Rugby: Axing of A Championship a mistake

CLIVE WOODWARD isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, but it is difficult to disagree with his view that it was a mistake to axe the Six Nations A International Championship.

Woodward is, of course, in the happy position of having a plethora of players from which to choose his best side and obviously would like to see those on the fringes in action at as high a level as possible.

He takes the other nations to task for using finance as an excuse to end the series and again he is surely on the right lines when saying: "This is a backward step and I can't believe the money isn't there for teams to play in it."

Wales were first to pull the plug, Scotland followed suit and then Ireland opted out. That leaves England, France and Italy prepared to carry on.

And just as Woodward is now largely deprived of the opportunity of again watching several of those who impressed for the England selection against the New Zealand Barbarians last Saturday, so too, will Eddie O'Sullivan not be able to run the rule over those who have been making a name for themselves in the Heineken Cup and Celtic League.

Several of those who helped Ulster to the Celtic Cup last week as well as Connacht players making this a very rewarding season for the western province come readily to mind.

Certainly, Ulster forwards like Matt McCullough, Neil Best, Neil McMillan and especially Roger Wilson are worthy of every consideration. They may have exaggerated the relevance of the Celtic Cup but surely not of their excellent Heineken Cup triumph over Stade Francais.

Ireland are clearly in desperate need of a full-back given the ongoing injury to Geordan Murphy and the World Cup travails of Girvan Dempsey. Mark McHugh has been doing very well with Connacht and Paddy Wallace and Jeremy Staunton would relish a chance to show off their talents at A level.

Back-row boys John O'Sullivan and Paul Neville have been performing outstandingly well for the western province while Johnny O'Connor at London Wasps, has been one of the revelations of the Zurich Championship so far.

But there is no place for a single one of these players in O'Sullivan's pre-Six Nations squad, a remark that also applies to Mick O'Driscoll, formerly of Munster but now with Perpignan.

Also to Gavin Duffy, ex-Connacht currently with Harlequins, along with the talented Andy Dunne, who grew tired of hanging around the Leinster scene; Justin Fitzpatrick of Castres and London Irishmen Barry Everitt, Kieron Dawson and Bob Casey.

I'm not suggesting that all or even a large percentage of these would be good enough for an Irish A side if it still existed. But it is difficult to blame any of them for believing that out of sight is out of mind and that's something those battling in the cause of Connacht could also justifiably claim.

It's as if the names of those still available after the World Cup are cast in stone and very few if any "outsiders" will break through.

Allowing that Ireland's front choice 22 will be very much on the lines of those involved "down under", O'Sullivan could call on an entire battery of players worthy of gracing an international A side.

Here's some of those I have in mind: Full-backs, Paddy Wallace, Mark McHugh, Jeremy Staunton; three-quarters Gordon Darcy, Rob Henderson, David Quinlan, Mike Mullins, Anthony Horgan, Tyrone Howe.

At half-back, Paddy Wallace, Barry Everitt, Brian O'Meara, Neil Doak, Brian O'Riordan; front-rows, Simon Best, Bernard Jackman, Emmett Byrne, Peter Coyle, Justin Fitzpatrick; second-rows Matt McCullough, Mick O'Driscoll, Aidan Kearney; back-rows Johnny O'Connor, John O'Sullivan, Paul Neville, Des Dillon, Stephen Keogh, Neil McMillan.

Looks like we have more strength in depth than we imagined. It's just a pity these players don't have an international stage on which to display their talents.