Jacob Stockdale is his own toughest critic. It’s been that way since his youth, and it’s worth recounting a story from his first year on the Ireland Under-20 squad to illustrate the point.
Sitting in the Lansdowne pavilion in January 2015, the 18-year-old Lurgan-born wing opened a folder to reveal handwritten notes alongside numbers on a customised grid: performance indicators is the phrase employed in the official lingo.
As he sat beside the then Ireland Under-20 head coach Nigel Carolan – now the Glasgow Warriors backs coach – the teenager reviewed footage on a laptop from matches against Leinster and Munster Development XVs, warm-up games ahead of the Six Nations.
Have Ireland changed their selection policy ahead of the clash with Wales?
The notes belonged to Stockdale and represented the player’s interpretation, or explanation, as to whether he made a positive or negative contribution to the team and rationalised the decision-making process at given moments in the game.
The searing self-criticism was striking as Stockdale analysed his contributions. Reminding him of the vignette several years later in an interview, the player said with a laugh: “I would say that [being highly critical] is my trademark to a certain extent.”
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Stockdale celebrates his 30th birthday next month, and even if he’s mellowed slightly in the five-and-a-half-years since the chat he is unlikely to have completely abandoned his unflinching honesty.
But it’s important that he uses the rod sparingly. While there were periods when his form slumped, a horrible run with injuries was a significant contributory factor.
Over the last few seasons opportunities have been curtailed with Ireland, a far cry from his 10-try salvo in the Grand Slam season of 2017-2018, seven of which were in the Six Nations. He’s had to be patient, a virtue that’s been tested remorselessly.
Last summer he started superbly in a Test against Georgia in Tbilisi only to land on the point of his shoulder chasing and catching a high ball. He missed the remainder of the game and the following week’s game against Portugal in Lisbon.
He played against Japan in November, but missed out on the other three matches, so when handed the chance to start Ireland’s opening game of the Six Nations in the Stade de France, he would have been mustard to impress. He didn’t need the post-match review to benchmark the acute disappointment.
Jacob Stockdale, right, challenges France wing Théo Attissogbe during the opening Six Nations fixture, which Ireland lost 36-14. Photograph: Julie Sebadelha/Getty
A sodden Paris night washed away many a green-shirted ambition. Stockdale was one. The red numbers brooked no argument, three missed tackles and three turnovers, while the aerial tussling went comprehensively France’s way. Again, this was a shared failing that belonged to many.
It was a couple of other figures, though, that caught the eye and reinforced Stockdale’s prowess in possession: six carries, 34 metres, three defenders beaten, a decent effort considering he got no space and precious little time.
James Lowe’s recovery from injury meant that Stockdale sat out the Italy game, which Ireland won 20-13, and when Lowe damaged his groin during the 42-21 win over England, Leinster’s Tommy O’Brien was entrusted with the task of patrolling that corridor and beyond. He did so brilliantly, scoring a try.
Is the O’Brien man unlucky to miss out on a place against Wales on Friday night? Yes. But there are several issues at play in Andy Farrell’s decision. It is not comparing like with like, more a case of apples and oranges.
Ulster player Stockdale is a bona fide left-footed left wing. In 54 appearances for Leinster, O’Brien has worn the 11 jersey twice: on March 5th, 2022, against Benetton in Treviso and then the following week against Ulster in Belfast.
Most of Stockdale’s 41 Test caps (19 tries) have been on the left wing, while seven of O’Brien’s eight (six tries) have been while wearing the number 14. What Farrell has now done is to offer Stockdale the same chance he has to several others already in the campaign to respond positively to a setback in performance terms.
It’s not blind loyalty. If the Ulster player wasn’t impressive in training – Farrell alluded to this in his press conference – he wouldn’t have been restored to the team. Stockdale’s challenge is to remove the untidy elements from the defensive chores, while reminding everyone of what a superb athlete and potent attacking threat he remains.
He’ll need to work off his wing because if the ball doesn’t get to him in orthodox fashion then it can’t be an excuse to be involved peripherally. The more possession that he enjoys, the greater the threat to the Welsh defence. It is rare that Stockdale is stopped at the first point of contact and he is unselfish in his outlook.
In the background there’ll be the usual churn from those who only see things in monochrome, talking about last chances and other rubbish. At his best there are few with a more rounded skill set when it comes to the art of scoring tries. And that’s the level he must broach on Friday night for everyone to benefit, player and team.
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