing his awareness that when England previously played at Croke Park in 2007, the outcome was nearly inevitable, with Ireland overpowering England by a margin of 30 points. Though Leinster has played on that ground before in a 2009 game against Munster, it will be the first time an English rugby team steps foot onto the Gaelic Athletic Association’s central ground this coming Saturday.
Preceding historical events aren’t all as interesting to Dowson, such as the 2011 final in Cardiff, where the Northampton team had a 22-6 lead at the break, before Johnny Sexton spurred a stunning resurgence for Leinster, who finally triumphed by 33-22. Despite scoring a try and being sent off in that match, Dowson’s looked past it this week.
Reminders that Northampton’s last significant championship took place ten years ago, when they defeated Saracens in the Premiership final, are everpresent at Franklin’s Gardens, but these are reminders Dowson would prefer to forget. With the current season looking promising, Northampton doesn’t appear to have had a better shot at ending their barren streak in quite a while. Despite being top of the league with only two regular season rounds remaining, the Premiership might offer a better chance at glory than the Champions Cup, given the formidable challenge of Saturday’s match.
Dowson’s perspective on the tournament holds an element of romance, considering its potential to create captivating stories and offering unique experiences, such as being the inaugural English team to play at Croke Park. He outright dismisses the concept that Northampton and Harlequins are honouring the Premiership banner because they’ve been the most aggressive teams in the league in recent years. Instead, he believes that if either team wants to secure a championship, their respective star players at number 10 are crucial. Over the weekend, Smiths Fin and Marcus are expected to face substantial pressure. However, Northampton’s 21-year-old outhalf has put up an impressive performance at Munster earlier in the series, suggesting an appetite for high-stake contests.
Northampton’s head coach, Sam Vesty, is set to face Leinster at Croke Park following eye-catching displays against Exeter and prior to the Six Nations where Fin Smith debuted for England. According to Smith, the victories against Exeter and Munster were significant momentum builders for his season. he acknowledges that there are areas for improvement, primarily in maintaining consistency over the entire 80 minutes and depending solely on his ability.
Reacting to the attention from other teams, Smith views it as recognition of his potential but also refers to his earlier point about consistency, suggesting that as long as he’s performing his duties adequately, his teammates have the talent to create game-changing moments. He doesn’t feel the need to chase these moments himself. Smith feels that there are many lessons to learn from this experience.
Smith is optimistic about enhancing his role in the England team, and it’s inevitable that Steve Borthwick will keep a close eye on the performances of both English halfbacks this weekend, considering their high-ranking rivals. Dowson, on the other hand, has no doubt that Smith can rise to the challenging environment in Dublin. He says, “Smith’s youth is often overlooked due to his poise and determination. He’s very engaged with his peers, despite not being in the core group. His conduct, attitude and exceptional maturity are truly remarkable. Over and above, he’s extremely coachable and shares a brilliant relationship with our coaching team because he’s always eager to improve. He’s never rested on his laurels thinking he’s already achieved everything.”
Undoubtedly, Northampton won’t be intimidated by the prospect ahead. They spent the previous Friday learning Gaelic football and hurling. If searching for signs of good fortune, Northampton can rest easy knowing that the groundsman at Croke Park is one of their fans. Dowson has arranged for a jersey to be given to this fan from Leighton Buzzard, a pleasant coincidence as Northampton is the first English club side travelling there. “Such a small world,” Dowson comments.