Jaguares no match for Ireland’s ‘A’ game

FROM the fifth minute onward when Ireland chose a scrum rather than a more predictable option after being awarded a free kick and dismantled the Argentine Jaguares at what they are renowned for doing best, there could have been only one outcome to last night’s A international at the splendid new stadium in Tallaght.

Ireland romped home by 31-0 and the burning desire of the watching Declan Kidney to build a large and worthy national squad came a stage closer to fruition. However, as with the Fiji game the week before, the jury was still out on a number of those involved simply because the opposition didn’t measure up to a whole lot.

As for bringing the match to Tallaght in the hope of inculcating further interest in the game in this thickly populated area, the size of the attendance (officially claimed to be 4,016) would have been reasonably satisfactory for IRFU director of rugby Eddie Wigglesworth and those who came up with a very worthy initiative.

The Jaguares team consisted in the main part of amateur or semi-amateur players from their home domestic league and they never raised their game above the mediocre. With the senior team struggling more than a little as those who starred in their superb World Cup challenge of 2007 near the end of their playing days or have quit altogether, one wonders what the immediate future holds for the game in Argentina.

Their problems, of course, aren’t a source of concern for Michael Bradley, who along with Niall O’Donovan coached an Irish side that was more than equal to the occasion.

“The challenge was for our players to take the opportunity show how they could perform in an Irish jersey,” said Bradley.

“We have used 25 players and all the subs in our two matches so far and that should give the Irish management a broader view of what’s available. That’s the purpose of the exercise. Our idea early was to curtail Argentine momentum early on because they could be dangerous if they got going. In the second half we got into a groove and played some lovely rugby.”

With the Irish pack, in which props Brett Wilkinson and Mike Ross did their prospects of further recognition in the future no harm at all, Mick O’Driscoll led by example and flanker Niall Ronan was outstanding in every facet of wing-forward play, the Irish back line was always going to have an abundance of possession with which to indulge themselves.

In those circumstances, the towering left boot of Ian Humphreys at out-half inevitably played a major role in the outcome. He pegged the Jaguares back time and time again and also showed his dexterity in attack, making one wonder, not for the first time, why Declan Kidney doesn’t seem to regard the Ulster pivot more highly.

It was his perfectly weighted cross-kick that helped to create Ireland’s second try on the half hour for Ian Dowling although Fergus McFadden’s spurt up the left wing created the initial incision. Humphreys, who had earlier failed to add the points to a well-taken try by Ulster second-row Ryan Caldwell, converted and at 12-0 the game was as good as over as a meaningful contest.

That’s how it stood at half time and the target then was to emulate or even surpass the 48-19 score line a much different side had achieved against Tonga at Ravenhill a fortnight previously. They were immediately on the right road when the excellent O’Driscoll athletically claimed a line-out throw and hooker John Fogarty forced his way over after a series of ensuing rucks.

Two fine tries by Johne Murphy, the first converted by Humphreys from the touchline, kept momentum flowing in Ireland’s favour.

The Jaguares weren’t helped when full-back Belisario Agulla was shown a yellow card by unsympathetic Scottish referee Peter Allan, but they still defended stoutly and to their credit didn’t concede any further points.

IRELAND A: F Jones; I Dowling, F McFadden, K Matthews, J Murphy; I Humphreys, I Boss; B Wilkinson, J Fogarty, M Ross, R Caldwell, M O’Driscoll capt, D Ryan, N Ronan, J Muldoon.

Replacements: I Keatley for Matthews, (36, inj); A Kyriacou and E O’Donoghue for Fogarty and Caldwell (57); B Young and C Henry for Wilkinson for Wilkinson and Muldoon (62); F Murphy for Boss and D Hurley for Dowling (65).

ARGENTINA JAGUARES: B Agulla; F Merello, M Viazza, M Avramovic, T De Vedia; S Gonzalez Iglesias, M Landajo; J Gomez, A Tejeda, G De Robertis, T Roan, M Galarza, A Guzman, L Senatore, B Macome.

Replacements: F Albarracin for Landajo (50); M Cortese and R Bruno for Tejeda and Macome (55).

Referee: Peter Allan (Scotland)