Ireland must overcome Gatland factor, says Maso

FRENCH manager Jo Maso might have plenty on his plate to deal with after his side’s hammering at the hands of England last weekend but the 64-year-old still knows what it takes to win a Grand Slam.

Maso has been involved with four Grand Slam winning sides since he became manager of the France in 1995 and he believes that Ireland’s greatest obstacle to finally emulating Jack Kyle’s 1948 team is to be found in Wales’ former Ireland coach Warren Gatland.

“Ireland’s task this weekend is probably all the more complicated because of Gatland,” Maso said.

“He knows Irish rugby inside out from his time as coach there. In a way, he started the current project you have with Ireland.

“Many of the more experienced players came through on his watch and he brought about many of the improvements in fitness, the quality of training and professionalism in general. As a result, he will know what’s needed to beat them.”

But the bespectacled Frenchman admits to being hugely impressed by Ireland under Declan Kidney this season. The manner of Ireland’s win over Les Blues at the beginning of the Six Nations convinced Maso that they have found a new inner strength under the Corkman to go with their undoubted abilities.

“Ireland are a better balanced team this year than in previous years and they’ve obviously got a huge amount of experience in their ranks. They’ve matured into a top side.

“In Paul O’Connell, they’ve probably got the best forward currently in Europe. And in Ronan O’Gara, they have a hugely experienced player who is probably at the pinnacle of his career. You need that kind of experience to win championships because the pressure will be intense. For that reason, I think Ireland will probably be favourites on Saturday but it will be a very close game.”

If Ireland do win against Wales on Saturday, it will lift them above France to the top of the all-time Six Nations table. It is, Maso feels, no more than this Ireland team deserves after coming so close to a championship win over the last decade or so.

Incredibly, France have won four championships and two Grand Slams in that time and an Irish loss in Cardiff would almost certainly condemn this generation of Irish players into the column of ‘also-rans’. That’s a lot of extra pressure to deal with but Maso thinks that Ireland will rise to the occasion.

“This will probably be their best chance of ever winning a Grand Slam with the current team because they’ve got a very effective mix between the young guys and the more experienced older players.”

Maso is under no illusions as to the size of the task that lies ahead for Ireland. France’s 21-16 victory against Wales in Paris four weeks ago denied Warren Gatland’s men the chance to chase back-to-back Grand Slams.

“Winning a Grand Slam is always an incredible achievement but this Ireland side have matured to the point where they would be worthy winners,’’ he added.