The weeken'd's rugby looked at from a different angle
Tackling the new rules
IT’S HARDLY a secret that Paddy O’Brien is fairly unpopular in the Irish camp as the IRB referees manager shoulders responsibility for Southern Hemisphere officials strict interpretation of the tackle law.
On Saturday, five of the seven penalties Ireland coughed up were for not adequately releasing a Scottish ball carrier.
It resulted in 12 points.
This was South African referee Jonathan Kaplan’s perspective:
4 minutes: Paul O’Connell, not releasing in the tackle. Result? Dan Parks kicks penalty to make it 3-0.
37 minutes: Donncha O’Callaghan, not rolling away after the tackle. Dan Parks kicks penalty to make it 11-7.
45 minutes: Rob Kearney, not releasing in the tackle. Dan Parks kicks penalty to make it 17-7.
56 minutes: Paul O’Connell (leaning) on your elbows, says Kaplan. Dan Parks penalty falls short.
73 minutes: Jamie Heaslip, Not rolling away, says Kaplan. Dan Parks makes it 20-17.
Hooides on the way to the top 15
FOR THE second year running, specially designed hoodies from the Jack Wills clothing line are on the way to the players included in the Leinster schools’ XV based on performances in the senior cup. The toughest call was at inside centre but Clongowes’ Garret O’Suilleabhain’s brilliant performance in the final marginally edges out St Gerard’s Jody Crosbie and St Mary’s Maurice Walsh.
Clongowes, after their emphatic 38-20 defeat of St Michael’s on St Patrick’s Day, received six selections with five from the runners-up, while St Mary’s have two names on the team-sheet with one each for St Gerard’s and The King’s Hospital.
Honourable mentions must go to the giant-killing St Gerard’s halfbacks Steve Crosbie, younger brother of Jody, and Robbie Glynn (denied a shop window by an injury run that saw him break his ankle for the second time in 12 months in the quarter-final victory over Blackrock).
JACK WILLS LEINSTER SCHOOLS’ XV 2010: Stephan MacAuley (Clongowes Wood College); Mark Corballis (St Michael’s College), Alex Kelly (St Michael’s College), Garret O Suilleabhain (Clongowes Wood College), Eoin Moriarty (St Mary’s College); Cathal Marsh (St Michael’s College), David Fanagan (St Mary’s College); Des Merrey (The King’s Hospital), Evan Lewis (Clongowes Wood College), Ian Prendiville (Clongowes Wood College); Robert Hynes (Clongowes Wood College), Emmet MacMahon (St Michael’s College); Paddy Dix (St Michael’s College), Nick McCarthy (Clongowes Wood College), Jack Conan (St Gerard’s School).
Stats make uncomfortable reading
THIS WILL make for uncomfortable reading.
Before Saturday’s defeat the average Irish tackle completion rate was 94 per cent in the 2010 Six Nations Championship with only 23 missed over four games.
It was at 86 per cent against the Scots with 10 missed from 74 attempts.
Total Irish errors? 14.
Seven lineouts went astray and that’s not including the Paul O’Connell tap down that bounced into a Scottish hand.
Take a bow Andy Robinson who, it should be remembered, was the English forwards coach at the 2003 World Cup.
Ireland remain level on 10 Triple Crowns with Scotland after the 23-20 defeat.
To conclude on a positive note, the full house at Croke Park saw attendance figures climb over the one million mark for the 14 Test matches hosted by the GAA.
The popular former Irish physio Ailbe McCormack was part of the Irish club backroom team on Friday night at Donnybrook.
What made the night extra special was his son Patrick played the role of mascot.
Declan Kidney slipped away from the Shelbourne hotel to present the jerseys to the amateur club players. Ireland won 21-18 thanks to a late drop goal from Blackrock’s Darragh Fitzpatrick.
Booing Parks leaves bad memory
TAKING patriotism out of the equation, and not forgetting the unique experience of England’s visit in 2007, the abiding memory of rugby’s farewell to Croke Park will unfortunately be the booing of Dan Parks match-winning 79th minute penalty on Saturday evening.
Some trademark Thomond Park silence would probably have been more unnerving for the Australian-born outhalf. Different folks at internationals and the Heineken Cup in Limerick.
Unlucky timing
IT WOULD be easy to criticise the Irish management for heaping unnecessary and further strain on Jonathan Sexton in the 51st minute. Already having a nightmare off the tee, Sexton turned to see Ronan O’Gara’s arrival on the pitch as he was lining up a kick at goal.
O’Gara had the good sense to retreat and allow Sexton make it a seven point game but an eagle eye spotted O’Gara was already stripped down before the penalty was awarded putting it all down to unlucky timing.
