Paul O Connell Tribute

I didn’t think I would be writing this particular piece until after Ireland were finished with the World Cup but alas sport is not sentimental and injuries happen at the worst possible time at the best of times. Paul O Connell has been struck down with a severe hamstring injury that will rule him out of the rest of the World Cup.

Having make his debut in 2002 against Wales and scoring a try that he can’t remember due to a concussion suffered early in that game. He has been ever present for Ireland barring a few spells on the side-lines and was one appearance short of 100 starts for Ireland. This would have been another milestone that this incredible player would have added to his list of achievements that include 3 Six Nations titles, 4 Triple Crowns and a Grand Slam in 2009.

As we know he led Ireland on 28 occasions, third only to Keith Wood and Brian O Driscoll. We have seen and heard about his rousing speeches whether that be from players or coaches. He is a true Warrior that deserves huge credit for keeping his standards as high as he did for so long in green.

He has had a new lease of life under Joe Schmidt who made him captain when he took over as head coach in 2013. He seemed thrive under the new regime that came so close to beating the All Blacks in November 2013 but since that day Ireland have gone on to greater heights by winning back to back Six Nations titles with “ Paulie “ as Captain. They also beat Australia and South Africa in November 2014 to prove to the rugby world that they could beat members of the so called “Big Three “.

Any player that has played under him will tell you what an inspiration he is and what quality’s he brings to the role of Captain. He is credited with helping change the mentality of Irish Rugby from We Might Win It To We Will Win It.

Finally Paul, Thank you for all you have done for Irish Rugby over your 13 year career in Green. I realise you would have wanted to leave on your own terms but as you would be the first to admit you can’t always have things the way you want them. Your number 5 shirt is in safe hands now with Iain Henderson. He seems to have learned a few tricks from you already.

Simply Paul Thank You So Much for your Blood , Sweat and Tears in your quest to drive Irish Rugby to Bigger and Better Things.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

13/10/2015

Stepping Forward

Ireland are today looking to a quarter final with old foes Argentina next Sunday. After seeing off France in impressive fashion yesterday , they are counting the cost of that victory with Peter O Mahony ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a knee injury. There are also concerns over Paul O Connell, Jonathan Sexton , Keith Earls and maybe a citing hearing  involving Sean O Brien who was involved in an early altercation with Pascal Pape.

In spite of all that went on yesterday ,Ireland came out on top after an impressive performance built on strong defence and a well drilled line out. After losing O Connell and Sexton , Iain Henderson  and Ian Madigan came on and had to steer Ireland around the field and take on the leadership role that was vacated when O Connell and Sexton departed.

Ian Madigan has been part of Ireland squads since 2013 and has had to bide his time and wait for his chance to shine. He has seen both Paddy Jackson and Ian Keatley ahead of him in the pecking order and has taken his chance now that it has given to him with an injury to Jonathan Sexton. The performance yesterday was shaky to start with but as the game progressed he gradually grew into the role and produced an assured display that may be needed later in this competition. He along with Conor Murray executed this particular Joe Schmidt game plan to absolute perfection.

We have been told that this team was keeping its powder dry and that by the time this game rolled around we could expect fireworks and so it came to pass.  Although they did leave a number of chances behind , they did create two tries that were forged by strong carrying forwards and finished off by quick thinking backs. Rob Kearney expertly finished his chance off and then in the 70^th minute when Ireland were looking to land a knock out blow up stepped Conor Murray and delivered the required punch.

On more than one occasion yesterday , Ireland used well-rehearsed moves from the Joe Schmidt play book and you can see that this squad is comfortable with this new found pressure. For the 2^nd tournament Ireland have made the World Cup quarter finals after winning 4 from 4 at the pool stage.  Fours years ago down in New Zealand we did the same and were ambushed and out foxed by Warren Gatland’s Wales.

