Tag: Rugby

An Andy Way to Work

At the time of writing, Ireland are three from three in the 2023 Six Nations Championship. Following on from the uber successful tour of NZ in the summer, Irish rugby is sure in a good space. As the old cliche goes, winning is very much a habit. But what has caused this successful turnaround?

To my mind, the key factor is Andy Farrell. Farrell has brought so much to the Irish set up. Consistency of performance hit new heights under the venerable Joe Schmidt but, against the odds, the former rugby league man has pushed standards even further. The proof is there for all to see. So, what has Farrell done?

The primary thing that Farrell has provided is the infusion of a winning mentality. Sure, Ireland has a group of talented and ambitious players, but it’s the mind-set of the group that impresses most. These guys expect to win. Not in an arrogant way, but they fear no-one. And they’re relentless in maintaining and improving standards of performance.

Here, Farrell’s influence is key. A product of that splendid Wigan rugby league side of the ’90s, Ireland’s coach was brought up in an environment where winning was not just desirable but essential. It was mandatory. That side was marvellous. And Farrell was an integral component of it. You see that relentless attitude within the current Irish playing group.

What’s wonderful as well is the brand of rugby currently played. It’s pleasing on the eye and there’s a massive emphasis on individual and collective skills. Schmidt’s side was the archetype of systemic rugby, where everyone was meticulously drilled within their roles. It was functional rather than overtly creative.

Farrell’s side plays differently. The players clearly have licence to play what’s in front of them. If it’s on, they routinely go for it. And, delightfully, the offload is no longer an endangered species. Don’t get me wrong. It’s all curated within a definite shape and structure, and the team is as well organised as it’s ever been. But it’s not restrictive. There’s no straight jacket at play.

And they’re doing it with smiles on their faces. This Irish team is evidently enjoying its rugby. Work is an opportunity to improve, grow and develop. It’s not onerous in any way. The players are clearly relishing the challenge.

One example of the elite nature of this environment is the way in which Ireland have coped with injuries. A succession of players have gone down, but replacements have slotted in seamlessly. For instance, Stuart McCloskey has thrived with his belated chance at a regular run. Similarly, Finlay Bealham has excelled covering for the once indispensable Tadhg Furlong. Players have slotted in and out pretty effortlessly.

Such understanding only happens within a highly competitive and organised environment. All credit goes to the coach. The Schmidt era was the high water mark for Irish rugby. And, yet, his successor has taken performance to another level entirely. Success is never guaranteed in any walk of life but, heck, it’s coming pretty regularly these days at Lansdowne Road. We’ll soon see if the precious Slam lands, but these days it’s very unwise to bet against Andy Farrell’s men.

P.S. The Rolling Stones are reportedly collaborating with the surviving Beatles on their new album. Some are surprised at the move. But these guys have always been great friends. The supposed rivalry was always over hyped and as much a media invention as anything else. After all, it was Lennon and McCartney that gave the Stones their first major UK hit.

What this project ends up as, who knows. But even if McCartney and Starr only play on a couple of tracks, how fantastic is that? I’m excited to see what materialises. Because we’re running out of time to make this type of history. Bring it on!


@rorymcgimpsey

Promotion of a Lion!

It was mooted this week that Andy Farrell is in the running to be Lions’ head coach for their tour of Australia. The IRFU has stated that it won’t stand in the way if its main man is indeed the choice. Good news for Farrell and for rugby fans alike as Farrell’s appointment, if rubber stamped, is a shrewd move.

Interestingly, though, Farrell’s would-be promotion creates an opportunity for one of our own to shine in his absence. You don’t need to be Sherlock Homes to deduce that Paul O’Connell is being lined up to succeed Farrell as Irish head coach. When the Munster legend was catapulted into the Irish set-up a couple of years ago, all signs pointed to this being an integral part of the IRFU’s succession plan for the national team. The universal plaudits O’Connell has received since his arrival attest to the monumental impact he’s made.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense that in the event of Farrell shipping off with the Lions, O’Connell is a ready made stand in. Sounds like the perfect plan, right? Of course, these days Lions coaches get carte blanche to pick their assistants and the former Wigan man may well want his Irish assistant with him in his jaunt down under if appointed to the Lions. However, from an Irish perspective, it makes sense for O’Connell to deputise with Ireland while his boss is away with the Lions, should that scenario come to pass.

