‘Guys were pumped up and ready, but nowhere to go’
By Simon Lewis
Monday, February 13, 2012
Ireland captain Paul O’Connell is hoping the Six Nations opt for a three-week delay to the weather-hit clash with France, preferring some precious time at home to a quick return to Paris this weekend.
Ireland’s players returned from the French capital yesterday afternoon with their plans for a couple of days at home before a brief training camp in Belfast in limbo following the late postponement on Saturday night.
The call-off means the Six Nations willtoday decide whether to reschedule the game for this Sunday or fix it for the weekend of March 2/3/4. Delaying for three weeks would give the players some down time next weekend after three weeks in camp before heading into a home game with Italy on February 25, and then their remaining three games in consecutive weeks.
Four games in-a-row would mimic the World Cup pool stages last September and October and O’Connell would rather that than a quick turnaround.
"I think it would be hard to come back next weekend," the Munster and Ireland captain said. "Some guys love playing four or five games in-a-row. Other guys don’t. I think guys have plans to get home, spend a bit of time with the family after three weeks in camp this week. I think it might be tough to arrange, logistically but if that’s what we have to do, that’s what we’ll do."
As for the decision to call the game off just minutes before kick-off, O’Connell expressed some sympathy for the big call by referee Dave Pearson.
"It’s strange in this day and age that a game can be put off, especially when it’s as dry as it is. But I don’t know what the decision-making process was. Certainly for Dave, it’s tough to be the one guy holding the future of players in their hand.
"Paul Wallace picked up a bad injury playing on a frozen pitch (for Saracens againstUlster in 2000) whicheffectively hurt his career, so I think it’s a tough situation for a referee to be in and you can probably see why he would err on the side of caution."
O’Connell said the condition of the pitch varied from area to area but the decision had been the correct one.
"Our half wasn’t too bad but where the French team warmed up there were some areas that were very problematic and I know that when Jonny (Sexton) went down kicking that Morgan Parra indicated once or twice there were a few bad areas.
"Certainly when we came on from the Astroturf to thesideline it was like concrete and if it was like that in patches of the pitch I reckon the ref probably made the right decision."
The lock also revealed just how close it came to kick-off in terms of the Irish team’s preparations when the players were told the game was off.
"We were in the dressing room. We were about 30 seconds away from going out. We were just beginning to put on our jackets and our gear to keep warm for the anthems. We were full sure we were playing up until that point. Dave just walked into the dressing room and said ‘it’s off’ and Declan shook his hand, he walked out and we sat down. It’s a really strange situation. We prepared, we’d had a good week’s prep. It’s just a real strange feeling. We got out and did a quarter of a session but they wanted us to get off the pitch because they felt the crowd were hanging around because we were hanging around so we’d to move on. Guys are pumped up and ready for action and nowhere to go."
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, February 13, 2012
