TBT - If the Internet picked the Ireland team... (from Nov 2013)

It's time for part 2 of our new Throwback Thursday series, where we re-post offerings from years gone by that could have some relevance today.

Last week I reminisced over the time I "solved" the Rugby World Cup's match turnaround problem back in 2011.

This time we're going to the "Harpin2" blog we ran from June 2012 to June 2014 and a post from @curates_egg published in the week leading up to "that" clash with the All Blacks in 2013.  As well as providing an accurate observation on internet opinion, the author also offers a Joe Schmidt XV which is scarily close to the actual RWC2015 one - bar the post-BOD centre pairing which, let's face it, nobody saw coming.

The following selection is an Irish XV to face New Zealand on Sunday based on comments on various Irish media sites (irishtimes.com, thescore.ie, independent.ie, examiner.ie, rte.ie) and tweets over the past 3 days.

I have tried to provide the logic given online for each selection. A quick glance would show the IRFU maybe got the wrong man in appointing Joe Schmidt for the Ireland job and should, instead, have hired the Internet.

1. McGrath - Healy should be dropped because he is too old and isn't performing to his top standards.

2. Cronin - Offers more than Best and Best should be dropped for underperforming.

3. Archer - Mike Ross had a bad game and has struggled to adapt to the new scrum rules, so the Munster substitute tighthead should start.

4. Tuohy – POC has passed his sell-by date and we need to move on to the next generation.

5. McCarthy - Toner is too tall and too ugly, and we don't watch Ulster, so McCarthy gets the nod, even if his conditioning is seriously off.

6. Coughlan - Heaslip needs to be dropped, so Coughlan moves in to play in a position he is unfamiliar with to accommodate this.

7. O'Mahony - moves to 7 to enable Sean O'Brien to move to 8, as Heaslip needs to be dropped.

8. O'Brien - an easy selection for the Internet, which loathes Heaslip's headphones and jeans. Heaslip is rubbish and does nothing. He needs to be dropped. That Cardiff guy (who was shown the door from the Leinster Academy and nobody paid any attention until someone mentioned his name in a comment somewhere) is the long-term answer but, until then, O'Brien should play at 8 (even though he hasn't done in 2 years), so we can rid Ireland of Heaslip.

9. Marmion - he is the future, so start him against the All Blacks.

10. Jackson/Madigan - either because Jackson stands too deep, kicks too much and can't place kick or because Madigan is a flashy Dan and (buzzword alert) has no game management.

11. Trimble - even before McFadden's injury, he should've been dropped because he is not 'international class' and it doesn't matter if he was our best performer against Australia. Saw a couple of commenters suggesting O'Halloran on the basis that youth should be given a chance...against the All Blacks.

12. Marshall - no odd logic can be found online to support his inclusion and no other options are really mentioned.

13. Cave - despite not even being the first choice 13 for Ulster, he must start because BOD is passed it and is an embarrassment (despite playing well in his other 2 games this year).

14. Bowe - because he is international class no matter how badly he plays for Ireland.

15. Henshaw - because Rob Kearney hasn't played well since 2009 (the European player of the year award was nonsense).

Here is the team I personally think Schmidt will select and why:

1. Healy - one of our least-bad performers on Saturday. Despite McGrath's major leap forward over the past 9 months, Healy is still number one and always ups his intensity for New Zealand.

2. Best - despite continuing line-out problems, he is the best of the pack and his loose play is normally excellent (last week an exception). Cronin is a good impact sub.

3. Ross - struggling with the new scrum laws but his problems last weekend were very much linked to the second-row. Archer is not the answer - based on last weekend's performance and the fact he is not even first choice at Munster. Hopefully, Schmidt will put Fitzpatrick on the bench: he has done well against New Zealand before and is better than Archer (Moore is not ready for this level).

4. O'Connell - our captain now for better or worse. Put in perhaps his worst ever Irish performance last weekend but showed for the Lions over the summer that he can still perform at the highest level. Needs to bring his intensity™ to the game this weekend and Schmidt will be hoping 'Paulie' will.

5. Toner - Schmidt likes him as he is a big target in the lineout. Personally, I would pick McCarthy to make our scrum a weapon. The selection of Toner and O'Connell will underpower the scrum.

6. O'Mahony - still adapting to Schmidt's system but looks keen to do so: needs to focus on basics at ruck-time though.

7. O'Brien - no alternative to picking O'Brien at 7 with the injuries we have but Ireland need to sort out what exactly is expected from him. As Lions tour showed, is still a world class operator when given a clear role.

8. Heaslip - thankfully, all his coaches value the enormous breakdown work Heaslip has to get through to compensate for us having no other backrow who does it. A no-brainer for Schmidt...much to the chagrin of the Internet selectors.

9. Murray - Schmidt's call on Reddan didn't pay off. Murray has not looked sharp this season and his box kicking has been awful at times but there is no alternative. Looking like a problem position for the 6 Nations.

10. Jackson - The loss of Sexton is a massive and fundamental blow to our chances. Schmidt will recognise we need to establish a platform and Jackson is our best option for doing so. Harsh on Madigan but probably the right call.

