Cardiff capitulation a big worry
Covering the RaboDirect clash between Leinster and the Cardiff Blues for RTÉ also had its merits, not least the quality of the respective back-lines. With potential Lions tourists everywhere, how would Jonny Sexton, Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy match up to the case made for selection by Jamie Roberts, Alex Cuthbert and Leigh Halfpenny? Up front I was keen to monitor just how influential Sam Warburton, many people’s Lions’ captain in waiting — I confess that I am not one of them, for this tour at least — would be at this level.
What transpired was not only an embarrassment to the decorated history of the Cardiff club but has possibly even damaged the RaboDirect Pro12 itself.
Bear in mind the war that is being waged in the board room of the ERC at present in relation to the revamping of the Heineken Cup when the current accord expires in June 2014. The English and French clubs complain that with no relegation and automatic qualification for the vast majority competing in Europe, the Rabo is not competitive enough and allows teams to tweak their selections for the greater demands posed by Heineken Cup action.
Leinster were short Sean O’Brien, Brad Thorn, Rob Kearney and Isa Nacewa from their Heineken Cup final side of last season but led 40-3 at half-time against a Cardiff team with six of the match-day Welsh Grand Slam winning side. Joe Schmidt’s men were magnificent in terms of their attitude, basic skills, appreciation of space and execution. Sadly, Cardiff Blues were a joke.
Bear in mind that they are the only Welsh regional side that has managed to retain their identity, even if Cardiff RFC are technically a feeder side for Cardiff Blues since 2003, and after a brief but unsuccessful move to the new Cardiff City Stadium, are now back at their traditional home at Cardiff Arms Park where the club has competed since 1876.
Bear in mind that this is a club which has beaten Australia on six occasions in addition to historic wins over New Zealand and South Africa. This is the club that has provided more Welsh internationals and Lions players than any other in the Principality. It is the home of Cliff Morgan, Gareth Edwards, Barry John and Gerald Davies. They were the benchmark for all others in the 1970s and early 1980s with outstanding players such as Terry Holmes, Gareth Davies, Bob Norster, Alan Phillips and England Grand Slam-winning number eight John Scott.
I played against them on a number of occasions for Munster and the Barbarians and was selected for my first Irish cap against Australia on the morning after proving my credentials against them at the Arms Park in 1981. The logic was simple, perform over there and you were ready to take the next step. Their clubhouse oozed history, decorated with famous photos of great teams and iconic images against the best international sides the game had to offer. That is why Saturday’s abject performance at the RDS was sad to watch and that is meant with no disrespect whatsoever to Leinster. Their commitment and professionalism on the night was in marked contrast to that displayed by their visitors.
On the surface Welsh rugby is in rude health with three Grand Slams in eight seasons and a squad of players that could, in the right circumstances, become serious contenders for the World Cup in England in 2015. However, if the quality of their club sides continue to erode — Ospreys are the only Welsh outfit still in contention in the Heineken Cup after only two rounds — then it won’t happen. If the majority of their best young players are allowed to flee the nest and sign lucrative contracts with French clubs, then Warren Gatland will not be able to deliver on that huge promise.
International players must respect the club jersey they wear week, week out. Can you imagine Munster’s international players paying lip service to the red jersey when lining out in the Rabo or the Heineken Cup because they were saving themselves for international duty? I fear that is what is happening in Cardiff. On Sunday a number of the Cardiff players headed to the cryotherapy chambers of Spala for eight days to prepare for the forthcoming November internationals. Subjected to temperatures of minus 140 degrees for short bursts, it sets your mind thinking pretty rapidly.
I wonder how many of the Cardiff squad were focused on what awaited them in Poland this week rather than on the challenge they faced against Leinster. Warburton made no impact whatsoever and was played off the park by a rookie in Jordi Murphy whom I had no hesitation in naming man of the match.
Roberts and Halfpenny did precious little and only Cuthbert made a consistent effort over 80 minutes. By failing to turn up in Dublin, Cardiff not only let down a proud club with an outstanding history but also added credence to the arguments made by the English and the French powerbrokers that there should be a qualification process whereby only the top six or eight teams make the cut for the Heineken Cup.
With the Scottish and Italian sides already struggling badly to make any impact in this season’s Heineken Cup, the last thing we need is for the Welsh regions to become non-competitive in our domestic league. Saturday’s emphatic win will do nothing for Leinster either in terms of preparation for their clashes with Clermont Auvergne in December.
Chances are the Welsh will start spouting about the restrictions being placed on their regional sides by the £3.5m salary cap introduced by the Welsh rugby union this season as some sort of defence and to be fair, that is an issue. However, it is not an excuse for quality players to turn up and disrespect their club by going through the motions which is exactly what some of the high profile Cardiff players did last weekend.
Leinster are a magnificent side but even they should not be able to register six tries and a 37 point lead by half time against opposition with nine internationals on board. It is time for serious introspection in Cardiff. Without it even the Irish sides could begin to feel the repercussions.
