Anyone notice the prowling Pumas?

FOR ALL kinds of reasons, Saturday’s victory over England will live in the memory for a long, long time.

Given the pressures the players were under to perform against the emotional background of history and the defeat to France, Saturday’s result will give Eddie O’Sullivan more satisfaction than most during his successful tenure to date.

This current squad and management have shown a level-headedness and maturity which only comes from collective experience through the team and coaching staff. It is just as well. There is a tendency within sections of the media in this country to over-hype the notable successes and predict doom and gloom in the wake of defeat. Such was the case during the autumn internationals of 2005 when, as a result of successive defeats to New Zealand (hardly a crime) and Australia, some even called for the head of O’Sullivan. It was a ridiculous call then and looks even more absurd now.