11. DKearney/Earls - toughest one for Schmidt to call. If Earls is fit, he has to slot in for the injured McFadden. Kearney has been one of the brightest outside backs in Ireland in 2013 but a big ask against New Zealand.

12. Marshall - one of Ireland's only players to play well against Australia (with McFadden). Schmidt used his experience logic to justify selecting D'Arcy outside Jackson for the Samoa game but hopefully will not fall into the same trap, and will keep an eye on the future.

13. O'Driscoll - very short of game time but there is literally no alternative outside centre in Ireland at present, in spite of what the eminent George Hook believes. A lot of expectation and pressure on Payne for next year though.

14. Bowe - put in his worst ever Irish performance against Australia but remains one of Ireland's frontline internationals. Schmidt will be hoping he can put the aberration of Saturday behind him because we are getting very thin in the backline.

15. RKearney - Schmidt will give him every chance to prove his fitness because the alternative doesn't even bear thinking about. Henshaw has looked totally out of his depth with each chance he has been given for Ireland. If Kearney does not make it, it would not be a total surprise to see Madigan selected there.

@curates_egg : Expat Irish rugby fan living on the continent but regularly travelling to Leinster and Ireland rugby matches. Strong believer in rugby as a family game and a fair sport.

Click here for original post.

---

ABOUT THE TBT AVATAR

Found the picture on a now-defunct (appropriately I suppose) site called Rugby-Pioneers.

Apparently it is a postcard with a photo taken from a match between France and Wales in 1911.

Succession planning at the centre of attention

Much has been said about Ireland’s post-BOD options, what of Leinster? asks @curates_egg…

Brian O'Driscoll turned 35 this week, following on from his last ever Heineken Cup game at the RDS last weekend.

While the other half of Leinster's dynamic midfield duo - Muhammad D'Arcy - is contracted until the end of next season, it is clear that the moment feared by all Leinster fans is as good as upon us. The old cliché about it being impossible to replace Brian O'Driscoll is certainly valid but what will Leinster's future midfield look like?

Succession planning in the centre must have been on the minds of all in the Leinster establishment for 18 months (when Demented Mole last reviewed the options) but it is hard to decipher what their actual plan is. Based on the season so far, it is far from clear if it has been included as part of Matt O'Connor's remit, as he has continued to rely heavily on the dynamic duo.

Following the premature retirement of Leinster's great white hope Eoin O'Malley, the understudy at outside centre this season (and essentially last season) has been 22 year old Brendan Macken. Macken has stepped-up admirably when called upon, with two Heineken Cup starts this season building on his steady progression since his first senior team start in the 2010-11 season. However, it is not clear whether Matt O'Connor has full confidence in Macken - the eyebrow-raising decision to play Lote Tuqiri at 13 against Munster in October seemed to indicate a desperate attempt to find an alternative ahead of the Heineken Cup. With O'Driscoll's return, Macken's frontline game time has been curtailed.

There has long been talk of Luke Fitzgerald converting to centre to eventually replace his cousin O'Driscoll and he has played at 12 or 13 on numerous occasions over his career: his most recent cameo for Ireland as a replacement for O'Driscoll against New Zealand gained him plaudits. However, Matt O'Connor's selections have given no indication he sees Fitzgerald as a centre. Who could blame him? Fitzgerald has been in sizzling form on the wing, running exciting lines, making serious yards and beating defenders at will.

The situation at inside centre is not much different. Ostensibly, based on minutes played, Noel Reid is understudy to Muhammad. Despite being almost exactly a year older than Macken, Reid's progress is almost exactly a year behind. He has yet to make his way on to a Heineken Cup matchday squad, with outhalf Ian Madigan having played at inside centre a number of times for Leinster both in the Heineken Cup and Rabo Pro12 over the past 2 seasons. 31 year old Kiwi Andrew Goodman has yet to return from a long-term injury.

The other variable at centre is Fergus McFadden, who started out with Leinster as a centre and formed a convincing understudy midfield partnership with Eoin O'Malley on many occasions. However, his stated intention to focus on securing a wing berth last season poured cold water on hopes among the Leinster faithful that McFadden might be part of Leinster's midfield succession planning.

As a Leinster fan, it is very hard to know what to expect. Very little new prospects have been aired since Demented Mole took stock of the situation 18 months ago. Some, like Academy prospects Tom Daly, Colm O'Shea and Jordan Coughlan, have fallen off the radar a little bit under O'Connor. Of the erstwhile anointed ones, O'Malley was sadly forced into early retirement, and McFadden has gone out of his way to rule out his candidacy. Another great white hope, Harrison Brewer, just got called up to the Ireland under-20 squad however.

The messaging coming out of the Leinster set-up on the succession planning has been far from clear. Will some combination of the players above provide the core of the future Leinster midfield? If so, it would be nice to know. If not, who will?

Like St Patrick was to snakes in Ireland, the phenomenally successful and durable dynamic midfield duo at Leinster has for years banished all emerging centre talent from the RDS: who would want to toil away in their shadow with no hope of breaking through? As a result, there is a veritable plethora of Leinster centres (either academy or former schools players) plying their trade elsewhere.

