SIMON EASTERBY revealed Ireland were taught a lesson in resilience by somebody who demonstrated it in the most extreme circumstances.
And Hugo Keenan believes it has put the team in the right mindset to face off with New Zealand.
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Hugo Keenan is back with the Ireland 15sCredit: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
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He was with the Ireland 7s for the Paris OlympicsCredit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
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The Ireland team was visited by Nando Parrado who survived the air disaster in the Andes in 1972Credit: Getty Images – Getty
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The story was depicted in the 1993 film ‘Alive’Credit: Paramount Pictures
Andy Farrell’s men are in training camp in Portugal warming up the Autumn series, starting with the visit of the All Blacks to Dublin next Friday.
To get the squad into the appropriate mindset, Ireland assistant Simon Easterby revealed they were visited by Nando Parrado.
The Uruguayan was one of 16 survivors from Air Force Flight 571 that crashed in the Andes in 1972.
For over two months, Parrado and fellow members of the Old Christian rugby team fought for their lives in the snowy terrain.
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Twenty-nine people lost their lives, while the story was depicted in the 1993 film ‘Alive’ in which Parrado was portrayed by American actor Ethan Hawke.
However harrowing the film, Easterby revealed getting to hear about the 74-year-old’s experience first-hand left a lasting impact.
He admitted: “I didn’t realise that he was obviously one of 17 players on that flight, but he also had his mother on the flight, his sister on the flight.
“He lost them in the accident, and they spent two-and-a-half months trying to figure out a way to stay alive.
“The team that he played with has a shamrock on the jersey that he played in, and he obviously has a massive love and affiliation with Ireland because of how he grew up being taught by the Christian Brothers.”
For Hugo Keenan and his teammates, it was a lesson in perspective.
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The Leinster full-back is back in the Ireland 15s fold having returned to 7s rugby for the Paris Olympics.
And if motivation was needed, the 28-year-old credited Parrado for having provided it.
He said: “It was a privilege to have him in to camp. It is an amazing story of resilience, isn’t it?
“We have seen it in movies, but you get a completely new and more real sense of what they all went through on that mad journey. We were taken aback by it.
“There are a few videos and then there was a little Q&A at the end. It went on for over an hour but it really didn’t feel like that.”
STORIED HISTORY
Keenan grew up watching Ireland battle lose to the All-Blacks, with their first win not coming until Chicago in 2016.
Since then, however, they have won four of their next eight meetings, including the monumental Test series win in New Zealand in 2022, marking a dramatic reversal in fortunes.
He said: “Growing up I would have hugely admired the All Blacks.
“They would have always been that number one team in the world that everybody was chasing with the World Cup wins.
“I always loved Ben Smith and the New Zealand back three. They were always really exciting to watch.
“We had a few great days and games against them, and some have gone our way and some have gone theirs. It will be a real battle.”
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Hugo Keenan of Ireland looks on during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between Ireland and New ZealandCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Due to his commitments to the 7s, The Dubliner missed the summer tour in South Africa, where Jamie Osborne deputised at full-back.
Keenan is likely to regain the 15 jersey when the All Blacks come to Dublin in a rematch from the Rugby World Cup quarter-final that Ireland lost.
The fall-out from the game – such as the Johnny Sexton vs Rieko Ioane saga – has only added heat to the rivalry.
But Keenan insisted that Ireland will not have revenge on their minds.
He confessed: “We are obviously still hurting a bit from the World Cup.
“It was obviously a hugely disappointing loss, but I suppose we have to view it as a fresh series back at home.
“It is not a new cycle either but I don’t think we will be looking at it as a revenge game. It is a game against one of the top nations in the world and historically probably the best team in the world.”
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Publish date : 2024-11-02 07:42:09
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