SO HERE WE go again.
Ireland’s rugby stars get their chance to get over their World Cup heart-ache as they get back to business against Wales at Lansdowne Rd on Sunday.
As always, there’s plenty to talk about in the pubs around Ballsbridge beforehand; is Deccie still the man? How will we manage without O’Driscoll? Sexton or O’Gara?
Earlier this week, we rounded up some of the men in the know to gauge their mood ahead of the big kick-off tomorrow.
Hugh Cahill, RTÉ Rugby commentator
Can Ireland deliver another title or Triple Crown without Brian O’Driscoll?
Even at this stage of his career Brian O’Driscoll is a massive loss to the Ireland squad.
It’s not just what he offers on the field of play - which is still phenomenal given the miles on the clock and what his body has been through over the years - but his presence on the training ground gives all the players around him a massive boost.
Tactically, O’Driscoll controls everything in the backline and I think it’s in defence where he will be missed the most. A triple crown is still very much there for the taking but I don’t see Ireland winning the title this year. France in Paris will be the sticking point.
Will Declan Kidney be under pressure if things start badly?
Kidney has to get a win in the opening game against Wales. No question about that. The World Cup quarter-final defeat is still a very bitter memory for the entire squad and were Wales to come to Dublin and end Ireland’s 6 Nations Championship hopes at the first hurdle, Kidney would be in for a long and difficult campaign.
One player from outside of Ireland to watch?
Wesley Fofana, France. Incredible hands, brilliant feet and reads the game very well. If he starts against Italy he could run riot.
What are your hopes generally for the tournament?
I really hope Declan Kidney gives some of the younger players a chance to show what they can do but I’m not going to hold my breath. If the IRFU are serious about developing Irish talent – and dictating to the provinces - then surely the national coach has to lead the way.
If you had a tenner, who would you stick it on to win the tournament and why?
A France Grand Slam; Phillipe Saint-Andre is a tough, uncompromising coach who will not tolerate the childish in-fighting that existed under Lievremont’s reign. And he will pick the best available players in their correct position.
Ralph Keyes during his playing days. INPHO/Billy Stickland
Ralph Keyes, RTÉ Rugby Co-Commentator
Can Ireland deliver another title or Triple Crown without Brian O’Driscoll?
Yes, it’s a measure of Ireland’s development over the last 10 years that we could consider winning without Brian O’Driscoll but the standards and experience of this Irish team built over the years means we can cope without someone of his talent and experience. Of course he is a loss but the experience throughout the team should be good enough to cope.
Will Declan Kidney be under pressure if things start badly?
To some degree, given we have France away next but I think Ireland won’t be in that position. Playing at home and with Wales’ injury problems I expect Ireland to have too much for Wales on Sunday and that we will get off to a winning start.
One player from outside of Ireland to watch?
French centre Wesley Fofana…The Cleremont man is highly-regarded in France and a throwback to the style of some of the flair centres of the past like Didier Cordoniu and Denis Charvet. Could be the creative spark in the French midfield to unleash their well known devastating pace in the back three.
What are your hopes generally for the tournament?
That we get a consistent high standard of play throughout the tournament. It hasn’t always delivered that recently and while it’s difficult for players to click from the off when only coming together shortly beforehand it needs a good opening to capture the public imagination in the way the Heineken cup has done for the provinces.
If you had a tenner, who would you stick it on to win the tournament and why?
You could have got 5/1 on Ireland during the week and that’s the best value bet on offer…however I think France will win the 6 Nations without a Grand Slam with Ireland runners-up. They have a happier camp with Philippe Saint Andre at the helm but more importantly he has pretty much picked the best players in France available to him in his squad.
They have two home games to open with and if they get momentum they are the strongest and most talented squad on paper and will take some stopping.
Newstalk’s Simon Hick measures up to Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip. Pic: Inpho.
Simon Hick, Newstalk 106
Can Ireland deliver another title or Triple Crown without Brian O’Driscoll?
Yes, there is nothing to fear in this year’s championship, including France, but if you look at this Irish team since 2009, there is no form graph. It fluctuates wildly, which is troubling, because with this group of players, five good performances in a row would probably have produced a championship in the last two years, and would do the same in 2012.
Will Declan Kidney be under pressure if things start badly?