David McSharry left the Leinster Academy for Connacht and has had plenty of exposure, with 13 Heineken Cup starts over the past 3 seasons. Kyle Tonetti left Leinster in 2010 for Sale before being signed by Connacht but he has yet to get a consistent run for Connacht, in part due to injuries. After a season with Leinster, James Downey left Leinster in 2004, subsequently playing for Connacht, Munster, Calvisano and Northampton (gaining rave reviews) before resigning for Munster last year.

Other former Leinster centres following in Downey's footsteps in the English premiership include Eamonn Sheridan at London Irish, who has been getting plaudits for his performances this season. Shane Monahan has also been winning praise at Gloucester but he has played predominantly on the wing.

There are more.

In short, 18 months down the road, Leinster's fans have no more clarity about our midfield succession planning. As we pause for breath in the middle of the season, and with contracts now being finalised for frontline players for next season, now would be as good a time as any for the powers that be to provide some long overdue clarity.

@curates_egg : Expat Irish rugby fan living on the continent but regularly travelling to Leinster and Ireland rugby matches. Strong believer in rugby as a family game and a fair sport.

If the Internet picked the Ireland team...

Why hasn’t Schmidt used the most obvious & reliable resource at his disposal to pick the team? asks Curate’s Egg…

The following selection is an Irish XV to face New Zealand on Sunday based on comments on various Irish media sites (irishtimes.com, thescore.ie, independent.ie, examiner.ie, rte.ie) and tweets over the past 3 days.

I have tried to provide the logic given online for each selection. A quick glance would show the IRFU maybe got the wrong man in appointing Joe Schmidt for the Ireland job and should, instead, have hired the Internet.

1. McGrath - Healy should be dropped because he is too old and isn't performing to his top standards.

2. Cronin - Offers more than Best and Best should be dropped for underperforming.

3. Archer - Mike Ross had a bad game and has struggled to adapt to the new scrum rules, so the Munster substitute tighthead should start.

4. Tuohy – POC has passed his sell-by date and we need to move on to the next generation.

5. McCarthy - Toner is too tall and too ugly, and we don't watch Ulster, so McCarthy gets the nod, even if his conditioning is seriously off.

6. Coughlan - Heaslip needs to be dropped, so Coughlan moves in to play in a position he is unfamiliar with to accommodate this.

7. O'Mahony - moves to 7 to enable Sean O'Brien to move to 8, as Heaslip needs to be dropped.

8. O'Brien - an easy selection for the Internet, which loathes Heaslip's headphones and jeans. Heaslip is rubbish and does nothing. He needs to be dropped. That Cardiff guy (who was shown the door from the Leinster Academy and nobody paid any attention until someone mentioned his name in a comment somewhere) is the long-term answer but, until then, O'Brien should play at 8 (even though he hasn't done in 2 years), so we can rid Ireland of Heaslip.

9. Marmion - he is the future, so start him against the All Blacks.

10. Jackson/Madigan - either because Jackson stands too deep, kicks too much and can't place kick or because Madigan is a flashy Dan and (buzzword alert) has no game management.

11. Trimble - even before McFadden's injury, he should've been dropped because he is not 'international class' and it doesn't matter if he was our best performer against Australia. Saw a couple of commenters suggesting O'Halloran on the basis that youth should be given a chance...against the All Blacks.

12. Marshall - no odd logic can be found online to support his inclusion and no other options are really mentioned.

13. Cave - despite not even being the first choice 13 for Ulster, he must start because BOD is passed it and is an embarrassment (despite playing well in his other 2 games this year).

14. Bowe - because he is international class no matter how badly he plays for Ireland.

15. Henshaw - because Rob Kearney hasn't played well since 2009 (the European player of the year award was nonsense).

Here is the team I personally think Schmidt will select and why:

1. Healy - one of our least-bad performers on Saturday. Despite McGrath's major leap forward over the past 9 months, Healy is still number one and always ups his intensity for New Zealand.

2. Best - despite continuing line-out problems, he is the best of the pack and his loose play is normally excellent (last week an exception). Cronin is a good impact sub.

3. Ross - struggling with the new scrum laws but his problems last weekend were very much linked to the second-row. Archer is not the answer - based on last weekend's performance and the fact he is not even first choice at Munster. Hopefully, Schmidt will put Fitzpatrick on the bench: he has done well against New Zealand before and is better than Archer (Moore is not ready for this level).

4. O'Connell - our captain now for better or worse. Put in perhaps his worst ever Irish performance last weekend but showed for the Lions over the summer that he can still perform at the highest level. Needs to bring his intensity™ to the game this weekend and Schmidt will be hoping 'Paulie' will.

5. Toner - Schmidt likes him as he is a big target in the lineout. Personally, I would pick McCarthy to make our scrum a weapon. The selection of Toner and O'Connell will underpower the scrum.

6. O'Mahony - still adapting to Schmidt's system but looks keen to do so: needs to focus on basics at ruck-time though.

7. O'Brien - no alternative to picking O'Brien at 7 with the injuries we have but Ireland need to sort out what exactly is expected from him. As Lions tour showed, is still a world class operator when given a clear role.

