Reasons to relish a special occasion
In reaching the century mark, O’Driscoll has only confirmed what most have recognised for a very long time — that he is one of the greatest players the game has seen in the past eleven years and arguably Ireland’s best ever. His longevity is only surpassed by his skill and bravery as a player and one presumes his team mates will do everything they possibly can to ensure that the milestone is marked by an Irish victory this afternoon. Anything else would represent a stinging anti-climax.
There is every reason to believe the desired outcome will be forthcoming. There is the little matter of the 16-12 defeat at Croker in 2008 to be put right, not least because it’s today or never for this Irish side. And while commendable attempts have been made to sweep the little “niceties” forthcoming from Warren Gatland under the carpet, there is no denying that they have left a sense of deep annoyance among the fans, whatever about the Irish players and management.
Even if we were to leave the emotional side of things out of the equation altogether, it would be difficult to go for anything other than a home win. Wales come here with just one win under their belts from three outings and while they have undoubtedly been unlucky in each of their defeats by England and France and finished both games in thunderous fashion, they are without players of the calibre of Mike Phillips, Gethin Jenkins, Alun Wyn Jones and Ryan Jones, all injured, and the suspended Andy Powell.
Surely, that is going to prove an insurmountable handicap. After all, who would rate Ireland’s chances if the likes of Tomás O’Leary, Cian Healy, Paul O’Connell and Jamie Heaslip weren’t available for one reason or another? The missing Welsh are all Lions and outstanding players and in normal circumstances would represent the spine of the team. While Gatland maintains that they have replacements capable of doing a job, it is difficult to imagine a forward pack shorn of at least half of its best players will do anything other than struggle against an Irish unit at full-strength, save Jerry Flannery. Nor can they anticipate any sympathy on this count from either O’Driscoll or Irish coach Declan Kidney.
“This is a professional game and I think you have to adapt,” said O’Driscoll. “It inspires guys who get the opportunity to come in as replacements, the likes of Richie Rees (scrum-half) and Gareth Delve (number eight) who come in and stake a claim for the jersey next time round. That’s the difficulty of not playing international rugby, you’re giving someone else the chance to shine in your position and you don’t have any say in that.”
While sharing that view, Kidney wasn’t prepared to allow the hard luck stakes to rest in the Welsh camp alone. He pointed out that Luke Fitzgerald and Flannery were two big name Ireland absentees, not to mention Marcus Horan, while O’Driscoll was quickly back in to further strengthen his side of the argument.
“Wales are always a good side and remember it is the number one sport in their country,” he stressed. “They always have a lot of top quality players to pick from. They are sometimes considered to be a weak Welsh side but in my eyes, it’s never really weak.”
Even so, there is no denying that Wales are shorn of a third of their leading players and with due respect to the likes of Rees, Davies and Delve, they cannot be regarded in the same league as Phillips, Wyn Jones and Ryan Jones. Far from it, indeed. And yet, it would be unwise to write off their prospects entirely simply because they do possess a potentially devastating back division provided the pack and half-backs Stephen Jones and Rees can get the ball out to them quickly and in space.
The head-to-head between Shane Williams, he of the 50 tries for his country, and his Ospreys club-mate Tommy Bowe and one of the players of the Six Nations so far, has been anticipated for some time. They are totally contrasting wings but are all the more fascinating for that, while the Welsh also pack massive pace and strength in Leigh Halfpenny on the other flank, centres Jamie Roberts and James Hook, and Lee Byrne at full-back.
IT WILL be the job of the Irish pack and half-backs to see that they are deprived of the kind of possession on which they could do serious damage. Once again, serious questions will be asked of the Irish scrum but few doubt that between them O’Connell, Donncha O’Callaghan and Heaslip will give the Welsh a torrid time at the line-out. No team this campaign has avoided their ravages and the Welsh are likely to suffer a similar fate.
As always, the duel at the break down will prove crucial and here the vastly experienced Lions rivals Martyn Williams and David Wallace will be involved in a battle royal. With the in-form Stephen Ferris and Heaslip there to help, it’s unlikely to be an area where the Irish will suffer unduly. That being the case, the Irish backs — no slouches themselves — will run at the opposition and it really is a mouth-watering proposition, all the more so due to the promise for further favourable weather conditions.
At the end of it all, expect to see Irish eyes — and especially those of O’Driscoll — smiling brightest of all.
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