Why are we all obsessing over the Grand Slam???
Sure, it would be great to win it, but let’s remember this…the Six Nations is a tournament whereby everyone plays everyone else, and one nation finishes top of the pile. THAT’S what they’re playing for.
In other words, topping the table is the cake. Winning all the matches to do so is merely the icing on the cake.
Next Saturday, on what happens to be my 40th birthday, Declan Kidney’s men line out at the Millenium Stadium to face a Wales side which although not quite at their best of late has still tasted that same icing twice in the past five years.
Thanks to the result from Twickers yesterday, Warren Gatland’s men have to win by at least 13 points to become Champions. And surely we all know they are well capable of doing that if we’re not up to scratch on the day.
But if we play defensively for 80 minutes in Cardiff the way we did in Murrayfield on Saturday, victory will be ours.
There was absolutely NO WAY the Scots were going to cross our line. It just wasn’t an option. If you don’t believe me, just look at a replay of Tommy Bowe’s tackle on Evans quickly followed by Drico’s one on Godman right before the interval. Let’s face it – our ability to stop opponents from scoring tries is what has us where we are in this tournament.
I call it “The Gandalf Defense”, since the message the boys send is quite simple…”YOU…SHALL…NOT…PASS!!!”
Now I don’t care if I show some Leinster bias with this statement, but the only thing that kept the Scots in this match was our giving away needless penalties in Patterson’s kicking range (which is practically anywhere on the pitch – Lord only knows why they haven’t started him in every match), with David Wallace and John Hayes being the regular culprits.
And before the Munster-ites put a hit out on me, of course the man-of-the-match award was well deserved by Peter Stringer, and hopefully he’ll retain his spot for next weekend. I reckon he brought ROG’s open-play game up a notch and gave him the boost he needed to get his kicking boots back as well.
As for what side I’d play in the big decider, well I twittered my opinion at the final whistle, and although I had about seven pints on me at that stage, it remains unchanged. The XV that were on the park when Jamie Heaslip scored the decisive try should line out at kickoff in Cardiff.
Didn’t it just say it all when Jamie gave his celebration prior to touching down? Like I said during the week, I felt he was a victim of provincial politics in being left out of the side, and surely must start because unlike Leamy the Leinster No 8 must stand an excellent chance of claiming a Lions starting jersey.
So let’s look forward to what could be an historic occassion next weekend, and remember – what we want most of all is to see Brian O’Driscoll lifting that massive trophy around 7:30pm. That would be the best birthday present I could wish for.