8. Heaslip - thankfully, all his coaches value the enormous breakdown work Heaslip has to get through to compensate for us having no other backrow who does it. A no-brainer for Schmidt...much to the chagrin of the Internet selectors.

9. Murray - Schmidt's call on Reddan didn't pay off. Murray has not looked sharp this season and his box kicking has been awful at times but there is no alternative. Looking like a problem position for the 6 Nations.

10. Jackson - The loss of Sexton is a massive and fundamental blow to our chances. Schmidt will recognise we need to establish a platform and Jackson is our best option for doing so. Harsh on Madigan but probably the right call.

11. DKearney/Earls - toughest one for Schmidt to call. If Earls is fit, he has to slot in for the injured McFadden. Kearney has been one of the brightest outside backs in Ireland in 2013 but a big ask against New Zealand.

12. Marshall - one of Ireland's only players to play well against Australia (with McFadden). Schmidt used his experience logic to justify selecting D'Arcy outside Jackson for the Samoa game but hopefully will not fall into the same trap, and will keep an eye on the future.

13. O'Driscoll - very short of game time but there is literally no alternative outside centre in Ireland at present, in spite of what the eminent George Hook believes. A lot of expectation and pressure on Payne for next year though.

14. Bowe - put in his worst ever Irish performance against Australia but remains one of Ireland's frontline internationals. Schmidt will be hoping he can put the aberration of Saturday behind him because we are getting very thin in the backline.

15. RKearney - Schmidt will give him every chance to prove his fitness because the alternative doesn't even bear thinking about. Henshaw has looked totally out of his depth with each chance he has been given for Ireland. If Kearney does not make it, it would not be a total surprise to see Madigan selected there.

@curates_egg : Expat Irish rugby fan living on the continent but regularly travelling to Leinster and Ireland rugby matches. Strong believer in rugby as a family game and a fair sport.

EVERY TUESDAY HERE ON HOR2 WE HAVE OUR FEATURE “LET THE SCHMIDT HIT THE FAN” WHERE THE “REAL” INTERNET (ONE BLOGGER/FAN FROM EACH PROVINCE) TAKE TURNS PICKING THEIR IDEAL IRISH TEAM

Irish summer tours: a youthful gamble

Have Ireland brought the right mix of youth and experience with them this summer? asks @curates_egg…

The Irish rugby summer tours (to North America and Georgia) come at the perfect point in the Rugby World Cup cycle. It is a new page for Irish rugby - in every sense - and a blank canvas for the management.

With 10 frontline Irish test players away with the Lions (and a couple injured or rested), it provides a perfect opportunity for the new management to start preparing its squad for the Rugby World Cup in 2015. Whilst Les Kiss is leading the tour, there can be no doubting Joe Schmidt will be taking a mightily keen interest at the very least. With 53 players, if you have missed out on selection in the two squads, you can be pretty sure you are not in the management's reckoning for 2015 right now.

As an Irish rugby fan, I am really excited about the Irish summer tours (certainly a lot more than the unwanted distraction of the Lions). The announced squads are a very stark indication that this is a new management team with a desire to take very little baggage with it - and an eye firmly on 2015.

Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed

The decks have been cleared and both touring squads are loaded with young and up-coming players. Whilst this is definitely exciting, the squads look a tad callow.

The flip-side of loading a squad with young and upcoming players is that you are sacrificing experience. Not only is a good balance of youth and experience important for winning games, it is also important for young international players coming through to have experienced players to learn off.

With Rory Best's overdue and merited call-up to the Lions, there are only 2 players in the squad capped before 2009 - Isaac Boss and Andrew Trimble - neither of them frontline internationals anymore. Boss is clearly there as an old head to mentor the two rookie outhalves on the tour. With Conor Murray selected for the Lions and Eoin Reddan injured, the selection makes sense.

Past it?

Excited as I am to see all these new players given a shot, there is the nagging question of whether a bit more experience might have been in the general interest - for the reasons outlined above. Which surplus-to-requirements but seasoned internationals might have brought something to the party?

A lot of Munster fans have expressed disgruntlement at the omission of James Coughlan. For me, his omission makes total sense, despite his having had two outstanding seasons at Munster. Unfortunately for him, he is too late in his career development. He will be almost 35 at the next Rugby World Cup: why give a player a first international cap on the key development tour for the world cup squad when it is as good as certain he will not be in that squad? He will certainly not bring any international experience to help integrate younger squad players, having never been capped (rightly or wrongly).

The result is that we will likely see Peter O'Mahony starting at 8 for Ireland. Ireland will clearly need options at 8 in the world cup and there seems to be a general consensus that O'Mahony could be well suited to the role. So Coughlan's omission is O'Mahony's, Munster's and Ireland's gain - and in all of their long term interest. You could definitely question the wisdom of making 23 year old O'Mahony tour captain. Surely he would be better served by trying to focus on playing at number 8 (where he has limited gametime for Munster). However, it is hard to pick an alternative captain in the squad who is guaranteed a starting place - apart from Mike McCarthy.

