Irish patience augurs well

Patience and self-belief were the virtues that accounted for Italy and will stand Ireland in good stead for the World Cup.

Eddie O’Sullivan’s men had to quell a fired-up Italian pack in order to lay the platform for an ultimately emphatic 61-6 victory in front of a passionate crowd in Limerick.

The Irish were leading just 9-6 going into first-half stoppage time after a jittery opening but then cut loose to run in eight tries, four of them from revitalised winger Denis Hickie.

“We knew they were going to be very physical and they are much better organised now than in previous years,” said fly-half David Humphreys. “It does take time to break them down.

“We said at half-time that, if we kept doing the basics right, we would eventually get some scores because we are a better rugby team than they are.”

And Humphreys warned that Ireland, who wind up their preparations for the autumn jamboree with a match against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday, will get even better before the big World Cup tests against Argentina and Australia.

The record-breaking Ulsterman produced another 26-point haul with a try and nine goals but gave all the credit to the Irish forwards, who were all playing for places in O’Sullivan’s 30-man squad.

“The team has got a lot of confidence,” he said. “The pack has played well in the last couple of weeks and I have benefited from that.

“At any level of rugby, in the first game of the season there are bound to be a lot of errors but there are hopefully less in the second game and then it’s a gradual progression. Every week now up to the World Cup, I think we will get better.”

Despite injuries to number eight forward Victor Costello (thumb) and winger John Kelly (rib), O’Sullivan could barely contain his delight after a string of fringe players pressed their World Cup claims to present him with a host of selection dilemmas.

The coach had made 12 changes to the team that beat Wales so comprehensively and was left to reflect on a “great two weeks” which amply illustrated the depth of talent in his national squad.

“We have been working for a number of years building a squad that is competitive in most areas,” he said. “It’s great to put that many people on the field and get two very solid performances, especially at this time of the year.”

One name certain to be added to O’Sullivan’s 30-man squad when it is announced on Sunday is that of Hickie, who signalled his return to form with the first four-try feat of his senior career.

The 26-year-old Leinster winger equalled the Irish record of tries in a match set by Brian Robinson in 1991 and matched by Keith Wood against the United States in the last World Cup and also went past Brian O’Driscoll’s record of 18 tries for Ireland.

“When he’s in that sort of form, there are few better in the world,” said Humphreys. “You give him two or three half-chances and he is untouchable. And, at the top level, that’s what you need.”

Hickie, who missed out on selection for the 1999 World Cup because of a loss of form, needed a big game to force his way back into the reckoning after a disappointing season last year.

He was forced to withdraw from Ireland’s summer tour Down Under because of injury and believes the enforced rest may have provided him with just the tonic he needed.

“When you have a bit more time off, you maybe have that added luxury because you come back a lot stronger,” he said. “It happens to all players.

“It was great to have that time off and come back at the right time. I just hope I have done enough to get on the trip to Australia.”