James Ryan opens up on Shoulder to Shoulder talk

It was the inspirational talk that had Johnny Sexton on the verge of tears prior to Ireland's win over France and now James Ryan has elaborated on what went on behind the scenes.

Former Ireland players Brian O’Driscoll, and David Irwin, who was injured in an IRA bomb blast in 1987, visited the Irish camp a couple of weeks ago, to hold a viewing of the Shoulder to Shoulder BT documentary, which dealt with the all-island make-up of the rugby team and the importance of Ireland’s Call, Phil Coulters 1995 song.

Sexton, who misses Saturday's Guinness Six Nations game against Italy through injury, alluded to the power of the speeches in the post-match interview following the round two victory against Les Bleus.

Ryan, whose great-grandfather fought in the Easter Rising, said:"[We learned] a little bit around the sacrifices that people like [David Irwin] made during the Troubles, those eras of sectarian violence in the 1970s and '80s.

"The sacrifices that men like him made to wear the green jersey. It was great hearing from him, a great opportunity to listen as a group.

"I knew a little bit about him, because I'd read about it.

"It was still fascinating to hear about it.

"[Brian] was probably thinking about coming in and having that conversation for a while.

"But yeah, it was great because it gave guys like Mack [Hansen from Australia] and even Bundee [Aki from New Zealand], Rob Herring [from South Africa] and some of the other guys that grew up elsewhere an understanding of the jersey, the journey that it's been on and the strength of it.

"Even the guys that grew up in Ireland as well, it gave them a deeper understanding of it too, so it was good for everybody."

Hansen qualifies for Ireland through his mother who left Ireland as a child.

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