So, although the IRFU has said it won’t stand in Farrell’s way should the Lions come knocking, will its condition be that O’Connell stays put for the duration of the Australian tour? I imagine the union won’t want to lose both its star coaches to the Lions when Lions’ tours always provide such great developmental opportunities for the players left behind. For Irish rugby, the dream scenario is Farrell leads the Lions to an historic series victory and that O’Connell stays behind to begin his apprenticeship as Ireland head coach in waiting.

Of course, much water has to pass under the bridge for any of the above to emerge. Life is fluid and things change very quickly. One day, you’re hot and the next you’re, well, not. But, all things being equal, this series of events could work out very well for all concerned in Irish rugby. The road map for succession is laid out before our eyes and few rugby nations are in as strong a position. Big Paul striding into his first press conference as head coach, you sense the excitement just thinking about it. With Farrell linked to the Lions’ job, Irish rugby has talked about contingency. That contingency has to be Paul O’Connell.

@rorymcgimpsey

Redemption Required

As we survey the first two rounds of the Six Nations, Ireland find themselves in a tight spot. Two games played, two losses is not a good stat, but it’s the manner of the defeats that concerns. Andy Farrell’s men have been no better than mediocre and although there’s plenty of endeavour, stardust is pretty thin on the ground.

Most worrying of all is the listless nature of Irish performances and the inability to score tries. There was, at least, a semblance of attacking shape in Ireland’s opening loss to Wales and the visitors played quite well until Peter O’Mahony’s moment of madness tilted the game in Wales’s favour. In fact, Ireland’s performance with 14 men was pretty spirited, in fairness.

However, even then, Farrell’s men only managed one try. If Irish underperformance was understandable in that context, the French game last week was a severe regression. In terms of attacking ideas, Ireland were virtually non-existent, the only innovation being, err, the tactical novelty that is the Garryowen!

If you didn’t know better, you’d swear it was mid-nineties’ fare. And despite the tactic clearly not working, Billy Burns and his outside backs kept coming back to it-the definition of insanity and all that.

Speaking of Burns, the Ulster ten showed again that he is slightly lacking at the highest level. Don’t get me wrong, Ireland’s reserve fly-half is a decent provincial player who’s done fine things for his club these past couple of seasons.

But he is not yet equipped to boss and dominate a Six Nations encounter at this elite level. Ditto Ross Byrne. Ross’s brother Harry may be the heir apparent, but throwing a supremely talented young fella in at the deep end isn’t the answer either.

So, what does that leave us with? Johnny Sexton! Sexton remains Ireland’s best ten by a country mile, even in the autumn of his career. And that’s a disconcerting thought.

Ireland’s best ever ten has to retire at some stage, but the thought is currently inconceivable given the lack of viable contenders for the throne. Until Joey Carbery returns, there just isn’t an alternative anything close to the same level.

That said, it’s unfair to highlight individuals in discussing Ireland’s lack of creative spark. Farrell has been in the top job for well over a year now and yet his vision is hard to discern.

A brilliant assistant and defence coach, what does an Andy Farrell side look like? What are the hallmarks? We’re still not sure. Yes, there’s plenty of huff, puff and toil, but what’s the grand plan? Integral to all this is Mike Catt.

An unlikely choice, maybe, as attack coach, Catt’s vision is also proving elusive. Apart from his stellar playing career, Catt’s coaching resume is limited, bar a spot on Stuart Lancaster’s doomed England coaching ticket, and a support role with Conor O’Shea’s Italy in recent seasons.

