The Ireland squad limited themselves to a run-out of medium intensity for about 45 minutes amid the snow flurries at their Carton House base yesterday, sparing a thought for an absent friend and former captain while assessing an array of walking wounded.
While Seán O'Brien resumed full training yesterday, as did Tommy O'Donnell, and Rob Kearney at least managed some non-contact training on his own, Keith Earls (concussion), Simon Zebo (knee), Andrew Trimble (shoulder) and Johnny Sexton (shoulder) all shivered on the sidelines.
Sexton’s spirits were altogether upbeat though, after his wife Laura gave birth to their second child, a baby girl, Amy, on Monday.
Earls is clearly the biggest doubt given the six-day turnaround to pass his return to play protocols, while of the others Zebo’s knee injury is causing the most concern.
Medical report
“The (medical) report is that he’s recovering really well,” ventured skills and kicking coach Richie Murphy yesterday. “He (Zebo) was pretty sore with the knee afterwards but he’s recovered really well to this point so as long as that keeps going he should available to train on Thursday.
“Rob will definitely be fit,” added Murphy. “Johnny should be fine, he is a bit dinged up but he should be fine. Andrew should be alright. Today’s less than 48 hours after the game so another day should make a big difference to him. We’d be pretty happy that they’d all be okay for selection.”
Ireland made 170 tackles in Sunday's bruiser, when the ball was in play for over 39 minutes, but the scope for change when the team to play France in Paris on Saturday is announced tomorrow has been limited by the management concluding Cian Healy and Mike Ross are better served playing with Leinster against Zebre at the RDS on Friday.
Reflecting on Sunday's opening draw with Wales, there appeared to be a heightened sense that an opportunity was lost from 13-0. Citing that lead, and a tally of seven line-breaks to none, Murphy said: "But line-breaks are no good unless you can convert them and that's the next level. It was our first game out for quite a while. It's something we'll try to tighten up on a few little things so that, when we do get into those situations we can finish off those plays."
The weekend also afforded them a first opportunity to weigh up France. Noting that they had even less time together than Ireland, Murphy cited “the massive amount of offloads in their game” and the threat therein, but also the opportunity for “transitioning straight from defence to attack. It’s something that we’re definitely very focused on.” This was a feature of Ireland’s performance last Sunday and yielded a long-range try in Paris two seasons ago.
O’Connell retirement
Meanwhile the reverberations of Paul O’Connell’s enforced retirement was acutely felt, not least by his
Munster
, Irish and Lions’ teammate
Conor Murray
, who spoke of O’Connell’s drive, intensity, studious approach and demanding nature.
“He knew his own role, he knew a nine’s role and a 10’s role inside out so he expected you to do the same. That’s why we have been successful over the last couple of years with Ireland and in the past with Munster. He is the guy who drove it and set the standards. You just fed off him. You didn’t want to disappoint him. You didn’t want him calling you out if you made a mistake.
“There was that little bit of fear and then once you got to know him you realised he was a great guy, a good bit of craic and a great guy to be around. So, yeah, a sad day for someone like that to go out but he has so many great memories.”
Murray recalled a Heineken Cup game away to Edinburgh a week after the scrumhalf had “a bit of a nightmare” away to Racing Metro. “I wanted to play as well as I could and get man of the match and put the wrongs right. Within the first 20 minutes of the Edinburgh game he had three or four turnovers, some big carries and a few hits and I was thinking to myself that I just couldn’t outplay that guy on that day. He was like that for years.”
Munster role
As to the notion of O’Connell one day coaching Munster or Ireland, Murray joked: “Yeah, hopefully I will be gone as I’d be too afraid of him as a coach. I think he was almost coaching people as a player; talking people through their role. He fully understood back moves as well as forward play.”
Asked to compare O'Connell to Richie McCaw, who he played with at the Crusaders, Jared Payne said: "Yea, every time he was on the pitch, whether it be days like this, training, or running around on a nice sunny day, he led from the front and it was very similar to the way Richie leads."
Tadhg Furlong’s experiences of working with O’Connell were more limited but memorable nonetheless. “Anything you hear players say about him, I can only say for me, they are true. He just has this presence, a willingness to put a hand around you, say a word, or talk you through a lineout that you weren’t quite sure on. The smallest things that made the biggest difference he was incredibly good at.”
The young prop recalled sitting beside O'Connell at the World Cup quarter-final against Argentina in the Millennium Stadium. "The camera always kept panning to Paulie. This first time we flashed up on the big screen, he just turned to me and said: 'We made it kid'."
