World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier aiming to deliver his best in World Cup in France four years after Ireland’s anticlimactic experience in Japan
“It’s a team sport and I think obviously looking back it’s the success of the team that makes the individuals in a team look good or better. But it’s obviously nice to be in that position coming into a World Cup. You want to be playing at your best and your best rugby and hopefully I can try and do that now over the next few weeks.”“It’s long forgotten about now. It’s kind of back to normal I think. It was funny for the first while, because I couldn’t do anything wrong, I’d be slated for it.
“It was something I’m probably aware of when you first break onto the scene or whatever, when I first started playing, you can get away with doing the things that you’re good at but after a while players start, other opposition, you become known for things. “No, no I don’t think so. Not that I have heard anyway. I mean, it was a great honour but it feels like a long time ago now. I suppose if anything it gives you a bit of confidence, for me anyway, that I can play well at this level. That’s all I get from it now at this stage, I suppose. But personally, I am definitely incredibly excited to get going and hopefully go well.”
“It’d be pretty awesome to get out there and have a run. I’m a bit of a late bloomer, 31 at my first World Cup, but yeah like I touched on it’ll be pretty awesome to get out there, you like to test yourself in the toughest environments. It’s supposed to be 30 odd degrees or something, it should be fun if I get a run out. Looking forward to it.”
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