WATCH: Isaac Boss: ‘I’m starting on Saturday, that’s all I’m worried about’
Isaac Boss knows how tough the battle for places in Ireland’s 31-man World Cup squad will be, and is determined to take full advantage of the opportunity to stake his claim.
The 35-year-old has been named at scrum-half
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“I’m starting on Saturday, that’s all I’m worried about at the moment,” he said at the team announcement. “It gives me an opportunity.”
Boss is vying with Leinster teammate Eoin Reddan for the position and, after watching the other man get the nod last weekend, knows he must do all he can to impress when he is given the chance.
“(Reddan) played very well last week - he was getting in there and getting it away,” Boss admitted.
“It’s up to me not to make mistakes and not to do anything wrong - not give (Schmidt) any reason not to put me down or take me along.”
“Everyone’s gotta have that mentality.”
He dismissed the suggestion that he or any others in the squad would change their play to avoid injury in the run-up to the World Cup. The question was prompted by the news this week that Tommy O’Donnell has been ruled out of the tournament with a dislocated hip.
“It’s part and parcel of what we do,” Boss said. He expressed sympathy for O’Donnell, but the reality is it is an accepted risk and part of the game.
“It can happen every day as part of training or on the pitch. If you go out protecting yourself then that’s when it’s gonna happen. You have to go out all guns blazing.”
Boss said the squad was pleased with victory against Wales, but saw it only as a starting point.
“The bar was set, but we’ve got a lot to work on,” he said. “Wales know they left a lot out there as well. It wasn’t a typical Welsh performance and that’s definitely not us at our peak.
“We’ve got a long way to go and we’ve just got to keep raising it all the way to the World Cup.”
