Irish hope to vent frustration on South African selections

The official line is that it’s outside of their own control, there’s nothing they can do about it, their hands are tied... but there is also a deep rooted frustration in the Irish rugby camp.

And who could blame the management and players if they felt more than a little down after starting the Six Nations Championship so brightly only to be stopped in their tracks.

It might not even be this season before they play their next match the way the foot and mouth outbreaks are escalating all the time in Britain and, while plans are being put in place in the hope that the games against Wales, England and Scotland can be played on April 28th and May 5th and 12th, there remains a considerable doubt that particular schedule can be met.

A 28 strong squad (Geordan Murphy was absent because of injury and while Rob Henderson was present, he didn’t train) trained yesterday at the University of Limerick with manager Brian O’Brien reflecting: “There’s a lot of energy in the guys and it has to be released. And they are used to releasing it on the field, that’s what they are trained to do.”

Coach Warren Gatland and his coach Eddie O’Sullivan said they were very pleased at the way the session went.

“They worked hard, it was the first time in a while that some of them had much physical contact,” said Gatland.

“It was a good session, we worked on continuity and so didn’t split and stayed together for the whole time. We did a lot of work on defence as well. There’s nothing we can do about what’s happening. Of course it’s frustrating with everything up in the air and not knowing what’s going on. The team was going so well. Whereas we trained very well on the Monday and Tuesday of the Welsh game, I was speaking to Graham Henry and he told me that eight of his players couldn’t train on the Monday.

“Everyone is accepting what’s going on. They were happy to be back together today and they worked really hard and trained well. The intensity was good. Everyone’s the same, we’re just not sure what’s happening and until we get some definite answers, we’re just planning three or four different scenarios. Also, Munster have their big game coming up and we have to try and fit around that.”

Clearly Ireland would be at a major disadvantage were the internationals to go ahead at the end of April and the beginning of May.

“It’s like starting all over again, you’ve lost some of the momentum you created earlier on and you’re a bit rusty, that’s why we’re trying to get a game beforehand,” Gatland commented. “And from our point of view, it’s not ideal for Munster to be playing when they are. The majority of the players would be going for four hard weeks in a row and I don’t think that’s what you want at Test level.”

Putting as positive a spin as possible on a very uncertain situation, Brian O’Brien explained the current thinking where the proposed trip to South Africa is concerned.

“The idea is to go out on Monday, March 26th, and play a game against a selected side on the following Saturday.” he revealed. “The South Africans are trying to put together a team very much on the lines of the Brumbies in Australia that in time might qualify for the Super 12 tournament and they would likely provide the opposition. We were hoping for a Super 12 side but it’s most unlikely that anyone would play us on their day off so the opposition the following Saturday would almost certainly also be a selection of top players.”

O’Brien believes that the two proposed matches would be of benefit to the squad.

“If we don’t have meaningful opposition in the not too distant future, we will have a problem because the matches might be played in August, that’s a possible scenario,” he pointed out. “Should the South African trip go ahead and so far nothing has been finalised then we would return on April 8th. We’re looking at the idea of helping Munster out with a match on the 14th as a warm up for their European Cup game against Stade Francais. They were hoping to play Llanelli that weekend but that’s not going to happen now. I believe they’re looking at other options at present but we will definitely facilitate them, perhaps with a Rest of Ireland team.”

IRFU chiefs discussed the options with South African officials at an IRB conference in London last weekend.

SARFU executive member Rian Oberholzer said: “Ireland spoke to us, but I must take the matter to my executive committee to decide if there is interest. Having said that, we sympathise with their position.

“The Irish would like to play against a team of Super 12 standard. The Cats and the Sharks have matches at that time and, although the Bulls and the Stormers have byes about then, they may well welcome a rest. It may well be that South Africa would choose a shadow fifth Super 12 team. The Irish could also play against Vodacom Cup teams.”

Meantime, It will be Saturday week, March 24th, at the earliest before the AIB All Ireland League can resume.

A scheduled meeting took place yesterday between the Minister for Agriculture and senior officers of his department and senior IRFU officers. It is hoped provincial schools matches may be played early next week following Thursday’s clarification from the department.

The IRFU has agreed that the Ulster Branch should be guided by the North’s agriculture department as regards any relaxation of local fixtures.