THERE APPEARS to be an air of optimism that the Ireland rugby team can provide an antidote to the current economic climate, the arctic weather and everything else that has befallen our little isle today. Then there’s the minor matter of avenging seven straight losses against their French bugbears and launching their Six Nations campaign on the right track. No pressure then.
Already deemed marginal favourites with the bookies, the money (whether smart or not) has also been weighted on Ireland to go with the most expensive sport tickets in town. All this against a national team who have also won 23 of the last 26 meetings and last took on Ireland with what might be deemed a poor team in the days of black and white TV.
Three of those defeats could be said to have cost Ireland Grand Slams, but for which any debate about this being a golden generation would have long since been put to bed. Enough of today’s squad have experienced those defeats first hand to appreciate both the magnitude of the task and the sense of opportunity. And this will be the last campaign in which France and England come to Croke Park.
As with John Hayes, Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer and Malcolm O’Kelly, Brian O’Driscoll was as hungry as ever facing into his 10th campaign yesterday, though partly because “it’s the realisation that it won’t go on for ever which gives you that extra appetite that you need; the more years you have under your belt and the older you get”.
Of all the Slam-opportunities that went abegging it was the defeat to France here two years ago which both rankles the most. Strangely stand-offish when welcoming France to Croke Park two years ago, Ireland further invited les bleus into that game by kicking to touch around half-way. Croke Park’s dimensions, with the stands set further back, encouraged the French back three to throw quickly and counter, and now that throws no longer have to be straight, Ronan O’Gara and co may have to sacrifice 10 or 20 metres to make sure of touchfinders.
With Rob Kearney passed fit to employ his hefty left boot, and Paddy Wallace in midfield, Ireland ought to have a varied kicking game with which to kick in behind the French back three, find touch or kick to chase. But most of all you’d like to see Ireland set off by keeping the ball and frustrating the French, employ short lineouts if need be, set David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Paul O’Connell and co up the middle, clear out ruthlessly and then selectively use Paddy Wallace’s distribution to play with a bit more depth and width in creating one-on-ones out wide. Basically, take Munster’s performance against Sale as something of a template and have a go.
While the French clubs’ travails in Europe may have negligible impact today, facing into a championship-defining opener (for both teams) on the back of season-defining games for the provinces can only be of benefit to Ireland, even if the Leinster-fuelled Irish backline haven’t exactly been ripping up trees.
But notions of the Ireland pack doing a number on the French, a la the penalty try in Paris last year, should be tempered. All bar tight-head Bernard Lecouls featured in a French pack that scored a pushover/penalty try against the Wallabies, who destroyed the English scrum that same month. And only one of this French starting tight-five, and two of the pack, were on the pitch when Ireland heaped that indignity upon them last year.
That said, well though Sebastien Chabal played last November in the secondrow against Australia, he is not a lineout option as a lock, and his desultory performance for Sale in Thomond Park confirmed Munster’s analysis that he is far more effective at number eight.
Imanol Harinordoquy will assuredly be calling most of the lineout ball on himself and his fellow backrowers Thierry Dusautoir and Fulgence Ouedraogo, and it is denying them, and more important stifling such an athletic and dynamic trio, which is probably the key to Ireland’s chances.
Starving them of possession is one way, having the human wrecking ball that is Ferris in their faces is another. In what will be a ferocious collision between two full-on defences, Ferris and Dusautoir will probably leave some wreckage in their wake.
The one area where you could envisage Ireland having a distinct advantage is at halfback. Tomás O’Leary and Ronan O’Gara are a settled combination bang in form.
Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Lionel are the eighth halfback pairing in Marc Lievremont’s 11th game and Beauxis, who has been playing mostly at fullback for Stade Français, is going to be asked to play a game he’s not especially used to given France’s stated intentions. There’s also the small matter of France not picking a back-up outside half or goalkicker.
That is one of the little details that could be critical. The Ireland winning margins in those three victories since 1983 have been two, seven and three, and one ventures if Ireland are to launch their 2009 campaign on a winning note it will not be without some pain along the way and acute discomfort. Ireland by a score, maybe.
Overall head-to-head:Played 84. Ireland 28 wins, France 51 wins, 5 draws.
Last three meetings:2008 – France 26 Ireland 21 (Stade de France); 2007 France 25 Ireland 3 (Stade de France, RWC).
Forecast:Ireland to win.
FRENCH DELAYED
IN THE fall-out from the weather-induced chaos of the day before, the French squad were detained for almost two hours on the ground at Dublin Airport on arrival from Paris yesterday. Having landed at 11am, they eventually alighted at 12.45pm.
As a result, only the kickers visited Croke Park, whereas the rest of the squad had a light, re-arranged training session in Trinity, as it was closer to their city centre hotel.
