Gaffney rates Ireland a good chance for top Six Nations spot
He thinks that come the end of the competition in March there is no reason why Ireland cannot be challenging for space at the top of the points table.
“This Irish side is becoming stronger and stronger,” he says. “I look at it and feel that the pack has developed. The scrum had been in a lot of trouble in previous years but they have developed the scrummaging to an extent where they did very well against Australia. They also scrummaged more than adequately against Argentina, who reportedly were going to go out and smash them.
“Admittedly, they were on very wet grounds each day but I thought the forwards performed very, very well in those games. The style they are developing is one with a lot of positives about it. They are going with a lot of athletic players such as Malcolm O’Kelly and Keith Gleeson, and if you throw in Costello, Foley, Quinlan and others, you’ve a very sound pack.
“Axle Foley had very good games against Australia and Argentina. Whether the conditions suited him
remains to be seen, but he has had a wonderful time with Munster year. He’s showing a lot more to his game than he has been given credit for in the past. He’s running more with the ball and doing it very well.”
Gaffney has a deep knowledge of these players, having coached in both Leinster and Munster, who provide the bulk of the Irish team. So, when hey says Ireland have a pack to complement what promises to be one of the most exciting back divisions to represent us in a very long time, it is good news.
“Peter Stringer has started to run a bit more with the ball which is lending a new dimension to his game, and I think the more this is developed by the national boys the better he will be,” says Gaffney.
“Ronan O’Gara and David Humphreys are both very good players and Maggs and Brian O’Driscoll are outstanding centres. I do think we need a bit more oomph from the back. Girvan Dempsey has a lot of ability but I used to say to him, ‘never die wondering how good you could be’, and that’s what I think he could be, a great attacking player, but it’s a part of his game that hasn’t developed as much as I think it should have.
“He’s a great talent. Against Australia his taking of the high ball, his kicking, his positional play was very, very good. He can attack and we’ve got to get more out of him.”
The bigger picture, of course, sees Ireland looking still further ahead to the World Cup in Gaffney’s native Australia next October and November.
Ironically, the man from Bondi will be in Limerick preparing Munster for the defence of the Celtic League at the very time the tournament is taking place. But he won’t miss much.
“Obviously, Ireland are in a very difficult pool with Australia and Argentina, but Australia have been poor over the past few months. I just don’t think it’s been a particularly strong side.
“I spoke to a few people on the morning of the game in November and they believed Ireland were going to win the game. The conditions were awful but I don’t think the Australians could have changed their style of play, they still wanted to have Mortlock or Herbert punching the ball up midfield, attacking it down the side. They’ve been playing like this for three or four years now.
“I think Larkham was a very good player but he seems to have gone off the boil. He did crazy things when he was at his best but you look at what he has at the present time. He’s got no kicking game.
“That’s one thing people have to understand about Larkham. He just doesn’t kick consistently well. All the good tens in the world have to be able to kick. I don’t think Australia were good on the autumn tour and I don’t know what they’re going to do for the World Cup. If they persist with players like Wendell Sailor because they paid so much money for him, that has to be a negative. They’ve lost a lot of good players who have left the country after being told they weren’t wanted, players like Graham Bond over in Sale.”
Clearly, it’s a trend Gaffney doesn’t like to see emerging in his native patch, but he is satisfied they will do a great job in hosting the World Cup.
“The success of the World Cup doesn’t depend on Australia going beyond the quarter-finals. All the tickets are committed for one thing.
“There will be huge support for New Zealand and England, to name but two, they’re very well represented over there. Obviously, there would be great disappointment if Australia went out early but the tournament wouldn’t fall flat.
“It’s very important for the game there that they do well, they need to keep the momentum going.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
