To axe or not to axe... (15)
- 15 Sep 07, 10:44 AM
Bordeaux - It鈥檚 a funny one, loyalty. Rugby coaches battle with it every week. Which is the preferred policy - the ?
The best in the business can administer both at different times, and with different people. An even-handed approach usually generates respect between the players and management. It also generally provides more consistent results. But what a tough balance it is to find.
When does loyalty cross over into blind faith?
Here in the first choice Ireland team have been given a second chance to prove to Eddie O鈥橲ullivan (and their expectant supporters) that they鈥檙e the ones to take the World Cup challenge forward.
Awful, appalling, and lousy. All words used by the players themselves this week as they reflected on a poor showing in their opener against Namibia. Many of them were convinced there had never been a worse collective performance in a green shirt. Yet they鈥檝e survived the axe 鈥 to a man.
The only one not playing against Georgia tomorrow is Andrew Trimble, who鈥檚 fractured his finger anyway.
What鈥檚 the message here I wonder? O鈥橲ullivan would argue it鈥檚 a vote of confidence in his tried and tested men鈥. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e miles better than that鈥, he鈥檚 said, 鈥渘ow get out there and show me your class.鈥
Playing the for a minute, what message does it send to those left on the outside? The Jerry Flannerys, Isaac Bosses, and Stephen Ferrises of this world? Is it all just a little too cosy in the Irish selection process?
O鈥橲ullivan鈥檚 proved a conservative coach throughout his time with Ireland. Throwing caution to the wind is not his style, and it鈥檚 a policy that鈥檚 served him well. This batch of players have delivered three Triple Crowns in four years, and should have nailed down the Grand Slam earlier this spring.
He鈥檚 considered by many to be the best coach Ireland has ever had. The IRFU admire him so much they awarded him a new four year contract, in advance of the World Cup.
Clearly O鈥橲ullivan knows his players inside out. The team has vast reserves of experience, and he鈥檚 falling back on that now. Has he missed the boat to freshen things up? Or does he remain unconvinced that the potential replacements would fare any better?
His policy is entirely at odds with those of the French coach Bernard Laporte. After defeat to Argentina in the opening game, he made twelve changes for their next assignment. 鈥溾 is how O鈥橲ullivan describes it. But who鈥檚 got the balance right?
Alastair Eykyn is a Radio 5 live reporter specialising in rugby union, tennis and hockey. He is covering Ireland at the World Cup and you can see 5 live's full broadcast schedule here.
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The Irish backs are superb when the pack gains even the slightest advantage.
I don't think that the poor showing of the home nations so far is indicative of fundamental weakness - a lot of the interpretation of the rules by the referees means that the Northern hemisphere run-kick-carry-ruck positional game is unsuitable. The way the Southern nations play - far nearer to RL than to RU - is clearly being promoted by the ridiculously anodyne rulings regarding the ruck and maul situations. Basically it rewards any team who can trap a man on the ground on top of the ball with a penalty. Thus squashing a man onto the deck and lying on him (but still keeping your feet on the ground) has become an objective in itself. NZ and SA are highly adept at this and so far the northern teams haven't twigged. They are still playing the old game of trying to win points through trys and drop goals, with penalties coming as bonus points.
Irelands team is perfectly capapble of going a long way unchanged in personnel - but with the balance of rule interpretation shifting the game towards free-form tag wrestling, I cannot wait for the WC to finish and get back to watching real rucking and mauling rugby.
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The message that O'Sullivan is sending out to the rest of his squad is dreadful. Something along the lines of "these guys may be playing awfully, but I still think that they're better than anything you could manage".
It's fair enough that he wants to give them another chance to gel as a team ahead of the France game. But, should they manage to reach the quarter-finals, it will be the same team that played all four group games, and fatigue will be a factor.
Squads, not teams, win world cups. O'Sullivan seems to have forgotten that.
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Interesting article Alastair, i dont believe that what ireland have on the bench is simply good enough so in my opinion O' Sullivan has to play the 'best' 15 regardless of the fact that they had a terrible game against Namibia. France have more strength in depth so can afford to mix it about when players dont perform. So whos got the balance right? We shall see!
