| Ulster prodigy Trimble leads new wave
of talent  Ireland’s
progress in this year’s Six Nations championship is sure to depend
on the consistency of a number of key players. larry cooney says coach
Eddie O’Sullivan will be hoping that none of his stars underachieve,
including Irish rugby’s latest sensation Andrew Trimble who made
a dream debut against Australia last November.
Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan believes the emergence of centre Andrew
Trimble could possibly be his secret weapon in the forthcoming Six Nations
tournament.
Following last season’s disappointing Six Nations campaign, Ireland
were left with few positives as O’Sullivan set about conducting
his own tournament post mortem. The pre-tournament favourites had been
well and truly upstaged by a resurgent Wales team who were far from invincible
but yet still managed to deny a more experienced Ireland side a possible
Grand Slam title.
Ireland had fallen from second place in the Six Nations rankings and worse
was to follow with some well below-par Irish performances in the Lions
tour last summer. The loss of captain Brian O’Driscoll in the first
Test against the New Zealand All Blacks completed a disastrous season
for Irish rugby ahead of the autumn internationals and left Eddie O’Sullivan
with no alternative but to thrust a number of inexperienced players onto
the international stage.
Ulster and Ballymena’s in-form Andrew Trimble was given the onerous
task of filling Ireland’s No. 13 shirt in the interim. To the pleasant
surprise of his coach, the 22-year-old’s confident international
debut in an otherwise poor 30-14 defeat by Australia at last gave Irish
rugby some hope for the future.
A former pupil of Coleraine Institute, Trimble has been brought up in
a rugby background since the age of six when his father Maurice took him
along to watch the local Coleraine team. A member of Ballymena —
who are currently managed by former Connacht and Rotherham coach Steph
Nel — Trimble now looks set to follow in the footsteps of some of
the club’s other former British and Irish Lions including Bill McBride,
Trevor Ringland and Steve Smith. Trimble has also credited Ulster coach
Mark McCall and his assistant Phil Morrow for his current development
into a full international.
Although Trimble is unlikely to make O’Sullivan’s first 15,
his emergence on the international stage has given the Ireland coach a
welcome range of options in the three-quarters and midfield areas. The
Ulster starlet, who appears to be quite comfortable playing on the wing
or in midfield, is most effective in the outside centre channel according
to the Ireland coach.
A very Andrew Trimble recently spoke of his meteoric rise from international
schools rugby to a full senior international within three years.
He said: “Since the start of the season it has really been quite
a surprise for me to see the progress I have made. I certainly didn’t
expect to be at this stage of my career six months ago and everything
seems to be going my way at the minute.
“I have certainly enjoyed my rugby in the past few months between
Ulster’s Celtic League and Heineken Cup matches and then getting
called into the autumn international squad.”
But he admitted being handed the No.13 shirt did bring some comment.
 He said:
“Yes I had a lot of people saying a lot of stuff, teasing me etc
but I honestly didn’t take any notice. I’m used to wearing
13 so it didn’t even enter my head whose shirt I was wearing!”
But he knows that had it not been for the fact of Brian O’Driscoll’s
horrific injury during the Lions tour, he may still have been waiting
for the opportunity to make his international debut.
He said: “I know the current Ireland 13 shirt has a special significance
and of course Brian’s injury gave me the opportunity but if I thought
about whose jersey I was wearing it could have made me nervous. Against
Australia I just remained focused and couldn’t wait to get on with
it.”
Very few who watched Trimble make his international debut could have failed
to comment on his opening encounter with Australian winger Gerard.
He remembered: “I don’t know if Gerard realised it or not
that I was behind him when he got possession but I engaged without hesitation
and easily dispossessed him.”
A new star had definitely arrived and was showing no sign of first match
nerves.
He said: “It was important to settle quickly and that first ‘hit’
certainly rid me of any early nerves.”
Trimble is looking forward to advancing his international career but aware
that he will need to be patient in order to get his opportunity.
He said: “There will be considerable competition for places when
the final 15 is named but for me personally it’s great to be involved
at this level.”
Blessed with a temperament and composure to match his gifted ability to
break the gain line with powerful running, Andrew Trimble is undoubtedly
one of Ireland’s bright rugby hopes for the future.
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