Ireland fail to soar against makeshift Eagles

AN uninspiring end to a glorious season for Irish rugby as Declan Kidney’s side struggled to put a makeshift USA Eagles XV to the sword at the Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara yesterday.

The Grand Slam-winning coach looked for improvement on the performance against Canada from a week ago, and went with 14 of the side that triumphed in Vancouver. However, Ireland didn’t even manage to get out of first gear against a fired-up US outfit containing a host of amateur players. The lack of cut and thrust and cohesiveness in Ireland’s display may be attributed to an effective US backrow that epitomised the never-say-die spirit of an Eagles squad that gives head coach Eddie O’Sullivan a good base from which to work during his busy summer programme.

The Eagles might have been closer at the finish only for their most experienced international, Mike Hercus, to implode from the kicking tee. The former Llanelli Scarlet missed four kickable shots on goal, and it wasn’t until replacement out half Nese Malifa appeared that the Eagles finally got scores on the board.