O’Sullivan plots downfall of Wales’ Grand Slam dream
“If we win, we take the Triple Crown and that would be fantastic given we lost out on a chance to have a tilt at the Grand Slam,” the coach said yesterday. “After that, we will have to work out how to play things. If the opportunity to score points arise then I’m sure we will go for it but right now we have only one aim and that’s to win the game.”
The statisticians have had a field day but to entertain any thoughts of a Championship, Ireland must defeat the Grand Slam-seeking Welsh by at least 13 points.
The Irish record in Cardiff has been second to none since 1983 but the only history O’Sullivan was interested in yesterday was seven days old.
“We’re not playing France this week and Wales are not going out to play Scotland. The opposition is different and the circumstances are different. It’s a new challenge. What happened last year is history, what happened last week is history. We’re looking to win our fourth game in the championship and win back- to-back Triple Crowns. That’s what is on the line for us tomorrow.”
O’Sullivan knows exactly what faces Ireland as the whole of Wales expects to manufacture the country’s first Grand Slam since 1978.
“We have got into the middle of it, staying in a hotel close to the ground and we’re soaking up the atmosphere. There won’t be any surprises for the players when they get on the pitch.
“They are well aware of the buzz about Cardiff, well aware what it means to the Welsh but the big thing from our point of view is that we have a huge amount to play for as well. It’s not as if we’re coming here to make up the numbers and be seen as the ones to try to spoil the party because we could have a party of our own depending on the result.”
There has been no change of emphasis in terms of preparation. “We have a particular way of building up to matches for some time, win or lose the last one. We didn’t treat this game any differently. We looked at things that went wrong against France and we looked at ways that we can put these right. It’s a fairly hectic competition and, really, you can’t look back. You have to take this one step at a time and plan for the different type of opponent you’re going to meet.”
But O’Sullivan does have a grudging respect for Wales and particularly for his counterpart Mike Ruddock, who once plied his trade with Bective Rangers and Leinster before returning home.
Ruddock was a controversial choice for the Welsh job less than a year ago but has, apparently, moulded the international side into a spectacularly successful one. “I know Mike well and he has done a fantastic job. He was in a no-win situation when appointed but has certainly given them that extra bit of steel to go with obvious class. The combination makes them a very dangerous team.”
Irish captain O’Driscoll is under no illusions that the responsibility for victory, or defeat, will lie with the players. “You can be involved in a great system, with a great coach, but the bottom line is that the goods must be produced on the pitch. As captain of the team, that’s up to me in part and it’s up to the players to produce their best. I have no doubt that we’re capable of beating any team in the world, but we do have to produce our best, especially against a team so full of confidence.”
O’Sullivan also paid tribute to Irish manager Brian O’Brien who stands down from the post after five years following today’s game.
“Brian is the quintessential rugby man. We have been very fortunate to have him around, he has been a great manager and a great friend to everyone. I think we are a better rugby team because of his involvement and I think an even better compliment is to say that we’re better people because we have had him around us.”
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