Kidney: still a gloss on the crown

THERE quite a few in Irish rugby circles who believe the Triple Crown doesn’t count when it comes to being acclaimed on the world stage.

They maintain it doesn’t matter how often you win it — and it will be Ireland’s for the fifth time in seven years should they beat Scotland at Croke Park — there are no world ranking points involved. It counts for nothing on the other side of the world.

But Ireland coach Declan Kidney and captain Brian O’Driscoll last night both rubbished the notion that it’s only the Six Nations Championship that really counts and barring a miracle, that’s going back to France on Saturday evening. Instead, Kidney and O’Driscoll emphasised the Crown’s considerable importance with Kidney underlining his argument by naming an unchanged 22 for the visit of the Scots.