Other notable absentees include 94 times capped Donncha O'Callaghan, who enjoyed one of his best ever seasons and clearly would have brought frontline international experience to the tour. Given the freakish age bracket applied to second rows, neither he nor Leo Cullen (another Irish second row who also had a fantastic second half of the season), could automatically be ruled out of the next world cup squad. With Paul O'Connell and Donncha Ryan also not touring, these two must surely have been considered? Cullen's form, leadership and motivation has been overlooked so often, it is hard to get surprised but O'Callaghan may have been worth bringing.

In reality, the four touring second rows seem to have a good balance of experience (international and age). The front-line duo of Mike McCarthy (31; 10 caps) and Iain Henderson (21; 5 caps) has a nice youth-experience combo and is a great alternative to groom for the likely starting pair of O'Connell and Ryan. Devin Toner (26; 5 caps) finished the season with a bang, while he and Dan Tuohy (27; 10 caps) still have plenty who believe they have what it takes to contribute at the top level.

Apart from Coughlan, a couple of other players must surely have been considered for backrow. Shane Jennings (31; 13 caps) has had an outstanding season. He is one of those rarities in Irish rugby - as a true openside - and is also a true leader but he never really took the chances he got for Ireland.  There were high hopes for Roger Wilson (31; 1 cap) after his decision to return to Ulster from Northampton but it hasn't happened for the number 8, with successive injuries and other players taking their chances above him in the pecking order (none more so than South African Robbie Diack - who is now Irish qualified but not in the main squad - and Pro12 player of the year Nick Williams - who could try and claim Irish qualification after his 3rd season in Ireland, having played for the Junior All Blacks).

With the retirements of Ronan O'Gara and Geordan Murphy, injuries ruling out Keith Earls, Gordon D'Arcy and Luke Fitzgerald (and Paddy Wallace), and the Lions tour, there can be no quibbles from 10-15.

In the balance

Weighing up all the options above, it is hard to make a convincing case for any of the more experienced excluded international players to have travelled, with a view to giving some experience to a bright-eyed squad. Either way, the slate has truly been wiped clean and those with provincial chips on their shoulders who are already trying to find a chink in the armour of the new management are really scraping the barrel. The path to Twickenham will start on this summer tour.

@curates_egg : Expat Irish rugby fan living on the continent but regularly travelling to Leinster and Ireland rugby matches. Strong believer in rugby as a family game and a fair sport.

Lions: more 'meh', than miaow

by @curates_egg

It's the mid-way point in the rugby world cup cycle and that means the British and Irish Lions tour. There's certainly no shortage of interest on the British Isles but is the concept still relevant in the modern game?

Last week's squad announcement was the culmination of more than a year of speculation and intrigue in rugby circles in Britain and Ireland, with players, fans and pundits alike still buying into the Lions hype. Players have been on tenterhooks, pundits have been scrambling over themselves to pick their Lions XV, and fans have debated the squad after almost every game, no matter how relevant.

The Lions concept certainly has a long back-story: this year's Lions tour to Australia comes 125 years after the first combined rugby union side from Great Britain and Ireland to tour the Southern Hemisphere back in 1888.

Rugby is a sport with a proud heritage, so it borders on blasphemy to call an institution like the Lions into question...but the game has undergone a massive transformation in the last quarter Century. From the first rugby world cup in 1987 to the advent of professionalism a few years later, the sport is now unrecognisable from when Webb Ellis first intentionally handled the ball.

The roar of the professional game

Clearly, the demands on players in the professional game are much greater now than they were 125 years ago. Modern rugby players are professional athletes, who are contracted to professional clubs or franchises. While the players themselves and the national rugby unions benefit financially, the clubs/franchises/provinces and their fans do not and can be left to foot the bill. Can their participation in an ad hoc tour, with the injury risk that this brings, really be justified in the professional game?

Clubs/provinces/franchises and fans alike are often frustrated when key squad players return from Lions tours with injuries or the infamous post-Lions form dip and fatigue (having had their seasons extended by 6 weeks). Leinster and Ireland fans were deprived of the player of our generation for almost an entire season, after the shameful end to his tour in New Zealand.

British and Irish pride?

Even if you like the concept of an all-star team (à la US sports) competing in the professional era, is the British and Irish Lions format the most appropriate? The grouping of the 4 nations certainly has little contemporary relevance - and probably hasn't in 100 years (since Irish independence and the rise of rugby in France).

Surely a 6 Nations all-star team would be far more relevant as a concept in the international era. Or why not even go the whole hog and make rugby only the second sport to have an all-European all-star sports team? That way you would be opening the door to outstanding players that would otherwise not have the opportunity to do so to compete in world-beating sides, against other world-beating teams: think Mamuka Gorgodze.

Personally, I find the concept of the Barbarians a far more endearing anachronism in the modern game. The invite-only club, which puts together teams for one-off games always aims to play the game in as open and entertaining a manner as possible...and doesn't add an extra 6 weeks onto players busy calendars.

