Kyle hoping Kidney’s Irish show spirit of ’48
When Ireland was to the fore in world rugby, winning a Grand Slam (1948), Triple Crown (1949) and Championship (1951), the era subsequently became known as the “Jackie Kyle years” in reverence to the Belfast boy’s influence over those successes.
The poster-boy of that generation, a line-breaker and playmaker par excellence, Kyle, who played out half, was only 22 when inspiring Ireland to its solitary Grand Slam success. Though he turned a healthy 83 last month, he’ll be taking a day-trip to Cardiff on Saturday for what he hopes will be an Ireland victory — and, as he says, bring an end to all the dining out from that 1948 success!
This week his home in Co Down has been a hub of activity, whether it’s fielding calls from radio stations or conducting sit-down TV interviews with the BBC, but Kyle doesn’t complain and is strong in his belief that the long wait for an elusive Grand Slam for this team is nearing an end.
“I believe they can win the Grand Slam. We’ve beaten Wales in Wales before but we know we’re up against a tough opposition, especially Wales in Cardiff. We had the advantage in ‘48 of playing Wales at home but none of us in ‘48 would ever have dreamt for a moment that an Irish side wouldn’t have won the Grand Slam for another 61 years.
“It’d be a good thing for Irish rugby and also for the guys who’ve been playing for so many years and it’ll nice for some of them to end their careers and look back and say ‘we had the Grand Slam win in 2009’. It adds a lot to anyone’s rugby career.”
Kyle played in an era when Ireland didn’t have coaches — in the short run-up to games, training was usually conducted by the team captain, who back then was their hooker, Karl Mullen. Kyle’s acutely aware the game has changed vastly from the amateur days, and is effusive in his praise of Declan Kidney, who has brought about change so rapidly in Ireland’s fortunes.
“It’s obvious he’s brought something to them,” says Kyle. “It’s important that the guys playing under him, like to work with him and that’s the way it seems to be. The fact that he has managed to inspire them to all the victories this year says a lot about him and about the team as well. He seems to be a man of quiet confidence, able to inspire which has enabled him to get all the victories so far this season.”
Kyle, regarded by many as Ireland’s greatest No 10, believes Ronan O’Gara has been hugely influential in this year’s championship, despite the criticism directed at the Munster man. “You’ve got to remember it’s a big responsibility taking the kicks: look back to the Scotland match at his penalties and that beautiful drop goal. If you talk about the out half directing things, he has directed them to victory in every game this year so, from that point of view, one has got to give him tremendous praise. He fulfils all the functions a good out half should — let’s hope he can do it on Saturday.”
Though Ireland are on the cusp of greatness on Saturday, there are those who feel — amongst them former England out half, Stuart Barnes — that Ireland’s style is too stodgy, too defensive and that they’re not winning in style. Kyle reckons Ireland must play to their strengths, saying that no-one remembers a team that plays total rugby and loses.
“The French game was a wonderful game with Ireland scoring three tries, but one has got to say the important thing is winning. If we play great rugby on Saturday and lose, the same people would never remember that Ireland had played great rugby.
“I think the important thing is to play to the strengths to come out with a victory. People talk about grinding out victories but that is the thing they’ve really got to do.
“We would all like to see a game where Ireland score tries and they have the three quarters who can run when you think of Brian O’Driscoll and Rob Kearney, who can turn defence into attack. “
Karl Mullen, Jim McCarthy, Colm Callan, Bertie O’Hanlon, Paddy Reid, Jimmy Nelson and Kyle are the remaining survivors from that team who attained Grand Slam success 61 years ago in Ravenhill, beating Wales 6-3. Back then Ulster was Leinster’s equal in terms of power on the IRFU committee and demanded a home international even if the ground’s capacity was no more than 30 000.
Kyle and his team-mates viewed it as just another game, a mentality not unlike Kidney’s, who is viewing Saturday’s showdown in similarly.
“I don’t think Grand Slam was on our minds. I think we realised we had the opportunity of winning. It was just a question of our Karl Mullen emphasising to us all, that games are won doing the basic things well.
“None of us thought it would be 60-odd years for another shot… that Grand Slam has a significance which it doesn’t really deserve. Let’s hope they do the job on Saturday — it would be great if they did.”
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