Madigan hoping Schmidt links keep in Ireland frame

By ALEX BYWATER

IAN Madigan is refusing to give up on his Ireland dream, despite plying his trade in the English Championship with Bristol this season.

The 30-cap outside-half has been frozen out of the international picture since leaving his native Leinster for Bordeaux- Begles last year.

Pat Lam brought him to Bristol on a three-year deal but Madigan is still hoping to catch the eye of Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt.

“The ultimate ambition is always to represent your country,” Madigan said. “For me at the moment it’s about training hard for Bristol and earning the respect of my team-mates.

“But if I play the best I can and it puts me on Joe Schmidt’s radar, then it’s all well and good. I’ll just control the things I can control.”

Schmidt oversaw Madigan’s development at Leinster during a three-year spell at the RDS. Now another Leinster product, Joey Carbery, looks set to step into the role as Johnny Sexton’s Ireland deputy this season. But Madigan, 28, right, is hoping his connection with the Ireland head coach keeps him in the loop. He said: “I played under Joe at Leinster for three or four years and was lucky enough to play under him with Ireland for a similar length of time.

“I’m lucky someone of his rugby intellect had such a big influence on my career.”

Madigan was part of a Bordeaux side that could only finish 11th in the Top14 last season. But Madigan said: “Bordeaux grew me as a person, and player. There were some very good players; guys like Adam Ashley-Cooper.

“He shared the knowledge he’d picked up over 15 years and there were some really good forwards, too. Playing and training alongside them opened up my mind to differing ways of doing things.”