Irish creativity sadly lacking

IN the disappointment of losing Sunday’s Grand Slam game against England, too many people are missing a number of critical points.

Apart from one prop forward (and Phil Vickery didn't exactly set the world on fire for Gloucester in Thomond Park against Munster), Clive Woodward had more or less his strongest starting XV on the field. Meanwhile, look at Eddie O'Sullivan's absentees: Shane Horgan, Reggie Corrigan, Keith Wood, David Wallace, and until recently, Paul O'Connell, who came on as a late sub.

Look even to the A game, won by Ireland with a last-minute penalty from the middle of the park by Mark McHugh. The list of injuries/absentees from this side is so long that this was essentially Ireland's third team.