Pass the remote

It will be hard for me to muster much more of a 'meh' for the Lions tour this summer (although I am entertained by their utter ineptitude at social media). If it is on a television nearby and it is raining and I have nothing else planned, I might watch the tests...but I will be partly doing so through my hands, hoping none of the Leinster or Irish players gets injured. Let the lynching commence.

@curates_egg : Expat Irish rugby fan living on the continent but regularly travelling to Leinster and Ireland rugby matches. Strong believer in rugby as a family game and a fair sport.

POCgate and the ugly underbelly of Irish rugby

by @curates_egg 

The handling of the Paul O’Connell-Dave Kearney incident by the Irish rugby establishment (officials, fans and media) has left a really nasty impression on many rugby fans both in Ireland and beyond.

Put simply: people smell a rat, both in the partial media whiteout and the failure by the Irish citing official to refer what is generally agreed even by Munster-leaning commentators to be a citable incident. This is in no way the fault of Paul O'Connell, who is - in some sense - also a victim in the process.

Failure to cite wrong

There is not much need to outline why Paul O’Connell should have been cited (and possibly banned). This has been done eloquently elsewhere and is accepted by most neutral fans, and even many Munster fans – even if they have been intimidated on social media for expressing their opinions. Suffice to say: kicking a player in the head is a dangerous play and, as such, should be cited. It left me and all those I watched the match with feeling deeply disturbed and ruined what had been an otherwise classic, if feisty, sporting encounter.

All rugby fans know Paulie is not a dirty player and believe he did not deliberately kick a player into unconsciousness. However, the rules on dangerous play – designed to guarantee player safety – are really quite simple, as is the citing process in the Rabo Pro 12, as Paul O'Connell himself admitted, and he knows he should now be at the very least facing a disciplinary panel and possibly serving a ban before going on the Lions tour, regardless of malicious intent.

The PR machine

There are more serious questions about the way this regrettable incident was handled by the media and the rugby authorities, and the serious implications this has for the sport in Ireland.

The wheels were set in motion almost immediately. Munster fans – clearly and understandably keen to ensure their talisman is available for the Heineken Cup semi final – sought to play down the incident, whether at the stadium, in bars or online. That is the prerogative of fans though: we are entitled to myopic judgement.

The role of the media, however, is altogether different. The media should act as a check and balance on establishments, and provide independent coverage of events. This applies to sport just as it does anywhere.

However, many in the Irish media immediately engaged in a dumbing-down exercise. It started with RTE’s coverage of the incident, with George Hook and Donal Lenihan naturally the main offenders. Some contrast with George Hook's analysis of other recent foul plays by Irish rugby players Brian O'Driscoll and Cian Healy (both of whom were cited and banned, albeit receiving lenient bans for deliberate foul play offences).

The press box at Thomond was also already concocting a line to ensure the exoneration of Paul O’Connell in the eyes of their readership, according to press corps sources. This was reflected in the news articles written by the mainstream media, with Gerry Thornley of the Irish Times originally stunningly completely omitting – what was – the defining incident of the match from his coverage, whilst subsequently adding it and playing it down, like his colleague Conor George in the Irish Independent. We also had pundits (like RTE's Michael Corcoran) going beyond the call of duty on social media to show what a good guy Paul O'Connell is (no argument there but why just after the incident?).

An ill-judged tweet by the official Lions profile on twitter, seeking to provoke responses on the incident, was also swiftly taken down. Even seasoned and respected independent rugby bloggers online seemed scared to “go there” for fear of being attacked and losing their status as respected commentators.  The only media figure seemingly willing to break the omerta was Irish Independent journalist Brendan Fanning, with Tony Ward also giving a less damning opinion.

Storm in a teacup?

In the face of this omerta, I began to question myself and my initial reaction of horror at the incident. Had I overreacted? Was it really “a storm in a teacup” (as online posters suggested)? Had I misunderstood the disciplinary rules (outlined above)?

It was only when Leinster coach Joe Schmidt gave a series of interviews (like this one) in which he could barely conceal his outrage about the failure to cite the incident that I realised that my initial reaction was not wrong. A reasonable, balanced, mildly-spoken and respected coach like Joe Schmidt was clearly so outraged that he felt it necessary to speak about the ugly events and their implications for the game. That he gave these comments just before interviewing for the job as coach of the Irish side was both brave and indicative of how strongly he felt about the matter. Leo Cullen (who spoke out in Alan Quinlan's defence at Quinlan's disciplinary hearing in 2009 at which he was banned for gouging Cullen) was also scathing.

The flaws of Rabo Pro12 citing process, whereby an Irish official is responsible for citing players from all Irish matches, are surely evident for all to see. While Eddie Walsh may not have been “got at” or directly influenced by the Munster and Irish rugby establishment, the failure to cite this clearly citable incident is hard to fathom, and reflects very badly on the whole system.

This has naturally been noted in France, where it is suspected to have been a stitch-up to facilitate the participation of Paul O'Connell in the Heineken Cup semi final. However, regardless of conspiracy theories, it also totally undermines confidence in the ability of this system to fulfil its purpose of ensuring player welfare is paramount.

