If ever the stage was set for the mother of all finales, then this is it
At this stage, both are just a little trite, although they contain a great deal of substance. After all, Ireland haven't enjoyed a clean sweep in the Championship for 55 years and England have beaten Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and France as well as anybody that possibly matters in the past few months.
If ever the stage was set for the mother of all finales, then this is it. England's ranking as the world's number one side and their recent record suggests that Ireland should have no chance of depriving them of the grand slam for the second time in three years. But that would be to overlook Ireland's own splendid achievement in winning each of their last 10 matches, a run that also included a victory over the world champions.
Perhaps even more significantly, the game is being played at Lansdowne Road where home support is certain to exceed anything that has gone before. There has never been a match quite like this in the past; beating Wales in 1948 was wonderful, of course, as were the Triple Crown successes in 1982 and '85, but going head to head with England when both teams have won each of their four previous games is something else again.
"England are the best team in the world; they've beaten the three Southern Hemisphere teams and won God knows how many other matches as well," says Irish captain and key man Brian O'Driscoll. "We're glad to have them at Lansdowne because Twickenham seems to be something of a fortress for them. It's a one-off game for us, we're really looking forward to it, and we feel if we play to the standards we have set ourselves, we think we are very capable of beating them."
Heroes of '48 like Bertie O'Hanlon and Paddy Reid concurred with O'Driscoll this week, both happy to dwell on the benefits of home advantage. O'Driscoll also believes it could mean the difference between defeat and victory.
"The Lansdowne Roar has really taken off, especially in the Australian and Argentine games, and added those extra couple of points that we needed," he claimed. There is little doubt that the crowd will do all they can and yet they cannot really help the cause unless the team gives them something to cheer about. And that's where O'Driscoll's salutary words after the Welsh cliffhanger spring readily to mind.
"We won't beat England with a performance like that," he declared. Wales are a poor side and yet Ireland scraped home by a point. If the team as a whole tackles as poorly again and the scrum struggles as much as it did last week, we won't have a prayer. Furthermore, in spite of the record 10 straight victories, I still believe this present Irish side has yet to prove itself. The jury, as I've stated several times already, is still out.
England are a different proposition. On the one hand, they have flopped in the final match in three of the last four championships and accordingly they are clearly vulnerable. On the other, they haven't attained number one status in the world by being anything other than an outstanding team blessed with a whole raft of superb footballers: Jonny Wilkinson is out on his own as an out-half, Ben Cohen has developed into a great wing, Jason Robinson's elusive running makes him a desperately difficult opponent, Matt Dawson is a class scrum-half. And that's only the backs.
When Ireland have defeated England in the last 10 years, hugely influential people have been missing from their side, notably Dean Richards in 1993 and '94, Martin Johnson in 2001. Johnson is there this time, though, and with the exception of the tight head prop berth, coach Clive Woodward has been able to select from a full squad. Furthermore, he has abandoned his sometimes zany selectorial ways and settled for convention as they try to atone for missing out on the slam in three of the last four years.
"It's a huge one-off game that we must win," he accepts while adding: "But we must also front up. I looked closely at the video of the Scottish match and thought we had played particularly well. I believe we have stepped up a few gears, we have a good team and the world's best captain and Ireland will have to play well to beat us." However, after a couple of seconds thought, he added: "Which they are more than capable of doing."
"The players want this Grand Slam desperately and I want it desperately. But it doesn't come easy. This game is probably the hardest of all the chances we have had."
The Irish squad may never have a chance of the Grand Slam again and that very knowledge could inspire them to produce a level of performance we have not yet seen from them. Anything less and the glory will be England's.
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