Imports come at too high a price
When Quinlan took to the field either with Shannon in his early days or subsequently with Munster and Ireland he would leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of victory.
Quinlan always gave everything he had to the cause. He knew no other way.
I will return to his contribution to the game before the season ends but the reason I mention it here is not solely because of his imminent retirement but because of Quinlan’s 27-cap international career. It seems a paltry return in modern terms when others have surpassed that figure without ever been a frontline starter or even managing one full 80-minute shift at the coal face.
In recent times there has been a growing trend of overseas players decamping to this part of the world in pursuit of international honours in the knowledge they would never achieve such accolades in their native land.
The three-year residency rule enables them to play for their adopted country once they have not appeared for their nation of origin at either full or A international level or on the IRB international sevens circuit.
Professionalism changed the face of international rugby in more ways than one and, in most instances, for the better.
In the early years after the game went open — whatever that means — the makeup of the national side was transformed as the majority of our best players fled to the English Premiership for employment. At one stage in the late 1990s, an Irish side took to the field with only one player from an Irish club in it.
New Irish coach Brian Ashton refused to waste his time attending All-Ireland League games and favoured players based in England.
Common sense eventually prevailed and the IRFU successfully enticed our best players home to perform with their native provinces. The rest is history.
During that period some players who had arrived with no pretences of playing international rugby — but having lived here for the requisite period — became eligible to play for the national side.
Andy Ward, who still lives in the north after marrying a local girl, gave great service as did Leinster’s Kurt McQuilkin. Both became immersed in the Irish way of doing things.
The new trend, however, is different. I have no issue with players who qualify because their parents or grandparents are Irish and they declare for that reason. Recent additions on that front include Keith Gleeson, Tom Court and Isaac Boss.
I have difficulty, however, with this developing trend where players are willing to come and take their chances with the added possibility of gaining international honours. Richardt Strauss has been a revelation for Leinster this season and will become eligible to play for Ireland at the end of next season. South Africa would never pick him because in their eyes he is too small.
The Springbok selectors took the same view with the 2009/10 Guinness Premiership player of the season, Saracens’ Schalk Brits, though he impressed when winning his three caps.
One of Ulster’s plethora of South African’s, Robbie Diack, has gone down a similar road and becomes eligible for Ireland in a few months. Leinster’s latest acquisition in the second row, Steven Sykes, has also openly stated that he wants to play for Ireland in three years’ time, as has Munster’s Peter Borlase. If this trend continues we will no longer require Gert Smal’s knowledge of the Afrikaans language to decipher the Springbok lineout calls. Another former South African, Connacht’s Brett Wilkinson, is now Irish qualified, has played for the Irish Wolfhounds this season and has a chance of making the World Cup squad.
Great addition that Strauss might be, I have problems with it. Already the English squad has three New Zealanders in Dylan Hartley, Shontayne Hape and Riki Flutey, while Hendrik Fourie is South African.
Where does it end?
Perhaps my view is coloured by the experience of playing with Brian Smith for Ireland some years ago. I had already played against Smith in the international arena when he came on for Nick Farr Jones in the 1987 World Cup quarter-final and the following year for an international invitation XV that played against Australia back in Sydney.
Within 12 months Smith had decamped to Oxford and made his intentions clear that he wished to declare for one of the home countries. Ireland jumped at the chance. Smith was duly selected but on the eve of the 1991 World Cup left Ireland in the lurch to take up a professional rugby league contract in his native country.
Ralph Keyes, whom Smith kept out of the Irish team for two seasons, was given his opportunity in the World Cup and emerged as the tournament’s top scorer. At least the door is closed on that type of thing happening now.
Last season, while attending Munster’s opening Heineken Cup game against Northampton in Franklin’s Gardens, I bumped into Smith for the first time in over 18 years. He was there in his capacity as England backs coach. For some reason he didn’t seem very interested in having a discussion. I wonder why?
Playing for your country is an incredible honour and anyone handed that jersey must have a passionate desire to represent all that is good about it. It must never, ever be allowed to develop into a jersey of convenience.
Just think of what Alan Quinlan would do to win just one more cap.
