VICTORY OVER Wales in Cardiff was the only tangible reward Ireland got from what was a disappointing International Championship campaign and, indeed, season at senior international level.
But while the championship is over for Ireland, who will look on next Saturday when the Grand Slam and Triple Crown are decided in Paris and Cardiff, there is some very important unfinished business to be done in relation to the national team or more specifically, the national squad.
Brian Ashton, who takes up his position as Ireland coach officially on April 1st, was in Dublin on Sunday to see the Ireland Youths play the Welsh Youths. He travelled to Limerick yesterday to meet the Ireland manager Pat Whelan, and he and Whelan are currently reviewing the championship and making plans for the days ahead.
They have plenty to discuss. But I think, in fairness to Ashton, and I emphasise that I give his appointment enthusiastic support, it would be grossly unfair to make any judgement whatsoever on his coaching ability based on what happened to Ireland in the championship.
He came in at very short notice to help prepare Ireland for the championship. He has had exactly four weeks to work, with the Ireland players. That hardly gives much time for familiarisation. By this time, he has barely been able to put names to all the faces in the national squad.
He took over after Ireland had been humiliated by Western Samoa beaten by Australia and comprehensive outplayed by Italy, who, prior to their defeat of Ireland, had lost to England by a huge score and also succumbed to Wales and Scotland. In a word, Ashton inherited a team that had lost five successive matches, having been beaten at the end of last season by England and the Barbarians. It was scarcely a rich inheritance for Brian Ashton.
Nor has he been able, in the circumstances, to stamp his authority on the selection of the Ireland team. For instance, he took no meaningful part in the selection of the team to meet France, yet he did some very good work in preparation for that match.
The win over Wales in Cardiff, offered very concrete hope that Ireland could have a reasonable championship. Then came the collapse against England and Scotland in the closing stages of both matches. The tactics adopted by Ireland against Scotland were contrary to what had been laid out. Nor can one escape the fact that there was a spiritual failing in that match.
I have no doubt that Ashton will have a considerable input into the composition of the Ireland squad to tour New Zealand in May. That squad cannot be announced or chosen until after April 2nd, when the composition of the Lions squad to tour South Africa will be known.
Meanwhile, the contracts sub committee of the IRFU, under the chairmanship of Billy Lavery, are currently working on that important and contentious issue. The contracts for next season will be altered and I have little doubt that shine of those who this season had senior squad contracts worth £30,000, and a car, will not find themselves similarly well placed when they come up for renewal.
The plan is to contract around 100 players at different levels. And one of the primary objects is to give incentives to players to play their club rugby in Ireland. In the light of that approach, I would suggest to the sub committee that they should look very carefully at the structure of payments next season and make some amendments.
The payment of £800 to the England based players for attending squad weekends, for instance, in addition to match fees, is scarcely an incentive to get players to play in Ireland when these players all have lucrative contracts with their clubs. The French federation has pulled the plug very effectively on their players who decided to play in England. Not one of them was selected for the French national team or squad.
As the IRFU contracts sub committee gets down to work, they do so against some interesting and revealing statistics relevant to the Ireland side this season. In many respects, they illustrate the difficulties Ireland had, and the failure of some players.
Quite apart from squad membership fees and the sum of money paid to the England based players for attending squad sessions, the IRFU paid out over £400,000 in match fees this season. It could be said that they did not exactly get great value for the money in terms of the results and performances. Every international appearance was worth £3,000 for those who played or came on as a replacement. Those who sat on the bench, but did not come on, were given £1,000.
In the seven matches Ireland played, no fewer than 35 players were used. Do, Ireland have 35 players of senior international quality? I hardly think so. Of those 35, only four started in all seven matches. They were Jonathan Bell, Paul Wallace, Jeremy Davidson and David, Corkery. Denis McBride played in seven, but came on as a replacement against Italy used three full backs Jim Staples; Conor O'Shea and Simon Mason. No fewer than five players appeared on the wings. They were: Richard Wallace; James Topping; Dominic Crotty; Denis Hickie and Jonathan Bell. The following played in the centre: Bell; Robert Henderson; Mark McCall; Kurt McQuilkin and Maurice Field. We played four different combinations in the centre: Henderson Bell; Bell McCall; Bell Field; McQuilkin Field.
Three out halves were used. They were: David Humphreys; Paul Burke and Eric Elwood. Three scrum halves also played: Niall Hogan; Stephen McIvor and Brian O'Meara. In all, no fewer than 18 players were used behind the scrum.
In the pack, Nick Popplewell, Henry Hurley and Paul Flavin all played at loose head prop. There were also three hookers: Allan Clarke; Keith Wood and, Ross Nesdale. Paul Wallace was tight head in every match.
In the second row, Davidson, was partnered variously by Mick Galwey, Gabriel Fulcher and Paddy Johns. Corkery filled the blind side flanker berth throughout. But between number eight and open side flank, Johns, Eric Miller, Anthony Foley, McBride, Ben Cronin band Victor Costello all played, with Costello's appearance being as a replacement against Western Samoa.
So in all, 17 forwards played for Ireland this season. Three different players captained the side: Hogan; Wood and Staples. There were nine new caps: Henderson; Topping; Crotty; Hickie; McIvor; O'Meara; Flavin; Nesdale and Miller.
The IRFU contracts sub committee should also reflect on the number of players named in the national squad prior to the start of the season who did not make even one appearance in the seven matches, and some of whom could not even make the A team. And there is a lesson, too, for the selectors in the a number of players who were chosen having failed initially to get into the squad. The professional game is truly learning, as well as, an expensive, process.
