So Will Irish Eyes Be Smiling?

By Chris Chaplin
March 26 2003

At last England showed against Scotland that they can string together an extended period of high class play even if a few of their number are not at their absolute best. So now can they front up in Ireland and put tears of sorrow instead of joy into the eyes of the Irish?

If England showed what they can do so did Ireland, when against Wales they took their foot off the pedal and as such frankly did not deserve their win over the brave and very unlucky Welsh, who showed real determination only to see their attempts at giving the home crowd something to cheer about frustrated at the 59th minute of the eleventh hour when Mr Lander, not for the first time, decided the outcome of a match by either not knowing the rules or losing the plot when he failed to spot an Irishman come offside to charge down Stephen Jones’ attempt at a winning drop goal, an attempt which I for one would not have taken any odds on his missing from that range and field position and certainly he‘d have been odds on to convert the penalty that should have been awarded. But the luck of the Irish truly prevailed and here we are at Lansdowne Road this weekend for the Grand Slam decider.

Let’s first look at the Irish front row then. In John Hayes the Irish at least have stability with the prop having been a regular competitor since he really made his name in the 2000 Six Nations. Not, perhaps, one of the names that drops from anyone’s lips other than an Irishman’s when talking about international props, but don’t be misled, he is effective. More notable is Shane Byrne of the flowing locks who continues to deputise for the perennially injured Keith Wood. Byrne is capable enough in the scrum and makes few mistakes with his throwing at the line, although I have seen him have indifferent matches in this department. Against Wales he made a couple of Woodesque bursts in the loose and the English forwards will have to guard against this growing element of his play. Marcus Horan completed the line-up against the Welsh but it’s just possible that Justin Fitzpatrick may get the nod against England.

At lock of course is the superb Malcolm O’Kelly. Pretty much a fixture since his first cap back in 1997 against the All Blacks and an accomplished British Lion. O’Kelly is a past master at stealing and spoiling opposition ball and I see him as the main danger at the lineout, where he’ll probably be partnered by a fit again Gary Longwell who with his more mobile bent will give better support to his illustrious colleague than did Cullen.

The back-row shone against the Welsh and have been the dominant unit in the Irish pack. Keith Gleeson is another of those players who doesn’t get the limelight but he deservedly did on Saturday last when he had a superb game, his support play leading to his first try and his predatory nature enabling him to feed off a mistake by Rhys Williams to score his second. Anthony Foley played only just over half an hour before being replaced so maybe we’ll get a chance to see our very own Eric Miller show us that he’s lost none of his old verve. With Costello back in training his presence on the blindside would be a major fillip for the Irish cause. Quinlan will then be relegated to the bench which should keep him out of trouble as he was exceptionally lucky that his terrible high tackle earned him merely a ticking off from the ever idiotic posturing Steve Lander. Perhaps the lateness of the hour saved the Irishman but it shouldn’t have. The Irish back-row is a strength, especially in broken play, but of course it’s only three of the eight who have to sort out the nitty-gritty stuff and I did not think that the tight five looked that impressive against a Welsh set-up that has been indifferent for most of the time in this season’s tournament relying on good individual rather than unitary performances.

OK - talking of strengths. The Irish back division. Unless he’s injured or hell’s finally frozen over Munster’s Peter Stringer will be at #9 and his contest against a similarly disposed Dawson will be a real treat. In my playing days back in the Dark Ages I never ventured outside of the pack but I did get coached on how to pass the ball and the manual says you don’t do it the way Stringer does, but however he achieves it he’s got a pass to die for, perhaps because he knows it’s on it’s way to either Humphreys or Ronan O’Gara. What a choice for Coach O’Sullivan. I rather suspect that O’Gara having stretched his legs to good effect for a while last weekend we could see rather more of him this as he brings so much more to the party than does Humphreys‘ boot. Bath’s Maggs is a real tough centre and he’ll break through the gain line all afternoon given the chance. With his ability to offload in the tackle he could let loose that horror for defences - Brian O’Driscoll taking the ball at pace. If he gets loose with an inch of space there’ll be trouble, BIG trouble.