We’ve discussed before the lack of superstars in Ireland’s current panel, but a lack of ambition is altogether harder to defend. Catt may yet prove to be brilliant, but it’s been a baptism of fire so far.

In terms of proving his credentials, however, Ireland’s next opponents, Italy (a side Catt obviously knows well), is a decent place to start!

And that’s the problem for Ireland. The Six Nations is all about momentum and after two rounds, Farrell’s men are playing catch up. Italy will fancy their chances of upset, but even an uninspiring Ireland should have enough to get the job done.

But even then, Ireland still finish with two really tough games: a revitalised Scotland away and then old enemy England at home. Who’d be in Farrell’s shoes?!

And that’s the catch-22. Ireland’s coach needs to experiment a little and spread his wings. He also needs to roll the dice in terms of selection. After all, the World Cup is only two years away.

But he also needs to win or he’ll lose his job. That’s why the Wigan great has so little room for manoeuvre. It’s the tightest of balancing acts.

This is the ultimate transition phase. As anyone who followed Ireland in the late nineties knows, transition phases are zero craic. For what it’s worth, I think Ireland will regroup and recover well.

They may even win all three remaining games. But Farrell needs performances to match. Now, more than ever, his players need to stand up and be counted for him.

P.S. I’ve just finished the comedian, David Baddiel’s new book, Jews Don’t Count. It makes for a fascinating, if at times, uncomfortable read. Nominally about anti-Semitism, Jews Don’t Count focuses on the blind spot held by many progressives in discussing the issue compared to other forms of racism.

It is extremely thought provoking and challenging for anyone not from a Jewish background. It forces us to confront some truths which are difficult to acknowledge. But it’s an important work and everyone, regardless of political persuasion, should read it. It is essential reading. I’m glad I did and it’s helped me look inwards-in a really good way!

@rorymcgimpsey

An Injection of Dog

Don’t know about anyone else, but I’m quite underwhelmed by rugby at the moment. I know it’s a necessary evil, but the sight and sound of empty stadiums just doesn’t do it for me. I must confess I’ve watched very little action recently and struggle to keep up with developments.

However, some recent news genuinely excites me. The appointment of Paul O’Connell as the Irish forwards coach is a masterstroke by the IRFU. Just when the titan of all titans seemed lost to the professional sport in Ireland, we have a welcome if unexpected addition to Andy Farrell’s coaching ticket. A wonderful bit of business.

The Limerick man is a colossal leader and adds significant value to any team he’s part of. A terrific orator, of course, and a genuinely hard man, the former Irish captain is a figure that inspires respect and fear in equal measure among opponents. But that’s only part of it. O’Connell is a much more intelligent and thoughtful individual than many realise, and brings a huge amount of intellectual property to the set-up.

As a player, O’Connell was renowned for his endless hours dissecting opposition lineouts prior to games. He has a marvellous rugby brain, for sure. That said, the big man is still a scary and intimidating presence these days. I saw him at close quarters at Ravenhill a couple of years ago coming up the stairs and can confirm that Paul is a bear of a man.

I like also that Farrell is keeping Simon Easterby on the ticket. The two will work well together; reprising a relationship they had as Irish players who excelled at the set-piece from a tactical perspective. It’s actually quite an All Blacks’ move and reminiscent of Steve Hansen rejigging the roles and responsibilities in his brains trust a few years back. Keeping everyone on their toes. Irish rugby maximising the resources at its disposal.

Of course, in an ideal world, O’Connell would serve a longer apprenticeship before being catapulted into the unforgiving cauldron of Test rugby; preferably as head coach of Munster. We know from the bitter experience of Martin Johnson, the perils of cutting your international coaching teeth too early. But you have to take these opportunities when they arise. It’s undoubtedly a clever move by David Nucifora and the IRFU.

O’Connell will galvanise, motivate and organise the Irish forwards but will do so much more. For this is the return of a talismanic figure who will instil the ingredients the Irish pack has been missing these past couple of years. Expect Ireland’s maul, ruck and, of course, lineout (both offensively and defensively) to be significantly better with O’Connell calling the shots.

