Irish captain cautious about progress

KEITH WOOD is to "take a rest from the game for a few weeks", thus missing the international friendly between Ireland and Argentina at Lansdowne Road on Saturday November 23.

Wood, who returned to club rugby with Harlequins last week after a lengthy lay off with a neck injury will not play any part in Quin's weekend match against London Wasps in the Zurich Premiership, satisfied instead to watch his team-mates against Fiji from the stand tomorrow.

Though a little detached from team affairs, the former World Player of the Year, Wood offers an interesting

insight into the plans of Eddie O'Sullivan and co and their target of three victories from these autumn

internationals.

"For the last couple of years we have been knocking at the door against the southern hemisphere teams. For once, we managed to win a game against one of them. What I would like to see is an Ireland team, on a regular basis, coming into

fixtures like these with the capability of winning," Wood says in this month's issue of Rugby World.

However he sounds a note of caution in the wake of the side's recent form against some of the world's top rugby playing nations. Let's not get too carried away just yet, seems to be the missive.

"I don't want to dampen enthusiasm for our achievement in beating England in October of last year. We had everything stacked in our favour, yet it took a hand trip from Peter Stringer to save us that day.

"That result, and others, papered over the cracks. When we played New Zealand a couple of weeks later, we did really well for an hour, but then under pressure we revealed our defensive structure to be non-existent. That's when, in my opinion, we got found out.

"I would say we are still a bit behind the really big boys in terms of a defensive structure and that's where you either win or lose games."

But Wood says this is an issue which is being tackled in the 11-month countdown to Australia and the World Cup finals.

"Defensive coach Mike Ford came in for the Six Nations, not to produce immediate results but to start on a process that will bear fruit, I hope, in time for the World Cup. We have really had to go back to basics in terms of that defensive structure and that will mean the odd reverse here and there."

So where too from now? How can Ireland survive amongst the biggest and best in the world game? The

answer is as much mental as physical. In the long term, Wood believes Ireland must "get the heads around the concept of beating the big boys more than just once. I don't think we're too far off achieving that goal and if the improvements I'm expecting come to fruition, then I think we will have a very good World Cup."

But back to things at hand, and a week from today, Ireland face Argentina at Lansdowne Road in the last international outing of 2002 for the home nations. Not surprisingly, the Killaloe native is especially anxious for a victory against the South American Pumas.

"They have come on in leaps and bounds and have done so because they have plenty of opportunity to play southern hemisphere sides. The fact we've lost to them in our last two games tells you everything you need to know. We have to beat quality sides like Argentina if we are to make any serious inroads into the World Cup."

And Fiji tomorrow? "We expect and will be expected to beat them. But that may only come after a hard physical battle and a lot of tackling, because the Fijians end up all over the place."

Simon Raiwalui, Fiji's street-wise second row, hopes that will be the case, especially in the wake of their 58-14 defeat by Wales last week.

"Fiji have to battle more than most because we have so little time together as a squad. I think that showed a lot in Cardiff, but there should be a big improvement because we can benefit by spending more time together."

Ireland, he said, did not create much of stir amongst the Fijians through their victory over Australia.

"At Lansdowne Road Ireland are always dangerous. If they were capable of beating England last year they were capable of beating Australia this time. I have played against most of the top players against Munster, Leinster and Connacht and so I have a fair idea what to expect.

Ireland and Fiji have met only once before in an official international in Lansdowne Road in 1995. The Irish won 44-8 that day, but that should not shroud the fact the Fijians were unlucky to lose 15-16 a decade before.

The other game between the countries, an unofficial meeting, was in Suva in 1976 as Ireland returned from a tour of Australia. Ireland won 8-0.

IRELAND: G Murphy (Leicester), S Horgan (Lansdowne), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock, captain), K Maggs (Bath), J Bishop (London Irish),

D Humphreys (Dungannon), S Easterby (Llanelli), M Horan (Shannon), F Sheahan (Cork Constitution),

J Hayes (Shannon), L Cullen (Blackrock), M O'Kelly (St Mary's),

A Quinlan (Shannon), A Foley (Shannon), K Dawson (London Irish).

FIJI: W Serevi (Mont de Marsan), F Lasagavibau (Northland, NZ),

V Satala (NEC Harlequins), S Bai (Southland, NZ), N Ligairi (Southland, NZ), N Little (Saracens),

J Rauluni (Rotherham), R Nyholt (Queensland University), G Smith (Fraser Tech, NZ) captain; B Cavubati (Wellington), A Naevo (Kaneka, Japan), S Raiwalui (Newport),

A Mocelutu (Neath), A Doviverata (Yamaha, Japan), S Koyamaibole (Toyto Skokki, Japan).