Last hurrah for Hickie?

DENIS HICKIE pulls on the Irish jersey for the 62nd time at the Parc des Prince on Sunday. And if the team fails to score four tries and beat Argentina by more than seven points, it will be his last time to do so.

Hickie, 31, slightly controversially announced his retirement from international rugby prior to the World Cup. It looked as if his days were numbered anyway when he was dropped for last week’s clash with France and he struggled to conceal his disappointment.

However, that was nothing compared to the dismay felt by Geordan Murphy when he was dropped from the replacement panel for the same game, not having had the chance to either prove himself or to do anything wrong!

However, a week has suddenly become a very long time in World Cup rugby. Both men are back in favour having been given the chance they never expected for this make or break game.

Skipper Brian O’Driscoll referred to Hickie’s “blistering pace” and to Murphy’s “line breaking qualities” and there seems to be a quiet belief in the squad that Ireland are sending out a side with far more attacking attributes on this occasion.

“It was always going to be a huge game,” said Hickie, “and now you’re simply talking about degrees of hugeness. It doesn’t matter who scores the tries, although to the layman, there is usually the perception that they should come from the back three.

“I suppose that brings its own pressure but equally that’s just part of the job. I’d like to think I bring what I always bring to the game, the more intangible things like experience — having played in many big games like this over the course of my career — and also decision making, kicking and confidence in what I can do.”

Hickie looked a little startled at being reminded this would be his last match for Ireland should the result go against them on Sunday. He thought for a second or two before responding: “I got my head around that well before the tournament started so I don’t feel a huge amount of added pressure.”

Having watched from the sidelines last week, Hickie probably absorbed where the team’s problems lay more than other senior members of the squad.

He has put in his “tuppence worth” since Friday, while pointing out that “you’re in danger of falling into the age-old trap that it always looks easier from the stand.”

Gaining possession as much as they can and controlling it, he believes, is crucial to whatever chance Ireland have of winning this game, but just as readily stresses “that’s been the case in every game I’ve played.

“I have to believe we can produce and if I didn’t believe that, then I shouldn’t be playing. The pressure will come at certain points of the game. Whenever that point arrives, you can start panicking and drop your heads. We have to envisage that point and stick to our guns and not go into our shells. We have to stick to what we believe will work.”

A combination of justification, relief and happiness.

That was Murphy’s description of his emotions when informed that he would be replacing the injured Girvan Dempsey against the Pumas.

While reports that he was set to leave the camp on being dropped from the 22 to play France were mischievous and wide of the mark at best, he didn’t try and disguise his disappointment. But even the man responsible, Eddie O’Sullivan, readily admits that he wouldn’t be best pleased himself if a player that he had dropped wasn’t upset at the decision.

“I’m only there because Girv is injured but it’s fantastic to be part of the side,” said the 28 year-old native of Naas. “All the guys who weren’t involved tried to stay positive and be assets to the squad. I won’t claim I felt hard-done by. You can’t choose the games you want to be involved in. You just try and stay positive and upbeat and it’s very easy to sap energy from the squad if you become negative.

“We’re all very comfortable with each other. We’ve heard some of the stories going around and some of them are comical. I can certainly tell you there is no rift in the squad.”

“We’re playing against a fantastic side in Argentina, we must try and get a win first and foremost and let something like that take care of itself in the latter part of the game. Most of us are used to the bonus system now and you don’t try to score the four tries in the first 15 minutes.”