It’s exciting too to think of James Ryan’s future development under O’Connell’s mentorship. In my last blog, I spoke of a certain lack of ‘dog’ in the current Irish pack. The savvy appointment of Paul O’Connell goes a long way to fixing the problem.

@rorymcgimpsey

State Of The Union

As another year ends (as crazy a year as any of us can remember), we’re all in a bit of a reflective mood. This is as true in rugby as anything else. In a year that’s seen matches cancelled, competitions curtailed and fans exiled, the sport, at all levels, finds itself asking some existential questions. If that sounds hyperbolic, it’s also true of the unique times rugby finds itself in.

So, perhaps we can give Andy Farrell a bit of a bye-ball as we survey the first full year of his tenure. Given all that’s happening in the world, normal standards don’t apply, right? True. Except time stands still for no-one and for the ever keen and motivational Farrell, the honeymoon period is over. Now, more than ever, coaches must find a way to deliver and garner revenue for their employers in rugby’s darkest hour, financially.

And it’s not gone too badly. Irish performances under their head coach have been creditable. Results have been on the upper end of what we expect. Yes, England have remained frustratingly out of reach with their slick, power game, but most other opponents have been within Ireland’s reach. As regards England, they just have a stronger team at present. These things go in cycles.

More worrying, is the apparent inability of the Irish pack to dominate the biggest games at the highest level. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a truly dominant performance-probably the last time was Ireland’s historic win over the ABs at the Aviva in 2018. The likes of Caelan Doris and James Ryan are superb young players, with massive potential, but you sense a lack of dog in the current squad. Where are the Paul O’Connells in today’s crop? Then again, such legends only emerge once a generation.

And that’s the rub. Farrell and his coaches can only work with the raw materials at their disposal. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating, how many current Ireland players would get into a World XV and/or a Lions starting XV? How many are at that level? I can think of: Ringrose, Ryan and Furlong (when fit). There aren’t too many others. Alas Sexton and Murray, while still very important, are past their peak at this stage of their Test careers. Sad but true, I think.

Considering the above, has Farrell delivered or fluffed his first year? I’ve seen some criticism of the lack of evolution in playing style since Schmidt left. Not entirely fair. There’s been new patterns on display and, at least, an intent to play with more width and invention. Although Ireland’s attack had got so blunt at the end of the Schmidt era, it’s hard to go backwards in that regard! As discussed, results have been okay and the coaches can only work with the players they have.

The jury is still out in terms of whether Farrell is the right man for Ireland at this juncture. Remember, this is his first head coach gig in what is, to all intents and purposes, his second sport. It’s easy to forget that! And a man so passionate, driven and ambitious is almost certainly worth sticking with; at least in the short term.

Maybe a deeper truth emerges. We can now appreciate how Joe Schmidt over achieved with this group of players in recent years. The golden generation is long gone and the nucleus of Schmidt’s team is past its peak for those that have not retired. I hate the term, but this is a transitional phase. Perhaps expectations should be corrected on that basis.

P.S. It’s been a strange old year for everyone. 2020 is like the year that never got going. It started normally enough, but then took a turn none of us predicted. It’s been tough, weird and interesting. A period that none of us will forget. And we’re not out of it yet, of course. 2021 offers hope but there’s no guarantee it’ll be better, at least not for a while. Lockdown, as tough as it is, teaches us a lot about what’s really important. Despite the challenges, it’s quite nice being cocooned with our nearest in dearest-in small doses anyway!

With the Covid vaccine being rolled out, we at last have hope things will return to the normality we all remember prior to March of this year. How we all crave that! This isn’t a usual end of year reflection. So much to digest and process from 2020. My lesson? The vast majority that worries us is irrelevant in the great scheme of things. We spend so much of our lives fretting and worrying about stuff that doesn’t really matter. I believe we’ve all woken up a bit this year. It’s the little things that count.

Happy New Year!

