Millennium memories/ October 2001: Wales 6, Ireland 36:This result saved Warren Gatland's job, although it transpired the die was already cast, with a ruthless performance in the rearranged Six Nations match - because of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth. A great chance of a Grand Slam had fallen apart three weeks earlier when Scotland dished out a 32-10 hammering at Murrayfield.
Several lessons were learned in that disastrous encounter. Shane Horgan is an international winger, Peter Stringer is the best scrumhalf in the country and David Wallace is essential for go-forward ball. Geordan Murphy, Ronan O'Gara, Guy Easterby, Jeremy Davidson, Kieron Dawson and Malcolm O'Kelly were dropped, although O'Kelly regained his place after an injury to Gary Longwell. Horgan was switched from centre to wing, while Mick Galwey made another Lazarus-like return. David Humphreys was in superb form, kicking seven from seven but a lasting memory was a 40-yard dash by Peter Clohessy.
The Murrayfield result became a real disappointment after the Keith Wood-inspired victory over England (minus Martin Johnson) the following weekend. Despite the revival and subsequently giving New Zealand a scare in November, Gatland was replaced by Eddie O'Sullivan.
WALES:K Morgan; D James, A Bateman, L Davies, S Williams; S Jones, R Howley; I Thomas, R McBryde, D Young (capt); C Wyatt, A Moore; C Charvis, G Lewis, B Sinkinson.
IRELAND:G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, K Maggs, D Hickie; D Humphreys, P Stringer; P Clohessy, K Wood (capt), J Hayes; M Galwey, M O'Kelly; E Miller, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements:T Brennan for Galwey (58 mins), E Byrne for Clohessy, R O'Gara for Humphreys, F Sheahan for Wood (both 78 mins), K Dawson for Wallace (80 mins).
Insider knowledge
Simon Easterby is Irish. His mother lived in Blackrock. He has lived in Llanelli throughout his career and is the club captain. His wife is Welsh. Educated and raised in England, it must get confusing at times. All this was an obvious topic of conversation this week.
Does he communicate in Welsh when playing for the Scarlets.
"There are not enough Welsh speakers in the pack. Most of them are in the backs. Dwayne (Peel) and Stephen (Jones) might be calling calls in Welsh but it's probably a bit advanced for me."
Could he sing the Welsh national anthem? "No, I'll leave that to my wife."
The bonds with some of Sunday's opponents are lifelong, especially Welsh captain Stephen Jones.
"Yeah, Stephen was one of the best men for my wedding (alongside brother Guy no doubt). We tend not to speak too much on the week of an international. I'm sure I'll contact him before the weekend, wish him all the best. But not too much."
Easterby's form, and that of the Scarlets, in contrast to the mire Ulster have sank into, led to his selection ahead of Neil Best. Eddie O'Sullivan and Niall O'Donovan were, after all, present at the recent Heineken European Cup meeting at Ravenhill when the two blindsides came into direct contact.
Kyle honoured
Ireland's only Grand Slam outhalf, the great Dr Jack Kyle (more on him in Saturday's Irish Times), received a lifetime achievement award "in recognition of unique sporting and humanitarian contributions" at the seventh Annual Doctor Awards in Dublin last night.
Kyle, nicknamed "the ghost" by opposing defenders, was the puppeteer when Karl Mullen's team achieved the clean sweep in 1948, followed up by a Triple Crown in 1949 and the championship in 1951. Kyle won a remarkable 46 caps from 1947 to 1958, which also included the 1950 Lions tour of New Zealand and Australia.
After rugby he moved to Chingola, Zambia, where he was a consultant surgeon from 1966 to 2000. The great Welsh outhalf Cliff Morgan (also of Bective Rangers) said Kyle "was the finest outhalf ever to draw breath".
New IRFU website
The IRFU launched a new website yesterday. Not to nit-pick but we couldn't find any information on Ireland's summer tour to Argentina or the World Cup warm-up games against Italy and Scotland.
It may just be teething problems but the results database is also incomplete.
Besides that the website has broadened its scope from the previous incarnation.
