Cork-born Brian Carney has urged Super League scouts to head for the Emerald Isle if they want to unearth some gems for the 13-man code. Carney has been a revelation since abandoning Gaelic Football for a professional rugby career, which will next season reach the heady heights of a contract with Wigan.
He marked his World Cup debut with the fourth touchdown in Ireland's five-try win over Samoa at Windsor Park and is keenly aware that he is now
regarded as a beacon for development of the game. "I sat in my hotel room before the game and tried to take in what was happening," he said. "Two years ago I was going to take a year out and travel round Australia, and now I have the chance to play against some of the best players in the world. People look at me as an Irish-born player and I suppose that gives the team some credibility. But I will not be the most talented player to come out of Ireland, far from it. There is a love of physical sport here and there is so much more available to anyone who cares to look."
Apart from the dilution of the home challenge, critics of the decision to split the home nations argue that the idea of a team taking the field
with few, if any, home-grown players merely attracts ridicule. But one stinging article served to ignite passions within the dressing room, with Carney leading the onslaught.
"A journalist asked whether any of the players knew their way from Belfast to Lisburn," he said. "Well I was born in Ireland and I wouldn't have a clue. That is not a measure of the commitment within this squad. You only have to look at us after a game to see how much pride every member of the team feels at representing Ireland. Hopefully, occasions like this will heighten interest in the game and if we can get children playing there is no reason why it cannot grow."
In monsoon conditions, Ireland were never headed once Chris Joynt had taken a pass from man of the match Barrie McDermott to put the home side in
front after two minutes. Samoa responded with tries from Bryan Leauma and Loa Milford either side of a Luke Ricketson effort. The visitors could have led at the interval had skipper Willie Poching not failed with both a conversion and penalty attempt. But Ireland clung on to a two point advantage, then cut loose in the third quarter to establish a match-winning lead. Michael Eager, Carney and Steve Prescott, who seized on a Ryan Sheridan kick through which had accurately been planted against the uprights, all crossed to ease the tournament fourth favourites clear. Samoa's fitness after less than a week's preparation was always in
doubt, and coach Darrell Williams admitted it contributed to him using seven of his 12 substitutes before the interval.
It was no surprise to find them wilting near the end, although they bagged the final try when hooker Monty Betham slid in under the posts. Second-row Fred Peterson is likely to miss Samoa's must-win clash with New Zealand Maoris in Workington on Wednesday after suffering a nasty looking neck injury in the second half. Ireland now travel to Dublin for their remaining pool games, with victory against Scotland on Wednesday almost certainly assuring them of a place in the knock-out stages. Coach Steve O'Neill must decide whether to rest some of his main stars for the tests which lie ahead or go for his first choice team in an attempt to qualify with a game to spare.
Either way, Carney is expecting a more difficult game. "It will be a typical Super League game because there will be so many players who know each other very well," he said. "We are expecting it to be a lot tougher but we want to go out there and blitz them."
Filed by Sinéad Gleeson