The Irish back three sees that flying machine Dennis Hickie on one wing with his uncanny knack of popping up where you least expect him and Justin Bishop on the other flank. I must say that Bishop is not my most favourite of players, just something about his attitude riles me and I get the impression that he waits for, rather than looks for, work but probably just personal prejudice on my part. With Dempsey reportedly recovering from injury it could be that he’ll be restored to full back with Geordan returning to the wing. I need say nothing about him that has not already been said by Tigers’ supporters countless times. But I will say that his role in Gleeson’s first try summed up his play. A fantastic sprint, a great kick and a resultant Irish lineout on the Welsh line. Bishop then messed up when he should have been able to stroll over to score and so up popped Geordan to put Gleeson over instead. Let’s hope we’re not going to see Geordan do the same to England.

There’s no doubt in my mind that were the Irish backs to get loose England would be all out to hold them. But to get loose they need ball and I just wonder if the Irish pack will secure enough of sufficient quality to meet their needs. Another question mark must be the Irish defence that allowed the Welsh to outscore them by three tries to two.

Can England finally do it then? Can Woodward finally win something of note with his talented team?

Well he starts with a plus in that he’s able to start with the same line-up that put the Scots to the sword.

In my mind with “only” Vickery now missing perforce the front row of Rowntree, Thompson and Leonard will just be too good for the Irish trio and I shall be disappointed if they don’t push and pull them around like a rag doll.

True in the second row the Irish have O’Kelly but we have Johnson AND Kay. It’s almost impossible to think that O’Kelly won’t pinch ball at the lineout but by the same token the same can be said of Ben Kay. This should be an area where if not totally dominant England should have an edge at least. Both Johnno and Ben also have great games in the loose and we’ve not yet seen the best of Kay in this tournament.

Back row? Yes the Irish have been impressive but our lads will not have forgotten their last trip to Lansdowne Road when some unpunished American Football style blocking by the Irish back row let Wood through for a try. It will be a torrid confrontation and the outcome will depend very much on whether Dallaglio is in the right frame of mind. If he is then I don’t give the Irish much chance of coming out ahead. By the same token Wilko will need protection and fast clean ball. We can only hope that he returns to his direct style of play and that he really is fully fit. If so the Irish #10 could be seeing a lot of him!

As I’ve already said the scrum-half battle should be a corker and could end up a draw with O’Gara or Humphreys and Wilko getting some decent ball to work with particularly if Daws has been havinf some passing practice this week. The Irish #10 will be heavily targeted by our back row and Dallaglio needs to have a big game here, as well as taking the ball up. Maggs will need to get past Tindall to do damage and he’ll have to go some to do it as there will be an edge between these two Bath team mates who know each other‘s game so well. Maggs is still the more creative but I think Tindall will control him.

O’Driscoll and Greenwood - WOW! Who’d want to call this one? They’ve both got strong running centres inside them. They both squeeze through impossible gaps and have great vision but for me Greenwood has the edge when it comes to defending his patch and I think he will against O’Driscoll, with his play making skills proving pivotal later on.

Wings. Hickie against Billy The Whizz! Well Hickie is brilliant but he ain’t got that thing. If Robinson stands him up then I think he’ll pass him and our Jason (body checks excluded please) is great in defence having had all that experience at full back. If Ben Cohen is on form I can’t see Bishop getting past him although Geordan may have a better chance with his dancing feet. Finally fullback. Josh Lewsey is doubtless the coming man but is not yet the finished article whereas Geordan certainly is as an attacking #15. However defensively and like Lewsey he can make mistakes and if Robinson, Cohen, Lewsey or Greenwood get at him there could be a way past this last line of Irish defence. So if fit Dempsey may be preferred with Geordan back in his best spot on the right wing. Certainly Lewsey will need better support from his wings this week as he’ll get a good few Garry-Owens to cope with.

So will it be Grand Slam time for England? Without doubt there’ll be excitement aplenty in the backs with all that talent and pace. I think however that if England are pragmatic, keep it in the forwards for the first hour, take the points that will come via Mr Wilkinson and keep their discipline then they’ll win, perhaps by 10 to 15 points. But if they try to play expansive rugby too early then the disorganised tendency in the Irish will revel in any errors and in front of a packed Lansdowne Road they could just nick it.