THE MAKING OF JOSH VAN DER FLIER
HE ALWAYS played with a smile on his face and still does.” Those are the words of Brian Clarke, president of Wicklow RFC where Josh van der Flier first took up rugby. Clarke is also quick to pay tribute to the Leinster and Ireland back-row for giving up his time to continue to support the club, including being an ambassador for their inclusive team, Wicklow Warriors.
Van der Flier’s humble, friendly nature is a common theme when talking to people about his rise to the top – as is his work ethic. Here’s an Opta statistic from the first two rounds of the Six Nations that illustrates what the 26-year-old is all about: van der Flier has been the first man to 41 of the 65 rucks he’s hit, more than any other player; his 63% ratio of first arrivals is also the best rate of