@rorymcgimpsey

New World Order

When we last spoke, the Six Nations was in full swing and we were looking forward to spring with the usual burst of excitement and buzz. What a difference a few weeks makes! The Six Nations, along with a raft of other sporting fixtures, has been postponed indefinitely and virtually the whole world has been thrust into lockdown. Welcome to the panicked, slowed and slightly eerie new world we now live in.

Of course, in the great scheme to things, the cancellation and postponement of sports events is frankly irrelevant. People are dying in mammoth numbers from the dreadful Covid-19 pandemic and our hospital wards and emergency departments are under unprecedented stress. If this awful event has done any good it is shining a spotlight on the real heroes in society. And it ain’t pampered, privileged sports stars. It’s the men and women of the NHS and HSE. 

That said, the Six Nations postponement raises some interesting questions. The smart money is on the outstanding fixtures played later in the year. There is precedent here. For those who remember the Foot and Mouth outbreak of 2001 (an animal rather than human infection, of course), will recall that Six Nations games were postponed until the autumn that year to prevent spread of the disease.

Who can forget Keith Wood peeling off the back of an Irish lineout to score at Lansdowne Road to deny a superb England team a Grand Slam they deserved and would certainly have claimed had Foot and Mouth not intervened. Even Iain Balshaw was on fire back then. That’s how long ago it was!

And the parallels with 2001 don’t end there. The same inconsistency with enforcement measures applied. Ireland’s Six Nations games were cancelled but others continued, as did the Premier League football season. Go figure.

Similarly, this time, as events were cancelled en masse, we saw the bizarre spectacle of hundreds of thousands of spectators cramming into Cheltenham for their annual punt and party. When the comprehensive history of Covid-19 is finally written, the continuation of the Cheltenham Festival will be one of the most inexplicable chapters. Unless standards are applied equally, restriction measures are rendered impotent and certain sections of society, in particular, were slow to react to the danger.

In all this, though, we must keep balance. The Coronavirus crisis is uncharted territory and it’s understandable that mistakes are made. The powers that be have struggled to contain this, but we should cut some slack. Sure, there have been gaffes in all walks of life, but I’m not of the school of thought that there was any wilful negligence here. People are doing their best in the midst of conflicting and often confusing scientific advice.

And that includes governments! The sands are constantly shifting. No-one wanted to see a single death caused by this illness. Only fools believe otherwise. This damn virus caught us all unguarded and it’s inevitable that parts of public policy failed. Still, lessons must be learnt.

The lack of precedent only adds to our collective sense of worry and uneasiness. The only comparable event I can think of is the onset of the global financial crisis of 2008 in terms of a sudden and catastrophic shock to the global economic system. The silver lining-and I know we must stretch to see it-is the effects of this crisis are unlikely to be as enduring and long lasting.

So, the Six Nations will likely reprise in the autumn and professional football possibly a little earlier. Liverpool fans have been waiting 29 years to recapture their holy grail and it would be a crying shame if the most deserved league title in the history of the game evaded the Scousers after all that toil and effort. Indeed, it would be a pity if the title was sealed behind closed doors.

The Olympics has also been put back a year, causing massive uncertainly for the (mostly amateur) athletes who’ve trained  lifetimes to compete at the Games. And yet, we must return to the central point. Sport is irrelevant in all of this. Vast numbers are getting sick and lives have been lost.

The world has changed in an unbelievably short period of time and we’ve all had to adjust to this new world order. But things will return to relative normality and all those glorious trivialities (sport, socialising, meeting family and friends) will return. What remains to be seen is what lasting damage is done to the economy and individual lives by this unique crisis.

But normal life will resume. We will get through this together. In the meantime, all we can do is look after those close to us, especially the frail and vulnerable, and support our wonderful health workers. See you all, please God, on the other side.

Twitter: @rorymcgimpsey

Six of The Best

Six of The Best

It’s only a moment since the end of the World Cup and the Six Nations is upon us. Such is modern life. It’s a sign of age. The time in between events gets shorter and shorter. Remember, as a kid, when it seemed a veritable lifetime between the summer holidays and Christmas? Now, one thing merges seamlessly into the other. Oh well! At least, we don’t have to wait too long for the big events to come around.