The first game is always important in the 6N, but this year its extra special. In some ways, Kidney can’t afford to lose to Wales three times in a row. For talent, resources and club form, Ireland trumps Wales. He was out thought in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final, this is a test to see can he come up with something new, because the old plan won’t work.
One player from outside of Ireland to watch?
Wesley Fofana. France will finally pick their best team, for the first time since 1999 (when Bernard Laporte took over), so that should mean Fofana in the centre. He picks great lines, he is fast, and quick witted.
What are your hopes generally for the tournament?
That the European sides show they can play a brand of rugby that will continue to trouble the southern hemisphere trio. RWC2011 was the first world cup that Europeans consistently matched up to Australia, NZ and South Africa. Scotland or Italy beating one of the other four sides would help too, often only one good game per weekend because the other game is too predictable.
If you had a tenner, who would you stick it on to win the tournament?
France. The next best team, Ireland, are in Paris six days after playing a heated encounter against Wales. Don’t think Wales will hold the form shown in the RWC.
Philip Matthews with BBC commentator Andrew Cotter in the gantry. Pic: Tom Honan/EMPICS Sport
Philip Matthews, BBC Sport and former Irish international
Can Ireland deliver another title or Triple Crown without Brian O’Driscoll?
No reason why not; it will all depend on how they cope psychologically without him and that others step in to fill his boots as a leader and a ‘go to’ player when things get tight.
Will Declan Kidney be under pressure if things start badly?
A loss against Wales will put him on the back foot, especially as it’s a game he and the players will expect to win. He won’t want to be on the back foot going to Paris nor will he want to be pressured into making changes so yes, given that he’s starting with a game he expects to win, a bad start will put him under pressure.
One player from outside of Ireland to watch?
Richie Gray – Scotland.
What are your hopes generally for the tournament?
That creativity and enterprise are rewarded; teams who overly rely on bulk and power can never win a World Cup, it may be rewarded in 6 Nations but that’s short-sighted and not good for the game in the northern hemisphere.
If you had a tenner, who would you stick it on to win the tournament?
France.
Frankie Sheahan during 2007 summer tour of Argentina. Pic: INPHO Billy Stickland.
Frankie Sheahan, RTE pundit and former Ireland international
Can Ireland deliver a championship or triple crown without Brian O’Driscoll
There’s no doubt about it, Brian O’Driscoll is an absolutely enormous loss. Not just as a great player on the field, but he’s also brilliant a leader, so to lose a player of his calibre will be a blow without a doubt. However, I believe Irish rugby has probably never been stronger – if you look at three of the provinces have made the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup. From that perspective Ireland are in a brilliant position and there seems to be good players coming through.
I think the Triple Crown is not like it used to be, Ireland are more interested in, first and foremost, the Grand Slam and secondly, winning the championship. So I don’t think the Triple crown will even be mentioned from their point of view, they’ll be looking to target the championhip and yes, I absolutely think they can go and win it.
There were times when Ireland could win four games and not win, maybe in one defeat we’d end up with a bad points differential. Times have changed though, we have a better team now, better able to execute and finish teams off.
Will Declan Kidney be under pressure if things start badly?
I think his selection has been very fair, it’s back to the players now. I don’t think there was scope to make sweeping changes. He sent a great signal by picking Peter O’Mahoney on the bench. Here’s a guy getting rewarded for man-of-the-match performances in the European Cup, it’s great to see that.
I don’t think he’ll be under pressure. It’s one game at a time, if Ireland win four matches I think it’ll be a sucessful campaign; three will be ok, two will be poor. He’ll be happy to judge himself off that scale.
One player from outside of Ireland to watch?
Wesley Fofana. France just seem to bring new guys in and they, all of a sudden, wreak havoc. There’s no doubt France will be there, or there-abouts, and they always have somebody in the squad that will put their hand up.
What are your hopes generally for the tournament?
Previously a lot of games have been over 15 minutes into the second half. I understand the opposition to a bonus point system, but I would absolutely love to see that introduced so you always give both teams something to chase. So my hope would be that more games go down to the final quarter, too many are decided after the third quarter.
If you had a tenner, who would you stick it on to win the tournament?
I’d certainly put it on Ireland, we’re third favourites. I don’t think the grand Slam will be won this year, so winning four games should be enough.
- additional reporting Sean Farrell
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below?
