Campbell believes Ireland can emulate 1985 heroics

TRIPLE CROWN winners are a small and illustrious cartel. With six titles in the vault, the last in 1985, the current membership figures don’t venture into the treble digits.

And now, providing they defeat Scotland, a new crop of Irish stars are about to join the illustrious group.

Ollie Campbell, a member of the team which beat Scotland in 1982, is one of the famed names in this special gang and gives an amazing insight into the importance of the ‘Crown’.

“We go back a long time in Ireland but we’ve ever only won six Triple Crowns. The Grand Slam is probably the ultimate but the championship victories, of which there have been a few more, are hardly ever mentioned,” he said yesterday.

“Naturally, I would be delighted if the title could be added to a Triple Crown but I wouldn’t worry too much about it because Triple Crown winners, particularly in Ireland, will always be remembered.”

He dismissed claims the achievement could possibly be downgraded after Italy’s arrival in the tournament.

“Look back in history to the intense rivalry between Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales. Triple Crowns have always been difficult to win.”

Campbell’s own career was stimulated by stories from his father of the great era of the late 1940s, when Ireland secured their only Grand Slam, along with their third and fourth Triple Crowns.

The pressure prior to the 1982 tussle with the Scots was immense.

“First, there was the fact that Ireland hadn’t won a Triple Crown for 33 years and that we had, at last, a chance to clinch the title at Lansdowne.

“My special memories that season were of Moss Finn scoring a couple of tries in our win over Wales, Ginger’s [Garry McLoughlin’s] try and my own conversion to help beat England at Twickenham and the goal-kicks that went over against Scotland in the final match in difficult conditions.

“But we won, and when you think about everything, it was a dramatic turnaround. Remember, the bulk of that team had gone through eight matches without a win before we embarked on that campaign.

“All of a sudden, within a month, we had won the Triple Crown and that gave rugby a huge boost here.”

Whilst recognising that Ireland may be under even more pressure this weekend, Campbell is convinced they will rise to the occasion.

“We wouldn’t have been such hot favourites that time, but I think this current squad is capable of coping with the pressures from outside. There will be a huge amount of expectation but I am confidant they can cope with it. They are so well organised, so professional, that they are more likely to look upon this as just another match and not a Triple Crown decider.

“Eddie O’Sullivan and all those involved will be unlikely to let a golden chance like this slip. When Eddie took over the job, and a lot of work had been done before him, he promised consistency was the key to success.

“He has got exactly what he wanted. The Irish pack is good enough to compete with any team in the world, good enough to master some of the better ones and there is a lot of talent elsewhere.

“I think the policy of picking in-form players has worked very well. We have an example of Malcolm O’Kelly being dropped but coming back to play a huge role in the last couple of days. It was the wake-up call he needed.

“Both he and Gordon D’Arcy have proved you can have the right guys in the right place at the right time.”

But he sounds a word of warning.

“I do foresee Scotland causing problems for some of the game and obviously one would have to await Ireland’s reaction to be totally positive about the outcome.

“Matt Williams’ influence could have a bearing. He will have done his homework on Ireland, particularly on the guys he worked with in Leinster but I don’t think it will make any appreciable difference.”