This is a critical tournament for Ireland. And I’m not indulging in hype. It is. After the acute frustration of yet another World Cup under-performance, Andy Farrell’s men need to re-establish momentum quickly and emphatically. Nothing else will do. Even a cursory look at the upcoming fixture list underlines just how difficult that task is.

It’s a tough one for Farrell. Ireland’s game plan and personnel clearly need to evolve and develop from the ultra successful, but now slightly jaded Schmidt era. We all see that. And yet Farrell has to win and do that consistently. Anything less costs him his job. The IRFU prioritise the Six Nations to such an extent, for historical and revenue reasons, tournament success is not so much aspired to but demanded.

That is Farrell’s catch-22. All the noise surrounding John Cooney (in imperious form for Ulster) and demands for wholesale changes in personnel and style of play must be seen in that context. Ireland’s new coach has limited room for experimentation, but not much.

The new man has to win, first and foremost. The evolution will be gradual. Therefore, to the irritation of the masses, there won’t be wholesale changes. It’s clear, however, that it’s not more of the same either, so the precise nature of Farrell’s influence will be fascinating to see in the next few weeks.

In all this, it’s important to remember this is Farrell’s first gig as head coach. It’s always difficult making the step up from lieutenant to general in any walk of life. And he’s doing it in his second sport! It’s easy to forget that. Of course Farrell has peerless credentials, the two-time Man of Steel winner coming out of that great Wigan side of the 1990s that set the standards in modern professional rugby.

No doubt, Farrell has added significant value since his transition to Union, from both a playing and coaching perspective. But that contribution as Union coach, for obvious reasons, has primarily been confined to defence. Now, as Ireland head-honcho, Farrell is in charge of the whole piece; attack, defence, forwards, set-piece and everything else in between. Despite his formidable reputation and experience, that’s a significant elevation.

The mood music coming out of Ireland camp recently is good. The players clearly think highly of their new coach and Farrell has the presence and charisma to galvanise his squad. Any gaps in the head coach’s skill-set are off-set by the quality of the people around him.

Mike Catt brings a wealth of experience and know-how to Ireland’s attack. An extremely versatile player who also played fly-half and fullback, Catt’s added most value, in a stellar playing career, to England’s best ever midfield. Granted, Will Greenwood and MikeTindall were the combination that won the World Cup, but their best rugby was played with Catt at 12.

We watch with interest what Catt’s influence means in practice for an Ireland team that needs to add strings to its bow in terms of creativity. Perhaps Farrell’s most important assistant remains Simon Easterby; a man who’s done much to solidify the Irish set-piece and provides vital continuity from the previous regime.

All in all, the positives outweigh the negatives and the early signs are good. Ireland’s new boss needs a little luck, of course, but that’s outside his control. While Ireland probably won’t win the championship, a decent win ratio, bolstered by a few really good performances and the infusion of some new blood will do nicely and keep the wolf from the door. It’s a strange one for fans. Even if the Six Nations goes well, a lingering question remains: why couldn’t they do it at the World Cup when it really mattered?

Picking up my theme from the start of the article, do you want to feel old? It’s now 20 years since a 21-year old Brian O’Driscoll scored a hat-trick in Paris to announce Ireland’s first ever global rugby superstar. Good lord! Caelan Doris is the same age now and has the potential to do great things in a green shirt. God speed, young man!

Twitter: @rorymcgimpsey

Alun Wyn Jones, Greig Laidlaw, Sergio Parisse, Rory Best, Guilhem Guirado and Owen Farrell 23/1/2019

 

World at Their Feet!

There’s a lot of gloom and despondency around the Irish rugby team at the moment. Curious stuff for a team presently ranked number one in the world. Forget for a moment the pure idiocy of the world ranking system, it’s strange to see so much disaffection among followers of the side that’s top of the rugby tree.