Four years on, Ireland have won 2 Six Nations titles , beaten South Africa and Australia in the 2014 November Series. I realise that our World Cup history is very poor and now it is time to put that right. Ireland will face an old foe next week , Argentina have a good World Cup record against Ireland knocking them out in 1999 in Lens and beating them in the Stade De France 8 years later to help knock them out of the 2007 World Cup.

Looking to next week’s tie , Ireland will have to make a number of changes to the team that will face Argentina with injuries and maybe a suspension hanging over the squad. One feels that this squad patched up and all as it is can take on this latest challenge and add a new chapter to Ireland’s World Cup history.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

12/10/2015

Ireland’s Greatest Night

Ireland head into their final Euro 2016 qualifier with Poland in Warsaw on Sunday with everything to play for , a better result than 1 all will see Ireland grab automatic qualification and even in the event of Ireland being beaten  by Poland, Ireland will have secured a play-off place. After defeat to Scotland back in June, Ireland would have taken your hand off for the scenario that has since played out.

Ireland went into last night game with Germany knowing a draw would put them in a strong position to see Scotland off for 3^rd spot. Poland and Scotland played out an entertaining draw at Hampden Park that saw Scotland’s dreams of European qualification evaporate into the night.

Let’s not kid ourselves who in the in The Aviva last night would have foreseen that result coming. It was a rear guard action from minute one but Martin O Neill had his team well set up and they tucked in and defended in numbers. On more than one occasion they rode their luck but on a night like last night who cares!!   

From the moment Shay Given went off injured that seemed to galvanise Ireland into action and they took Germany on. They lived on edge with Mario Gotze and Mesut Ozil coming close in the first half. Ireland were reduced to resolute defending and clearances.  When Ireland did keep the ball they didn’t look that out of place. Wes Hoolahan and James Mc Carthy in particular kept the ball to good effect.  Germany did likewise and they created a number of chances put they could not find a way past Darren Randolph who had come on to replace Shay Given.

Germany came into last night’s game on the back of 5 wins on the bounce and they will still feel that they will cement top spot on Sunday evening by beating Georgia. Germany played a very high defensive line that saw Shane Long scamper in behind them to fire Ireland in front after 70 minutes.

It was a well taken goal after a long ball from Randolph it found its way all the way to Shane Long who took it down controlled it and fired it past Manuel Neuer to score one of those goals that will live long in the memory.

We now move onto Warsaw on Sunday evening to see can Ireland complete to remarkable turn around by beating Poland and therefore securing automatic qualification. Throughout this campaign Ireland have oven flattered to deceive but last night all of that was forgotten as Ireland secured the three points and in turn knocked Scotland out of contention.

For everyone in the Aviva last night it was a special moment. 50,000 people can say they were there to see Ireland defeat the current World Champions. How precious are the two late goals by John O Shea and Shane Long against Germany and Poland last year now.

So Sunday is a big day for Irish sport with the rugby team in action against France in Cardiff at 4.45pm and then Martin O Neill’s men go into action at 7.45pm against Poland with everything to play for on both fronts. Schmidt and O Neill are brothers in arms, both men can help keep the feel good factor going in Ireland well into next week.

From 4.30 on Sunday, close the curtains, take the phone off the hook , make sure the uniform for school is ironed and ready for road. Then strap yourself in and “DON’T FORGET TO BREATH “

By

Cian Mc Gibney

09/10/2015

Time For Change

As the group stage of the 2015 World Cup comes to a close over the next few days. We will see the top 2 sides in each of the 4 groups progress to the Quarter Finals. Today for instance will see Georgia take on Namibia and South Africa will face the USA.

Japan have of course have been the stand out team of the so called tier 2 nations, beating  South Africa 34-32 in week 1. They played a nice brand of attacking rugby that allowed them to attack South Africa at the break down and also in the scrum.

They of course have a professional league that has seen some high profile southern hemisphere players ply their trade in the league. The likes of George Smith , Fourie Du Preez , JP Pieterson  and Nick Cummins otherwise known as the “ Honey Badger” have all spent time playing the top Japanese League.

