Attacking chances abundant, not rare

Spend almost four months covering one squad of players and dominant themes quickly emerge. One of the most prominent with Ireland since early July has been the regular claim that attacking opportunities are far more limited in modern test rugby these days than they were 10 or even five years ago.

It became an accepted fact, unquestioned by all. Argentina proved that to be untrue on Sunday at the Millennium Stadium. So did New Zealand the evening before while Australia did further damage to it as a theory with their scintillating dismissal of England in Twickenham some weeks before.

Others have shown space on the rugby pitch need not be measured in inches and Dave Kearney witnessed first-hand the damage that can be done by a side willing and able to spread the ball wider with a zip and a purpose that Six Nations sides seem unable to match.