This writer-for his sins-has followed the ups and downs of Irish rugby for the best part of three decades. However, despite six years of unprecedented success under Maestro Schmidt, I can’t recall feeling so underwhelmed coming into a World Cup campaign. It’s weird, isn’t it? Three Six Nations titles, encompassing a Grand Slam, and not one, but two, yes two, wins over the ABs should infuse a greater sense of optimism.

Maybe we’re just bloody greedy! After all, we never had it so good. Right? Well, expectations are measured by a fairly flat Six Nations performance that featured two poor losses against England and Grand Slam winners, Wales. While the heroics of last November were always hard to repeat, the sheer scale of those defeats shocked. Those reverses were, well, very un-Ireland, if you excuse the clumsy expression.

Granted, it’s hard at the top of the tree waiting to be knocked down, but fans struggled to understand Ireland’s swift fall from grace. Throw in the complete hammering inflicted by England during the World Cup warm-ups and we see a picture of confidence dented and wind furiously taken from Ireland’s once high-flying sails. Heroes to zeros and all that.

And yet, the nucleus of an extremely good rugby side remains intact. Think about it. Ireland possess mammoth experience in virtually every position and a wealth of talent is at the squad’s disposal. Irish rugby has never had such strength in depth across the board.

Furthermore, in Johnny Sexton and Conor Murray, Schmidt has the best half-backs in the tournament. Ireland’s halves are all-time greats whose World Cup stories thus far are of frustrating underachievement. If they stay off the physio table this time, 2019 is the chance to shine.

And in Schmidt, Ireland have one of the greatest coaches: smart, innovative and ambitious. After the anti-climax of 2015, Ireland’s best ever strategist is determined to end on a high. One more roll of the dice for Schmidt and off into the rugby sunset he goes. We want a happy ending for coach and captain of course, but seldom does the rugby gods dispense justice.

We start the campaign with a massive game against Scotland. A good side that knows Ireland like the back of its hand, this is far from the gimme many have supposed. With rain forecast, expect relentless targeting of the Irish line-out and breakdown; with a full blown aerial assault thrown in. Injuries, especially in the back three, have hampered preparation, but Ireland have the experience and nous to negotiate the ambush.

Withstand the Scottish onslaught and Ireland have a relatively straightforward group before another quarter-final; likely against the behemoths of South Africa. This will be the cup final of all cup finals. Ireland’s profile is low but they fancy their chances. Make no mistake about that. Win that almighty tussle and all bets are off. Heck, even the All Blacks don’t frighten anymore!

But there’s much work to be done before that. Toil, sweat and homework in the land of the rising sun. However, Schmidt’s Ireland are up for the fight. Indeed, it will be the last chance for a lot of them; esteemed coach included. See, it’s not so bad actually. Forget the doom and gloom. Ireland will do fine. Schmidt’s boys are primed for their best ever World Cup finish.

Twitter: @rorymcgimpsey

 

Alun Wyn Jones, Greig Laidlaw, Sergio Parisse, Rory Best, Guilhem Guirado and Owen Farrell 23/1/2019
REPRO FREE***PRESS RELEASE NO REPRODUCTION FEE***EDITORIAL USE ONLY 2019 Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship Launch, The Hurlingham Club, Ranelagh Gardens, London 23/1/2019 Wales’ Alun Wyn Jones, Scotland’s Greig Laidlaw, Italy’s Sergio Parisse, Ireland’s Rory Best, France’s Guilhem Guirado and England’s Owen Farrell Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/James Crombie

United in Rugby

Recently, rather belatedly, I saw Brian O’Driscoll’s documentary, Shoulder to Shoulder. The film is superb. It tells the story of Irish rugby’s paradoxical, unique ability to unite Irish people of all backgrounds, including during the darkest days of the Troubles, with the intense hatred and division that reigned in those times.

