Ireland’s plan: Sealed with a Kiss

Don Revie would have loved modern professional sport. It seems remarkable now, in these days of hi-tech performance analysis data, that the late Leeds United manager was derided in the 1960s and 70s for preparing his dossiers on opposition teams.

What was once infamous, though, is now the norm and rugby is no different, as evidenced by Ireland’s defence coach Les Kiss coming armed with a laptop computer, sheafs of notes and more than a few folders when he sits down to explain to the Irish Examiner just exactly how he prepares to prepare Ireland’s players for Test matches, and more specifically to stop the opposition from scoring against them.

“If I fill you in on these it might give you an idea of how I go about it,” Kiss says, shuffling his documents and opening his laptop.