Why the new green wave don’t feel blue

IN THE final game of the 2002 Six Nations championship, Ireland faced France. It was Eddie O’Sullivan’s first year as head of Ireland’s coaching team and spirits were high.

Scotland, Wales and Italy had been dispatched with ease, but England had ruthlessly punished the new and still mistrusted defensive system, much to the frustration of Ireland’s new assistant coach, Mike Ford. But we had an opportunity for redemption and travelled to Paris hoping to thwart the French Grand Slam efforts.

Plus, we still had a mathematical chance of winning the Championship.