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I don't think any changes should have been made in the backs. They are the first choice and are leagues ahead of the rest of the squad.
They played poorly with Darce dropping more balls than he did in the entire 6 Nations in one game last Sunday.
Upfront there was more room for changes, the hooker should have been dropped with the amount of miss throws he had in one half alone. Perhaps some changes in the back row as well.
But the fact is these guys need game time both in general and together, and they have the fitness to play 7 games in 7 weeks, they are professionals and haven't really played a game since April.
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Have a big game against Georgia Gordy Cat needs a lift
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What is it with NH teams - Eng and Ireland should of been in with a real chance - both are struggling - Ireland are unbeaten - but agaisn't Namibia and Georgia??? unbelieveable...
Have to say as a fustrated Eng supporter the interpretations of the laws of rugby seem to be wider than ever...clear two ankle taps, advantages lasting 30+ seconds for one side - less than 5 for another before they are called "over" - even a commentator last night stated "the referee is playing the rules to suit South Africa" (or words to that effect)..
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It would be nice to blame poor performances on the differences in rule interpretations between the two Hemispheres, but at the end of the day the top Northern Hemisphere sides are struggling against lesser teams from the Northern Hemisphere. So I dont think its a good argument.
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It would be nice to blame poor performances on the differences in rule interpretations between the two Hemispheres, but at the end of the day the top Northern Hemisphere sides are struggling against lesser teams from the Northern Hemisphere. So I dont think its a good argument.
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I'm afraid what seperates the NH with SH is fundamental.
When a young (20) Bok/AB player is selected for his side he has been playing rugby for 15 years.
In Englands/Wales/Ireland he probably been playing for 5 years.
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Come on guys.
Ireland weren't great, but Georgia played out of their skins.
As we all know, the modern game is all about the forwards - about how they secure and recycle ball. Georgia's forwards have been one of the most impressive units i have seen so far in this world cup. They are strong, aggressive, and well organised. Any team with half an eye on the knock out stages will never be able to give 110% against a 'junior' nation, and that's what happened to Ireland. And let's not forget - they won!!!
On form, that Georgia team would have beaten the England team who played agains SA the other night - so let's put it into perspective - Ireland, played two - won two!
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Ireland had 38% possesion and territory despite Georgia kicking the ball back to us time after time. We could not retain possession because we tried a running game, kept making mistakes and giving the ball back. despite the litany of errors the 15 who played last night are not under pressure for their places. The scary thing just is that we played with no pride in the jersey - just like England on Friday night. Last night Gerogians could be proud of their team. We could not be proud of ours. I am going to French match and I do not know what to expect. One last thing the sooner we get rid of that Ireland's call the better. Other nations sing their national anthem with pride - Ireland's call embarrrases us and our players
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'I'm afraid what seperates the NH with SH is fundamental.When a young (20) Bok/AB player is selected for his side he has been playing rugby for 15 years.In Englands/Wales/Ireland he probably been playing for 5 years.'
Complete and utter nonsense. I think you will find that when a young player is selected for either England or Ireland that most have been playing since they played mini-rugby in their early years! I know their awful at the moment, but would you really of said that four years ago when England beat all before them? When Wilkinson made his debut at 17 he had already being playing for over a decade! 2011 and the likes of Tait, Flood and Strettle will be scaring the life out of the southern hemisphere.
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Then, Nick, they are not being taught or are incapable of learning balls skills and the developing rugby brains. It is only in the NH that anybody rates Wilkinson. In the SH he would battle to make anyside.
As for Robinson? Do me a favour he little more than mediocre.
Even more importantly the NH lack the killer instinct.
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Then, Nick, they are not being taught or are incapable of learning balls skills and the developing rugby brains. It is only in the NH that anybody rates Wilkinson. In the SH he would battle to make anyside.
As for Robinson? Do me a favour he little more than mediocre.
Even more importantly the NH lack the killer instinct.
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"Tait, Flood and Strettle will be scaring the life out of the southern hemisphere."
The only thing that scares the SH is the NH kits.
Tait,Flood and Strettle who?
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