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Michael Ring is full of crap. He is using the National Lottery profits as a slush fund for Mayo- grants increased by 71% for that county in the last year alone. Westport has 11 swimming pools in various hotels but he diverted funding for another one. And all the while Katie Taylor trains in a gym with no toilets or showers.
So Mayo, a county known for GAA teams who choke on big occasions, gets top class facilities. And as a result world champions suffer. As usual the gombeen politician rewards mediocrity and punishes success. And then goes on to claim they were responsible for the success, it is straight out of a George Orwell novel. He should be ashamed of himself.
Well done Katie.
I say we abandon all GAA and get our people to play proper sports!
Yet again a speech worthy of an episode of val falvey T D hop on the band wagon and ride it to hell !!!
@ Rodrigo: Define a “proper sport”. Is there anything about this country you actually like?
People should have choices in what sports they play, although I agree that encouraging more people to take an interest in sport and fitness is a good idea – hopefully from an early age, in primary school. A proper curriculum would help, allowing children to try out a wide range of sports.
Re the facilities in Mayo, yes it is a problem that Ministers are too focused on their constituencies, as they focus on getting re-elected. All politics is local, none more so than in Ireland it seems. This is something that I’d love the Constitutional Convention to look at, but alas they won’t. Either Ministers resign on becoming a Minister – and possibly get a free pass into the next Dáil similar to the Ceann Comhairle – or there is some kind of mixed system, as SF have proposed. But trying to change the electoral system would be a divisive nightmare as there are so many options and people would feel their vote might not be as important as it is now. After all many people vote – rightly or wrongly – on the basis of who will be a Minister, and thus get to funnel money to the constituency.
Anyway, back on topic and congrats to ALL the team.
If only other sports were promoted as much as the GAA ….
Well done one and all. Each and every one of those athletes are a credit to their nation.
Hear, hear, and ignore the trolls!
Just can’t avoid the politicians. “i will try to get more money”. Some promise…..
Forget the money for a moment (but just a moment), would he mind telling the Irish Sports Council to recognise all the Olympic Governing Bodies? The NTSA’s brought home medals for Ireland this year from international competition and has represented Ireland in the games in Atlanta and Sydney, but the ISC won’t recognise them because of piddling politics… and he could fix that with one phone call.
?Money?s big in sport. It?s better than putting it into hospitals, into consultants, into doctors.
Jaysus I heard him say this live. Is that whats representing us.
The *theory* is that investing in sports facilities and promoting sport raises the general health of the average person, thus combating chronic conditions like obesity and type two diabetes which are otherwise going to overwhelm the healthcare system shortly, and so investing in sport leads to savings in healthcare spending in the long term.
The theory does *not* say that we don’t need A&E units or surgeons…
…shame the Minister put both feet in it when trying to express that!
He explained it incredibly poorly (and possibly there was more to the quote or it was in response to a question asked by a journalist), but the theory as Mark says is a good one:
“Extrapolation from authoritative UK data suggests that these numbers could now amount to more than 300,000 overweight and obese children on the island of Ireland and they are probably rising at a rate of over 10,000 per year.”
“This year about 2,000 premature deaths in Ireland will be attributed to obesity and the numbers are growing relentlessly. Diseases which proportionally more obese people suffer from than the general population include hypertension, type 2 diabetes, angina, heart attack and osteoarthritis. There are indirect costs also such as days lost to the workplace due to illness arising from obesity and output foregone as a result of premature death. Using the accepted EU environmental cost benefit method, these deaths alone may be costing the state as much as €4bn per year.”
- Department of Health and Children, National Taskforce on Obesity
I think you are giving him abit too much credit there lads. Nobody asked him a question, after being invited on stage he just start shouting what seemed of the top of his head. Surely Enda’s speech writer could have sorted him out. Im sure it was a mistake rather than an intelligently thought out plan.
It’s actually something they’ve been saying for a while Seamus, but it was horribly mangled there…
I think the more important question here is why the hell does the front window of the airplane roll down?!
In case the pilot needs a fag
In case the pilot or captain need to communicate with ground crew and don’t have a radio link, amongst other things…
Emergency exit
Golf will be in the Olympics 2016 Rio !
Golf is more of a game than a sport.
Rory crowned King and Katie crowned Queen. What a family they’d make, the new Irish Royalty.
and its an escape facility
why is Katie Taylor in a fake plane?