The presence of Paul O’Connell on the pitch in the semi-final is rightly deemed essential to the fortunes of Munster. Munster’s success also has implications for the IRFU both financially (with the revenues from having an Irish side in the final) and politically (with the ongoing debate on the future of the Heineken Cup). It is not surprising that the French are suspicious.

Maybe it is all intrigue and there has been no background manoeuvring but the optics are not good. Regardless, it has fundamentally undermined the integrity of the game in Ireland. It has massively exacerbated provincial animosity between Leinster and Munster. Most worryingly, it has created an extremely dangerous precedent for player safety, the applicability of rules aimed at ensuring player welfare and the wider appeal of the game.

The ugly underbelly

In short, POCgate has – more than any other incident in my memory – revealed a dark and ugly underbelly of the Irish rugby establishment. Whether or not this is permanent damage remains to be seen but it will leave a bad taste in the mouths of rugby fans across the island for a long time to come. It also, sadly, seems it is too late to rectify it by doing the right thing: letting Paul O'Connell face a Rabo disciplinary panel and then get on with the rest of his career as a Munster and Ireland legend.

@curates_egg : Expat Irish rugby fan living on the continent but regularly travelling to Leinster and Ireland rugby matches. Strong believer in rugby as a family game and a fair sport.

Note : earlier this morning the RaboPRO12 released a statement on its disciplinary procedures.

10 Straw Men

Lies, damned lies and the Irish outhalf debate, by @curates_egg

One of the most frustrating aspects of the debate surrounding who should be the reserve outhalf in Ireland (behind Johnny Sexton) is the flow of lies, damned lies and straw men trundled out by media commentators and others with agendas to peddle. As is the essential purpose of a straw man, these seriously divert attention from the core of the debate.

To be fair, the majority of rugby fans seem to be able to see through these (judging by the comments on online fora) but given the Irish outhalf debate is set to rumble on and hence, the flow of straw men, it seems worthwhile to pick them apart.

Class is permanent

A trite sporting cliché in itself, its use in the Irish outhalf debate reached fever pitch in the run-up to the Scotland match. Particularly guilty in this regard was a plethora of journalists and analysts as part of a misguided campaign to try and convince the Irish rugby-supporting public (and influence the Irish management) that Ronan O'Gara should be picked to start.

There can be no doubting that class is permanent. Ronan O'Gara is a world class player who will remain world class long after he has retired, just like Jack Kyle, Ollie Campbell or Tony Ward (yes, Tony Ward of the 'class is permanent' plethora, take a bow). However, just as class is permanent, there is no cure for aging (a cliché that even holds for Cindy Jackson). At some point, even world class players will be passed their prime and will thus be surpassed by less classy players. That is not to suggest that any of the other contenders is less classy by the way.

However, one thing is clear - Ronan O'Gara's international performances since the Italy match in the 2011 World Cup have been patchy at best and on a downward curve. Objective Munster fans also admit his provincial performances have also been sliding. It is a trend and one which must be sad for his biggest fans to accept.

Experienced candidates only

Another nugget of a straw man used by the ROG plethora was that the other options to start against Scotland all lacked sufficient experience at a sufficient level. Clearly nobody told that to Ronan O'Gara himself when he was selected for his first Irish cap – against Scotland – 13 years ago (to the week).

This self-defeating argument is in fact at the heart of current crisis situation in which Ireland finds itself with regards to alternatives to Jonny Sexton. Despite the glaring need to blood a possible back-up to Sexton – in the highly unlikely event that he, as a rugby player, might get injured – each potential opportunity has been passed up. Usually, with the argument that the game was 'too important' or 'must-win' and we needed an 'experienced' back-up.

Firstly, when does that logic end? When ROG can literally no longer physically play rugby? Secondly, what is a must-win game? The Scotland game was really must-win for Declan Kidney and his management team alone. For Ireland, having already lost the Grand Slam and Triple Crown, it was a great opportunity to play an alternative outhalf who will be around at the next World Cup (unlike ROG). Finally, it ignores the almost constantly declining curve of ROG's performances at international level over the past 2 years.

Plenty of the plethora still argue that ROG was the 'only option' for the bench in the November internationals this year. However, his cameo against a weakened Argentina was clearly not of international standard, whilst Paddy Jackson had delivered a tour de force against a weakened Fiji XV the weekend previously. Enough already…to fight a cliché with a cliché: if you're good enough, you're old enough.

Outhalf must place-kick

This argument has been used both by the ROG plethora and those who support other candidates, as justification for why Paddy Jackson couldn't play for Ireland. Ruan Pienaar is the frontline/big-game kicker for Ulster, therefore Paddy Jackson cannot start for Ireland. Come again? Did I miss the section of the IRB rules that stipulate an outhalf is the only player who can place kick?

Clearly France have missed that rule as well over the past decade when (more often than not) the place kicker has not been their outhalf. Ask Francois Trinh-Duc. Of the other 6 Nations, Wales currently (with full back Leigh Halfpenny) and recently Scotland (with Chris Patterson) and Italy (with Mirco Bergamasco) have also chosen to entrust players other than their outhalves with place-kicking duties. England and, even, Ireland also have history here, as Michael Kiernan fans can testify.

