Connacht Rugby star Paul Boyle has 2027 World Cup squad place in his sights
Paul Boyle is heading into his 10th season playing for Connacht when Stuart Lancaster’s side begin their URC campaign at home to the Stormers this Friday (see p79), and has set himself one huge target — to be heading to Australia this time next year to play in the Rugby World Cup.
He will be 30 in January and knows this is his last big chance if he is to play in a World Cup and add to the only cap he got five years ago off the bench against the USA.
And the versatile back rower who has made 138 appearances for Connacht, believes that their tough Champions Cup draw against four previous winners — Toulouse, La Rochella, Exeter Chiefs and Saracens — gives him the ideal opportunity to catch the eye of Andy Farrell and Paul O’Connell.
“These are the teams we want to be playing against. You want to be playing against the best teams, the best players. This is why we play rugby. Even for someone like myself, I have one cap, I haven't had a load of international rugby. These are the games that are next best and these are the games that get you those international caps,” said the Wexford native, who was in Ireland A squads over the past year.
“I was lucky enough to get one cap. I still have certain disappointments and regrets of not getting more at that time, but that's the nature of professional sport.
“Look, it's never too late. It's going to be a huge season for me. I'm only 29, but if you work in World Cup cycles, this is one big opportunity, one big year to have to try and get in.”
Connacht have seven Irish internationals who will sit out the game against the Stormers after being on summer tour duty, but Boyle knows they need to start this season well and not leave themselves with as much to do in the second half of the season.
“If we look at last season, that's obviously the big improvement we need to make from last season,” added Boyle.
“We left ourselves an awful lot to do post-Christmas. We did a large majority of that until that quarter-final. But we can't miss any games.
“I'm looking forward to getting stuck in and putting that right this year.”