Playing against Scotland almost two weeks ago, Jamison Gibson-Park sprinted back three-quarters the length of the pitch to make a cover tackle and, along with James Lowe, saved Ireland from conceding a try.
For the scrumhalf from New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island it has become customary to see him muck in with the grunt work of tackling and defending. That aspect of his play has been as much a mind set challenge as it is a change of style in how Gibson-Park plays. Picked to start against Wales this weekend, constant improvements made over the years since joining Leinster in 2016 have given Ireland Gibson-Park 2.0.
The try-saving cover back may not have been something that he could have pulled off a few years ago, not because he couldn’t run that fast and that far but because he might not have been inclined to do so.
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“Yeah, probably not, I probably could have been glued to the scrum, or something,” he says. “It’s just being part of this squad; you scramble to even lost causes.
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“I wouldn’t say too much changed (over the years). I just probably committed a bit harder, I think. I’ve said it before, but over that period I had the time to reflect and came back and just got stuck in really. Obviously on the back of that I got a few opportunities and things started to go okay. I wouldn’t say a massive amount changed. I just committed a bit more and started to prepare a bit better.”
Gibson-Park’s kicking has also risen a level. It’s an area of the game that has grown hugely in importance in recent years, especially with the recent rule changes to escorts in the fetching of high balls. Accuracy, awareness of how the opposition are positioned in the back field and hang time all come into play. It is not something the 32-year-old thought too much about when he played Super Rugby with the Hurricanes prior to arriving in Ireland.
Now he kicks for pressure and position, and with the odd grubber kick through causing disruption in the opposing defence, aspects of the game Irish 10s, Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley also prosecute to great effect.
“It definitely has improved,” he says of his kicking. “I’ve a few people to thank for that. I couldn’t kick snow off a rope when I arrived. It’s been a slow kind of progression.
“I kick pretty much every day off in Leinster with our kicking coach Emmet Farrell and the other 9s and 10s as well, so it’s been a gradual progression and as you say a growth in my game. It certainly has become more of a thing now but not really when I was coming through.”
Currently in a rich vein of form, Gibson-Park’s management of the ball and consistent threat is especially important with the relatively young Prendergast and Crowley. Taking on the role of playmaker as well as instilling a sense of calm around the play, his presence on the pitch has worked in favour of both Leinster and Ireland.
Light on his feet and quick enough to create space and exploit it seems even more impressive as Gibson-Park turns 33 years old next week. The father of three is still playing like one of the youngest players on the pitch.
“Oh jeez, I’m just really enjoying it, I suppose,” he says. “I’ve really enjoyed my start to the season with Leinster, and obviously over the autumn things were maybe a little bit tricky. We didn’t perform to our normal levels. I was really looking forward to getting back in here and trying to right a few wrongs in that way.
“But most of all I’m loving my footy at the moment, and pretty happy to be a part of two pretty successful teams. My drive to keep getting better is still there and long may it continue. We’re two from two, which we’re pretty happy with, but I think there’s still areas for growth as well and I’m sure you guys will be of the same opinion.
“There’s certain areas of our game that can get better. Although you win games you still have to get a deep dive into the game and understand the areas you can get better in as well as doubling down on the stuff that you’re doing well. So, yeah, we’ll continue to do that.”
In the Six Nations Ireland are two for two and pleased, he says. But with potential for growth. In many ways just like himself.