This has all been a huge benefit the national team with Fuimaki Tanaka playing with the Otago Highlanders in the Super Rugby competition along with team captain Micheal Letitch who plays with the Waikato Chiefs. They also have a strong coaching team led by Eddie Jones with Steve Borthwick and Mark Del Maso.

You can see all the hall marks of the good coaching and what that has done for Japan. The don’t try and play a game that wouldn’t suit them like going toe to toe with the bigger teams and being physical. They are smart at the breakdown , they are also cleaver at the line out and they have one or two set moves that have caused the opposition problems. The other key problem that the smaller teams have suffered from is that they do not have a player that can consistently convert chances when they arise.

The Japanese however have solved that issue with a quality 10 that has converted most of the chances that have come his way. That in turn has seen them pick up two wins from three games and they still have a slim chance of making the World Cup quarter finals. Aside from Japan, Georgia have been another team playing at this World Cup with great freedom. They will go for a second win in the group over Namibia this evening.

These two teams have again shown World Rugby that it isn’t just the top nations that have been putting in the hard graft. Japan will have a team in the expanded Super Rugby competition from 2016 and this will push on their development no end. Argentina will also have a team in the 2016 Super Rugby competition. Back in 2007 Argentina made the world sit up and take notice by finishing 3^rd at that year’s World Cup.

From a European point of view Georgia deserve great credit and to this end , I feel there should be some sort of benefit for their good performances at this year’s World Cup. Tradition is strong in the game of rugby union and for that reason World Rugby may be very slow to change and give these national sides something to work towards and that is promotion and relegation in the two main International competitions, The Six Nations and The Rugby Championship.

 This would mean that all 6 teams in the Six Nations would have something to play for into the last day and in turn would give all the other teams that play in the Nations Cup something to fight for. It also makes sense as Rugby makes its debut at the 2016 Olympics and we will see all the countries that have had great success at 7s take to the world stage and fight for gold in Rio. Countries like Russia , Holland , Scotland , Wales to name just 4 countries that have been on the world stage competing in the HSBC World Series. Ireland of course made a delayed return to 7s action after a few years away.

Here’s hoping World Rugby see fit to give the so called Tier 2 nations a chance.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

07/10/2015.

Ireland – World Cup Update

Ireland have qualified for the World Cup quarter finals after a 16-9 win over Italy. In the immediate aftermath of the game , everyone had forgotten that we had qualified for another World Cup quarter final and everyone focused in on what wasn’t achieved and that was the complete performance.

Firstly there were a number of good aspects to yesterday’s performance , the scrum was a key aspect of yesterday and the work that was seen in the past 2 years has come good at the right time. The line out worked out but thanks to some good Italian defending and poor execution the driving maul hasn’t work out.

 The maul has been a key aspect of good Irish play since Joe Schmidt took over. First it was John Plumtree that got the Irish maul going forward. He left the job and was replaced by Simon Easterby. This aspect of Irish play has failed to spark and it has weakened the Irish game plan.

On a number of occasions during the first three group games Ireland have tried to use the maul and to no great avail in the early games of this World Cup. To my mind this particular facet of Irish play needs to be looked at and worked on to get it back to where it was when Ireland won the 2014 and 2015 Six Nations.

In attack at times Ireland look like a team that could cut loose at any moment but they have only shown glimpses of the attacking threat that they possess. Ireland can beat France next week they have beaten France on the last 4 occasions and these wins should be used as the blue print to gain victory in Cardiff next Sunday.

Ireland have booked a place in the last 8 at this World Cup and will face either New Zealand or Argentina in a Quarter Final on Saturday or Sunday fortnight. If Ireland have proven one thing in recent years under Joe Schmidt , it is that they can perform when the heat is on. Beating Australia and South Africa in consecutive weeks in November 2014 proves that this squad can do it when it matters most.

Ireland have to break down another key barrier and that is win a Quarter Final and progress to a first ever Semi Final. That talk is for after the game against France next Sunday. Win, lose or draw Ireland will still need to create history if they are to get to a Semi Final.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

05/10/2015.