Ireland’s missing link?

LOST in all the hype about the Irish win over South Africa on Saturday was an equally stirring against-the-odds rugby win across the pond.

With a 24-12 triumph over world champions Australia, their greatest home victory in the 96-year Test history between the two sides, Great Britain reached the final of the Rugby League Tri-Nations championship. Starring on the wing for Great Britain? One Brian Carney.

No, I have not changed my rugby allegiance to League, and no, I have not become a cheerleader for Great Britain, especially not at the expense of this outstanding Irish union team.

Saturday was one of the truly great days in Irish sport, and with my two kids now also sucked into the rugby scene, there was a warm glow surrounding this hut in the hills on Saturday evening after a heroic performance that saw some (but only some, judging by their whining after-match comments) of the arrogance sucked out of the South Africans. But I am becoming a cheerleader for Brian Carney, probably the most outstanding winger in Rugby League today.

Over the past five years or so, more and more top Rugby League stars are being persuaded to make the switch across to Union, and with good reason. League was professional long before Union, it placed a premium on fitness, strength, on organised defence, and many of its stars were streets ahead of their Union counterparts.

Australia saw the potential very early on, but others soon followed. Currently in the Australian side, you have Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuquri and Mat Rogers, while they are working on Andrew Johns, who is said to be better than any of them.

Jason Robinson, another League convert, captained England, while both Wales and Scotland have also featured their own converts.

So, what of Ireland? So far, no-one, not even a murmur.

Less you think I’m over-hyping the man, here’s what Rugby League itself, in a piece penned by Craig Murray fir its website, had to say about Carney, before the 2003 Ashes series against Australia. “The emergence of Brian Carney in 2003 is not only one of the most pleasing aspects of a terrific year for Rugby League, but possibly the greatest ‘feel-good’ story in the history of Summer Rugby League.”

You want more? Like, for example, how Carney fared, in that series? Murray again: “When Carney lined up for Great Britain at Wigan for the first Test, he was the only specialist winger between the two sides. Expectations were higher for the Irish winger and he duly delivered in a fantastic performance. Carney recorded seventeen hit ups, as well as one line break and scored two tries, the latter of which almost won the match. If it had done, it would have been one of the top ten moments in Rugby League’s 108-year history.”

Okay, so you think that, like Gordon D’Arcy last year for Ireland, Australia weren’t ready for Carney. They had no such excuse the next time.

“After such a distinguished performance, all eyes were on Carney yet again in the second Test. It would have been so easy for Carney to have turned in a poor performance, or even an average one, but the Irishman was one player who stood up to the task and gave his all for the eighty minutes. Carney would make sixteen hit ups in the game, the most of any of the British side, and his 33 carries fairly represent his outstanding work ethic.”

All this, from a Rugby League novice with barely 80 games of playing experience under his belt.

Very obviously, Carney is a rugby-player of rare talent. He now plays in Jason Robinson’s old position on the wing for Wigan, one of the strongest Rugby League clubs in world rugby, and is being compared favourably to the dual rugby Lion standout.

He starred again in Saturday’s win over Australia, has now attracted the attention of the top clubs Down Under, with talk that he’ll be making that journey sooner rather than later. This should not be allowed to happen.

There is money in Irish rugby, up front and behind the scenes. Brian Carney MUST be persuaded to cross the line. It will take a lot of money to buy him out of his League contract with Wigan, but no matter. It would be a wise investment.

Carney is intelligent, eloquent, already being looked at as a possible poster-boy and spokesman for Rugby League. However, from his words, from his actions, there can be no doubting the 28-yr-old’s desire to represent his own country. Cork-born, Wicklow raised, after his selection for Great Britain last year, according to the Rugby League website, he “politely but firmly refused to pose with the Union Jack.

“Sadly, there was no Irish flag for him to pose with instead.”

Additionally, he has lately called for an Irish team to be allowed enter the 2008 Rugby League World Cup under its own banner.

Sounds like perfect Munster material to me; sounds like perfect World Cup material. Not Rugby League, not Great Britain, not 2008; Rugby Union, Ireland, 2007. Get it done.