RWC Top 10: Ireland Solutions

by Brendan Cole

It's often said that it's easy to sit there and criticise (although certain of the TV punditry would make you wonder). As such, in the spirit of constructive journalism, and having already looked at the Top 10 reasons Ireland flopped at RWC 2007, it's time for the rather more difficult task of teasing out the Top 10 Solutions.

Theories (and complaints) are included on the basis that they were proposed or aired in some shape or form over the past few months. The ratings are done on the basis of 'high score' for good theories, and low scores for the silly ones.

1: Change ('sack') The Coach

Ever wanted to be more like the Welsh? Well, here's your chance. On a serious note, in the eyes of most people, Eddie O'Sullivan made some serious blunders in team selection and also got the pre-tournament preparations drastically wrong. These are the two areas in which he is directly responsible for. On the other hand, he was unlucky to have his out-half suffer a dip in form just as the tournament preparations picked up pace.

It should also be said that there should be no omerta on discussing the coach's position, or the job he is doing. After all, O'Sullivan himself makes life or death decisions on the likes of Bob Casey or Johnny O'Connor and Shane Jennings, and open discussion of what went wrong is one thing the IRFU should welcome as it enters the post-RWC review period.

But a fair analysis must take into account O'Sullivan's excellent record: Ireland have reached a new level of consistency and quality in Europe with him at the helm. Ireland have beaten both Rugby World Cup finalists in the last year.

Those who would downplay the South Africa victory in November should take another look: Frans Steyn, Juan Smith, John Smit, Brian Habana, CJ Van der Linde, Danie Roussouw were all in the team, as well as Pierre Spies, possibly their best back rower, who was ruled out of RWC 2007 due to injury.

What is notable is the way in which Ireland counter the blitz defence through cleverly constructed passing moves. No team at RWC 2007 has looked as good in this respect as Ireland did in November.

2: Hire A 'Figurehead' Manager

While sacking the coach might be a bit extreme, it may be that he could use a little help. If nothing else, hiring a popular, genial managerial/figurehead sort (see left) would appease the rugby journalist community, and it might help Eddie O'Sullivan, who likes to focus on the match-playing 22, to maintain squad unity.

The effect on the players of having a second major personality in the management set-up might also be positive. A good communicator with playing credentials - perhaps capable of proposing creative team selection solutions - might shake things up. 

3: Be More Like Somebody Else

But who? New Zealand were the first team held up as examples of what rugby should be all about, but we all know what happened there. France and Argentina have ultimately turned out not to be models of consistency either. This was a popular theory at one stage, but does anybody seriously want us to try to emulate South Africa or England?

4: Change The Backrow Idea

While various teams playing with traditional opensides have crashed and burned, a fair proportion of the big victories have come from teams playing with quick and destructive sevens.

Thierry Dusautoir (France), Lewis Moody (England), Akapusi Qera (Fiji) have all been outstanding in the role. Ireland could start with Denis Leamy and David Wallace at six and eight, with a proper openside - such as Shane Jennings, Keith Gleeson or even Johnny O'Connor - at seven. There would also be an argument for using  somebody like Jamie Heaslip in an impact role.

It must be said that South Africa, whose Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Danie Roussouw combination is the most similar to the Irish in style, debunk the theory somewhat.

5: Shake Up The Front Five

This is more to do with the second rows and hooker than the props, who scrummaged well for the most part. Simply put, Ireland's hookers struggled to live up to expectations, while the second row pair made countless errors. 

Maybe they suffered for a lack of rugby, but it could be that at least two if not three fresh players need to be given a chance to establish themselves in order to re-invigorate a somewhat lifeless tight five.  

6: Change The Approach In The Backs

Ireland have prospered over a number of years with Ronan O'Gara at out-half and Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll at 12 and 13, but between them they played as a busted flush at RWC 2007.

D'Arcy and O'Gara in particular struggled for chemistry and it is arguably the case that D'Arcy's talents are being wasted in the 'bullocking' role at 12. The way international rugby is going, there might even be an argument for using D'Arcy in an off-the-bench role, even to the point of introducing him after 25 or 30 minutes rather than the usual sixty or seventy, in order to get the best out of him.

If Ireland can find a kicking/distributing 'second five eighth' style player, it would at least enable them to tailor gameplans to suit particular opposition.

7: Take The Magners League Seriously

Proposed by a startlingly broad array of columnists on Sunday, this was the 'clever clogs idea of the weekend'. I'm not so sure.

Having watched Munster v Newport-Gwent Dragons* and Ulster v Llanelli this weekend, I propose a deal. We (the Irish rugby community) will take the Magners League seriously when they (the Magners League people) get their act together when it comes to refereeing. Until then, thanks but no thanks.

* A contender for the most ineptly refereed breakdown in the history of the game.

8: Ban (Or Make Interesting) The Player Columns

Ah, the columns. Aside from totally compromising the coverage of individal newspapers - 'once again, our columnist was great' - they are almost without fail tedious, and spun harder than a Shane Warne delivery.

9: Ban (Or Make Better) The Player Ads

You all know who you are. Some ads weren't as bad as others, but a few were just plain dreadful. OK, fine: the players deserve to make some money during what is a fairly short career (although not so short if you play for Ireland it seems), but how about a modicum of restraint, and quality control, in future?

10: Change The Anthem (sorry: 'song')

A favourite of deranged newspaper letter writers and conspiracy theorists (and www.rte.ie users....), it's been put out there as a cure-all almost as much as anything else.

Pop psychology tells me that because people were uncomfortable with attacking the players and the coaches, the poor 'oul song became the repository for the national anger.

But it could be argued that one piece of music is more or less the same as any other, and that anthems, like sports teams, are about what you put into them. Not what you get out of them.