Aha – the proponents of the argument will counter – but Ireland has no alternative to a kicking outhalf. Sorry Fergus McFadden, your 32 successful kicks in the Rabo Pro12 last year don't seem to count (nor your very high kicking average - although I'm not sure its 100%!).

If you are worried about Paddy Jackson's place-kicking, Fergus McFadden is not a bad option to have on the bench or even starting (in the absence of our first choice wingers - Zebo and Bowe - a case can be made for all contenders). You can slot him in on the wing (where he has always delivered for Ireland), entrust him with place-kicking duties and allow Jackson to get on with his game.

This cunning ploy worked very well for Leinster and Ian Madigan last year. With both Isa Nacewa and Fergus McFadden ahead of him in the place-kicking order, Madigan was able to focus on playing his own game, without the pressures of place-kicking. Madigan was seamlessly eased into the Leinster set-up (starting 15 games at outhalf in the Pro12 and 1 in the Heineken Cup) and has this season has taken on the responsibility for place-kicks, now he is settled in the side. Surely, this would be the perfect strategy to use while blooding Jackson (or another rookie) at outhalf.

Heineken Cup starter/first choice 10

The stick typically used to beat Ian Madigan's candidacy with – usually by Paddy Jackson proponents – is that he is not Leinster's first choice 10 or Heineken Cup starting 10, whereas Jackson is for Ulster. There are two points to be made in response to this straw man.

Firstly, Madigan has started a lot of games at outhalf for Leinster over the past 2 seasons. Madigan started as outhalf 16 times for Leinster last season (15 times in the Pro12 and once in the Heineken Cup – vs Montpellier), compared with 15 starts for Sexton (6 in the Pro12 and 8 in the Heineken Cup) – Madigan also came on as a substitute in 4 Heineken Cup games last season (including the final). Jackson started for Ulster twice last season (one of which was his poor day at the office in the Heineken Cup final, when Madigan came on as a sub), coming on as a substitute 3 times. This season, Johnny Sexton has started 12 times for Leinster at outhalf (6 and 6), with Madigan starting 11 times at outhalf and 5 times at full back (once in the Pro12).

Secondly, he is back-up to the best outhalf in the Northern Hemisphere at Leinster, whereas Jackson's competition at 10 in Ulster is Niall O'Connor. This is a point that is routinely ignored by the Jackson proponents.

The fact that Madigan has started for Leinster 4 times this season in the Heineken Cup at full back (and once in the Pro12) is somehow used to discredit Madigan's candidacy. The contrary should be considered: the fact that an outhalf (who happens to have been the reserve outhalf behind the best outhalf in the Northern Hemisphere) is good enough to play in another position, should be seen as a positive for a modern rugby team player!

In short, it is hard to argue that there is anything more than provincial circumstance determining the relative starts of Jackson and Madigan at 10.

Finally, so what? Conor Murray - most recently - started for Ireland without ever having played a minute in the Heineken Cup and became first choice for Ireland in the 2011 World Cup fresh from his first season in the Pro12. Why one rule for one player and another for another?

Leinster signing an outhalf for next season

Another straw man used to discredit Madigan's candidacy is the fact that Leinster has made clear it is looking to recruit an outhalf, following Johnny Sexton's departure. Madigan's knockers will have you believe this is a sign that the Leinster management has no faith in Madigan to take over from Johnny Sexton.

This argument would hold water if Leinster intended to or makes a big name signing of an outhalf in his playing prime. However, it is far from clear this is the case. Cast your mind back to 2009, when Sexton broke through to the Leinster side (guiding the team to its first Heineken Cup) and Felipe Contepomi left at the end of the season. Leinster announced they would be recruiting an outhalf and, sure enough, one was recruited.

Rather than being a vote-of-no-confidence in Sexton however, the recruitment (of Shaun Berne) was very much intended to support Sexton to become a key player at the club. Shaun Berne was never going to be a key player for Leinster but proved to be an invaluable squad player for the year, who filled in admirably when Sexton got injured.

Until we find out otherwise, there is no reason to assume that Leinster will not approach the Sexton succession in a similar way: recruiting an old-hand to support Madigan in taking on the mantle. Ian Madigan is around the same age Johnny Sexton was when he finally made the breakthrough to become Leinster's starting outhalf. Arguably (given the amount of starts outlined above), he is further along the road in his career development (a career that seems to have been meticulously managed). His time for Leinster is now.

Long story longer, there are many straw men floating about in the great Ireland outhalf debate. The purpose of this blog was not to argue for one player over another but more simply to deconstruct some of the flawed arguments used to discredit one candidate or another. If you have to spend all your time deconstructing straw men, you can't have an honest and meaningful debate about who really should be the substitute outhalf behind Johnny Sexton looking ahead to the next World Cup.

@curates_egg : Expat Irish rugby fan living on the continent but regularly travelling to Leinster and Ireland rugby matches. Strong believer in rugby as a family game and a fair sport.