Big Mal must make leap in form

IT’S the great Malcolm O’Kelly debate.

Much of this week has been taken up with the O’Gara or Humphreys conundrum, solved by O’Gara’s recurring ankle problems, but there has also been a great deal of discussion among rugby’s chattering classes about the display of Ireland’s No 5.

In the aftermath of a thoroughly professional and satisfying victory in Murrayfield, it was understandable that reaction to the demolition job on the Scots would be rose-tinted.

Fair enough, but awarding O’Kelly a match rating of 9/10, as one of the other national broadsheets did last Monday, together with the assertion that his performance placed him “up alongside O’Driscoll and Humphreys”, was truly remarkable.

A more accurate rating for the Leinster lock would have been 5/10.

For, the inescapable truth is that big Mal looks a shadow of the player he was prior to the 2001 Lions tour.

The role of the second row has changed in the last decade. In the early 1990s, when lifting was illegal, most international sides went into battle with a beanpole middle jumper whose primary brief was securing possession.

Thus we had the likes of England’s Martin Bayfield and Wales’ Derwyn Jones, both 6’ 10” monsters, who were judged solely on their ability to win ball out of touch and who contributed little or nothing to the rest of the game.

Those days are gone. Lineout possession is still absolutely crucial, but modern second rows are also expected to put it in around the park.

Last Sunday, the 6’ 8” O’Kelly reminded me of the beanpole second rows of yesteryear.

He won his percentage of lineout ball, but his influence elsewhere was negligible.

It was not always thus. I have always been an O’Kelly fan and, at his best, he is a devastating runner whose long legs gobble ground the way Gareth Chilcott gobbles pizza.

But, at Murrayfield, he looked almost disinterested. At one stage he gathered a loose ball with his back to the opposition and inexplicably let it drop.

Of course, it is easy from the armchair, but these are well-paid professionals and when you know a player is capable of so much more, this type of incident is extremely frustrating.

THE prototype for the modern day lock is Chris Jack of New Zealand. This guy combines the toughness of Colin Meads with the athleticism and ball skills of John Eales.

Gary Longwell is no Chris Jack but he is an honest grafter who takes his ball at two and puts himself about.

However, his partner did not hold up his end of the bargain last Sunday.

The thing is, in the injury-jinxed Paul O’Connell we have a guy very similar to Jack and then there is Donncha O’Callaghan, still raw but possessing a Jack-like blend of boot, bollock, bite and ball skills. The thought of those two in tandem is very exciting.

There is pretty intense competition in the second row at the moment.

Jeremy Davidson, Leo Cullen and Mick O’Driscoll are also knocking on the door.

O’Kelly’s comfort-zone lethargy is OK against a limited Scottish side but against, say England, a similar showing and Johnson and Kay will eat him up.

It will be tough in Rome tomorrow, though Ireland should still win by 15 to 20 points, and the Stadio Flaminio is an excellent arena for big Mal to show he still has what it takes. A justified 9/10 rating would go a long way towards convincing the doubters.