It says everything about the fractured nature of this season’s Six Nations championship that Wales could well be celebrating a Triple Crown success before France take to the field in Murrayfield for their second game of the tournament.
Ireland have been equally compromised by events, or more accurately non-events, at the Stade de France while the Welsh could yet be the biggest beneficiaries from the Paris fiasco. They could well be playing for the Grand Slam on the last day of the tournament in Cardiff when France will be negotiating a fourth test on the bounce.
Factor in the fact that the majority of the French squad were involved in another bruising round of Top 14 action in the French Championship over the weekend and you wonder what state they will be in by the time they arrive at the Millennium Stadium.
While Tony McGahan, Joe Schmidt and Brian McLaughlin will all have their fingers crossed that their Irish squad members return to the provinces in one piece in a month’s time, with the Heineken Cup quarter-finals looming on the horizon, it will be no different for their French counterparts. Unusually for them, 14 of their matchday squad of 22 are either from Toulouse or Clermont-Auvergne. Those two also occupy the top two slots in the French championship and many were with France at the World Cup for two weeks longer than Ireland, playing two more games.
That must take a toll at some stage. In the meantime our provinces get on with life in the RaboDirect.
For those who continue to question the role of the All-Ireland League and its place in the development of the next generation of players, it is worth noting that Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Simon Zebo were integral parts of their respective club sides this time last year. Murray is now an established international with a World Cup campaign behind him. O’Mahony would definitely have won his first cap in Paris 10 days ago off the bench only for the weather to intervene and Zebo, with six tries in his last three outings, is making a case for inclusion in the Irish squad for the three-test series against New Zealand in June.
When the window of opportunity opened for that trio, they were in a position to grasp it with both hands and the apprenticeship they served in club rugby did them no harm whatsoever. Several of the Munster team that won in Treviso last Saturday have featured prominently for a variety of clubs in the AIL this season but the fact that only two contracted players can line out per team in any one game this season is far too restrictive and, in my opinion, will prove detrimental to the development of the next generation of Munster players. That issue has to be revisited and the provincial management are finally beginning to think likewise. What if Shannon weren’t in a position to accommodate Felix Jones’ requirement for game time a few weeks ago?
After the damage done to the image of the Six Nations in Paris, it is important this weekend that all the talking points are confined to the field of play. Wales have been the standout team of the championship to date but it will be interesting to see how the French perform in Edinburgh.
They managed to put 30 points on Italy in their opening contest without ever getting out of second gear and with new coach Philippe Saint-Andre having had more preparation time with his squad, there should be a noticeable improvement in their understanding and execution on Sunday.
With Ireland returning to Paris on the following weekend, Declan Kidney will have a keen eye on that one.
For now, however, his entire focus has shifted to the Italians and the specific challenges they bring to the table.
As anticipated, Kidney named anunchanged side yesterday.There is a temptation here to think that this one will be reasonably straightforward after events in Dunedin only four short months ago when Ireland produced their most comprehensive win over the Italians since 2003 with an impressive 36-6 win.
However, circumstances were quite different on that memorable evening. Firstly, the game was played in ideal conditions on an immaculate surface in an indoor arena. The Irish backline were superior in every facet of play and the setting dictated that the game would be played at a tempo that suited Ireland infinitely better.
A factor that night also was the fact that Martin Castrogiovanni had to retire injured after only 35 minutes and Ireland controlled matters up front after his departure. The fact that he is currently out with a broken rib will not be lost on Irish forwards coach Gert Smal. Another key element that night was the sheer colour and volume of the Blarney Army, a circumstance that never seems to be replicated when Ireland play at home. Every Irish supporter in the Otago Stadium was conscious of the fact that they were 12,000 miles from home and passionately wanted to display their Irishness. It had a big influence on the players.
Italy should be arriving in Dublin on the back of a historic win over England 10 days ago but only have themselves to blame for that result. In addition to handing a try to Charlie Hodgson on a plate after turning over English possession, they also failed to capitalise on a number of kickable penalties. Somehow England escaped a first ever defeat by the Italians but given the rescue job that Ireland pulled off courtesy of Ronan O’Gara at the Stadio Flaminio last season, we are hardly in a position to crow.
England’s revival, despite those two wins, has convinced nobody and their newfound confidence could come crashing down in Twickenham if Wales manage to get any semblance of quality ball. Scotland’s massive pack denied the Welsh attacking juggernaut any opportunities in the opening half in Cardiff in round two but then in 15 minutes of magic after half-time, Wales clocked up 24 points. The rugby they are playing at the moment is a joy to watch and is poles apart from the turgid stuff England are producing.
The most remarkable feature of England’s campaign so far is that their new kicking sensation, Owen Farrell, won his first cap in the opening round against Scotland almost five years to the day after his father Andy — who also happens to be England’s defence coach — won his first cap for England.
Think about that for a second. What are the odds on that happening ever again in international rugby?
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, February 22, 2012
