O’Shea: Ireland ready for gospel according to Catt

Brian Ashton was a prophet in a land that couldn’t understand his message when he took over as Ireland head coach in the 1990s.

Lauded for his expansive and successful style of rugby with a great Bath side, both as an assistant to Jack Rowell and then as the boss himself, he was offered a six-year deal by the IRFU. It lasted just 12 months. The team just didn’t have the tools to put his philosophies into practice.