Not all gloom for Irish sides

WITH just two rounds played in this season’s Heineken Cup, it’s very much a case of familiar patterns emerging. The French, for all their brilliance, just can’t win on the road while remaining indestructible at home.

Of the 24 teams in the competition, only five are unbeaten with just four retaining a 100% record.

On the international stage, there is a commonly held view that leaner times may lie ahead for our national team, particularly given the challenging fixture schedule over the coming months. If the Heineken Cup can be used as a barometer, then there may well be grounds to support this view. All three participating sides boast no better than a 50% record, a step back from the same period last year.

Munster are somewhat unfortunate to share a group with pace-setters Sale, who along with Toulouse have been the one of the two most impressive sides to date. That said, even the holders showed vulnerability on the road when capitulating late in the game to allow Wasps achieve a fortuitous draw on Sunday.

Sale’s demolition of the Newport Gwent Dragons gave further credence to the view that Munster’s performance in Edgeley Park was better than most people appreciated at the time. Against Castres last weekend they found another gear and despite their well-documented injuries have shown enough to date to suggest that they will still be a handful for anyone in this year’s tournament.

In many respects, Ulster’s performance in defeat against Biarritz underlined the growing quality that exists in their developing side. The opening 15 minutes proved an unmitigated disaster as they conceded three tries and 17 points to last year’s beaten semi-finalists. You just cannot travel to France and present the opposition with that type of cushion.

Ulster did show character to close the gap and were decidedly unlucky not to have achieved at least a bonus point. It is remarkable to think that after 10 years unbroken service in this competition; they are still chasing their first victory on French soil.

Having suffered in recent seasons, undoubtedly there are better times ahead for Ulster. Their biggest challenge will be finding a replacement for David Humphreys, who remains the key figure in their side.

In contrast, Leinster have a decidedly ordinary look about them. Their game against Glasgow was devoid of the pace and intensity that characterised the other games in the round. However, they have climbed to second position in their pool and have accumulated one more point than either Munster or Ulster.

For me, the most encouraging aspect of the past two weekends has been the emergence of some exciting young talent at a time when it is universally recognised that the national squad needs an infusion of new blood.

In a Leinster side shorn of considerable international experience due to injury, it has been refreshing to see the manner in which Jamie Heaslip, Robert Kearney and Kieran Lewis have come to the fore. All three have been rewarded with inclusion in the national squad currently preparing for the autumn internationals.

Heaslip’s performance is even more noteworthy given that his front five have struggled. His pace and ball-carrying ability have been a revelation and he has surpassed Ulster’s Roger Wilson, who was capped in Japan, as a future contender for Ireland’s coveted No. 8 jersey.

While Kearney has operated on the wing, there is no doubt that his international future lies at full back. His composure and pace, allied with the football ability that saw him play inter-county football at minor level mark him out as a star of the future.

Even more encouraging was the performance of Andrew Trimble, operating against a star-studded Biarritz back line last Saturday. A succession of midfield breaks had the Sky commentary team waxing lyrical on the skills of this rising young star. It is only a matter of time before he makes the ultimate breakthrough.

It was also interesting to note the progress being made by Ulster’s tight head and newly-appointed captain Simon Best. Ireland have struggled to provide meaningful backup to John Hayes in recent seasons. While Best struggled with his introduction to international rugby, there have been definite signs of progress this season. On Saturday he survived a searing test against a quality Biarritz front row.

In the back row, Neil Best has also been a revelation this season, scoring six tries in eight appearances. With an injury cloud hanging over Simon Easterby and Alan Quinlan definitely out of the reckoning, Best may well be a surprise inclusion in Ireland’s squad to face New Zealand, but much depends on how Eddie O’Sullivan decides to use Denis Leamy. The Tipperary man was superb against Castres and I feel his talents are better suited to blind side or No. 8, even if he certainly looked more comfortable in the No.6 jersey on Saturday.

Munster, too, has shown a willingness to give youth its fling in recent weeks. Both Barry Murphy and Tomas O’Leary have made a significant impact already this season and Jeremy Manning joined them on the bench against Castres. The ease with which he slotted his penalty goal one minute after making his Heineken Cup debut spoke volumes for his mental resolve.

The most significant aspect of this talented group is that the majority are backs. Ireland has always managed to produce quality forwards but has struggled at times behind the scrum. While O’Sullivan may have plenty to exercise his mind at present, he should find comfort in the knowledge that the next generation is waiting in the wings.