If you haven’t seen it, Shoulder to Shoulder is essential viewing. And its relevance extends way beyond rugby. The documentary has many highlights, but the interviews with rugby heroes, from very different backgrounds, confirming how their differences were set aside for the common cause, are both inspiring and thought provoking.

This is surely Irish rugby’s greatest strength: the ability to unite in a society that’s  historically been divided and polarised along sectarian lines. Many organisations purport to unite Irish people, but how many actually do it in a genuinely inclusive, unifying way? What else unites men and women of the island, from all traditions, on the same terms? I can’t think of any other organisation or sector of society that does it in quite the same way as rugby.

Catholics, Protestants, Unionists, Nationalists, Loyalists and Republicans all buying into the idea of a 32-county Irish team and prepared to support that team on an equal basis. It’s a truly fantastic thing. Rugby leads the way. That’s before we even get to the unique concept of the Lions, an international sporting team whose fans wave tricolours and Union Jacks in unison. Honestly, where else do you see anything like that?

Now, I’m not one that idealises rugby. The sport has a legion flaws and is far from perfect. We all know the historical problems with social exclusion and the perception that the sport exemplifies a certain type of snobbery. Although, even that idea has always been somewhat of a myth. Try going to Limerick, for example, and claiming rugby as a purely middle-class preoccupation.

Furthermore, we can talk all day about the dangers and risks associated with a contact sport increasingly obsessed with size and violent collisions. Yes, rugby is far from ideal. We know that. But it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate rugby’s unique ability to bring people together. That trumps everything else.

Shoulder to Shoulder tells how members of northern security services played together with those from Nationalist and Republican backgrounds during the height of the Troubles. If that sounds remarkable, it’s fair to say this fact was never the issue it could have been within Irish rugby. In the oval ball game, there was always a keen sense that what unites us is much more important than what divides. They were all Irishmen, united in common cause. The politics was left at the door.

Brothers spilling blood, sweat and tears for the green shirt. The IRFU has made provision for the diversity of identities within the sport in Ireland with the introduction of Ireland’s Call. While the song itself is far from great, it symbolises something much more: the ability of Irish men (and women) from different community backgrounds to come together for the good of Irish rugby.

However, long before the introduction of the unity anthem (brought in for the 1995 Rugby World Cup), many unionists and Protestants from Ulster played under the tricolour and stood respectfully for Amhran na bhfiann. It happens to this day. One of the proudest facts about Irish rugby is that many of its key men throughout history have been from the northern, unionist tradition. Think of Willie John McBride, Mike Gibson, Syd Millar and Jack Kyle. True giants of Irish rugby.

But the truth is (and Shoulder to Shoulder shows this perfectly) that none of that actually mattered. Religion, political beliefs, allegiances, community backgrounds. These labels were wholly irrelevant. Because, in Irish rugby, we’re all in it together. From all corners of the country. North, south, east, west and everywhere else in between.

It’s a weird phenomenon: this predominantly middle-class sport that unites Catholic, Protestant and dissenter. As we move forward, many desire to unite the people of Ireland, from all backgrounds, peacefully and are looking for novel and workable ways to achieve this aspiration. Those in need in inspiration should look no further than Lansdowne Road. Because the IRFU did it years ago.

 

P.S. So, the inevitable has happened and Boris Johnson has acceded to his lifelong dream and become British prime minister. Comparisons are, of course, being made with Trump but Bojo is different; a much more complex and nuanced character. I don’t buy his buffoonish persona for a second. Johnson is clearly an extremely intelligent and knowledgeable man. A driven operator, whose ambition is matched only by this opportunism. A master orator who will compel many to his cause.

However, it’s hard to see much in his colourful past that remotely qualifies Boris for the job at hand. Indeed, Johnson’s elevation tells you all you need to know about his relentless ambition. Surely there has never been a worse time to be British PM? Just ask Theresa. The gloves are off. The most febrile and ugly of debates has begun. Stand by for a frenzy of virtue signalling, faux indignation and extreme polarisation. I’m bored already!

Twitter: @rorymcgimpsey