Although already qualified in the 3,000m steeplechase from last year, Britton went into the Cardinal Invitational meeting in Stanford University on Sunday looking for the sub-31:45.00 required for London, and finished up third in 31:29.22 – over 15 seconds inside the A standard, and now the fourth fastest on the Irish all-time list.

Britton switched her attention to the longer distances after winning the European Cross Country last December, under the direction of her coach Chris Jones, and is fast delivering on her potential: she also intends targeting the A-standard over 5,000m in the coming weeks, having missed out a few weeks back, although at that point had just completed a period of hard training at altitude.

She wasn’t far off victory on Sunday as Betsy Saina of the US took the win in a world-leading time of 31:15.97, with team-mate Amy Hastings second in 31:19.87. Britton was a little detached in the closing laps, yet will take considerable confidence from what was her first proper attempt at the distance.

Reaffirming her Olympic qualification in the meantime was Tori Pena, who improved her Irish pole vault record to 4.52m at the Steve Scott Invitational in San Diego, having already secured the A standard of 4.50m last month.

Con Houlihan also gave me good advice the first time I met him. “Remember, Ian,” he said. “Never apologise. Never explain. And never admit you’re wrong.” But sometimes you’ve just got to bite the bullet and admit you’re wrong, apologise, and at least try to explain yourself.

I was standing outside the Savoy Hotel in London last Monday, looking down the side alley where Dylan recorded that classic video for Subterranean Homesick Blues. This was after passing through Covent Garden and Mayfair, around Hyde Park, past the Royal Albert Hall. This was the London of D.A. Pennebaker, of Dylan’s Don’t Look Back, and it seemed as hip now as it was in 1965.

If there had been some lingering doubts about London’s mood or warm embrace as an Olympic host city then maybe a few days of walking around the old historic sites and stylish backstreets was what I needed, not just a tour of the Olympic venues – although that’s not what I’m here to apologise for.

It was somewhere around mile 16 in last Sunday’s London Marathon, both legs already completely shot, that I realised these Olympics are going to be something very special, not just because of the unbelievable crowds shouting from both sides of the road. It was around here we briefly passed the elite runners, mostly Kenyans, going in the opposite direction, naturally, and already about three miles ahead. From there until the end they would either sustain or indeed quicken the pace, while the rest of us fell further and further behind, praying out mercy.

By the time I eventually reached The Mall, Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany were back in their tracksuits, finishing off several rounds of interviews, looking as if they would quite willingly run a lap of honour. Kipsang’s time of 2:04:44 was just four seconds off the course record, despite leading the charge mostly solo from just beyond halfway, and Keitany’s 2:18:37 shattered the Kenyan record by more than a minute, making her the third fastest woman in marathon history.

Yet at that stage neither of them could be certain of their selection for the Olympics; only on Wednesday did the Kenyan athletics federation confirm them both, along with Abel Kirui and Moses Mosop in the men’s marathon, plus Edna Kiplagat and Priscah Jeptoo, who actually finished second and third to Keitany in London on Sunday.

Kenya may boast over 300 runners with the marathon A-standard for London, but they can only send three men and three women, just like the rest of us. This embarrassment of talent meant they could afford to leave behind Patrick Makau, the man who ran the world record 2:03:38 in Berlin last September, but who dropped out of London, and Geoffery Mutai, who ran the unofficial world best of 2:03:02 in Boston last April, but also dropped out while attempting to defend that title.

Two sub-2:20 women, Florence Kiplagat and Lucy Kabuu, were also left behind.

This gives a clear indication of just how incredibly competitive the Olympic marathon will be this summer, and it won’t be any easier inside the Olympic stadium, especially when the Jamaicans, Americans, Ethiopians and co also have their say.

Some countries actually realised that in advance, and raised their qualifying standards for London even higher that the A-standard – particularly in the marathon. As a result, British athletics has been split this week over their decision to drop the official men’s A-standard from 2:15:00 to 2:12:00, and likewise the women’s A-standard from 2:37:00 to 2:31:00 (while also applying the IAAF guideline of a top-20 finish at the World Championships last summer).

Sunday’s race acted as their final marathon trial, and originally they only selected Scott Overall and David Webb in the men’s team, plus Paula Radcliffe, Mara Yamauchi and Claire Hallissey in the women’s team – leaving out Lee Merrien, despite his 2:13:41 last Sunday, a personal best by 46 seconds, well inside the official A-standard of 2:15:00, and when there was still a vacant spot to fill.

“You don’t get people to jump higher by lowering the bar,” says Charles van Commenee, head coach of UK Athletics, whenever he’s asked about his strict and often ruthless policy on selection. He’s not alone: Canada set their Olympic marathon standards at 2:11:29 for men and 2:29:55 for women, although two women, Lanni Marchant and Krista Duchene, are appealing that rule, having recently run well inside the official 2:37:00 As it turns out, Merrien was added to the British team yesterday, thus giving them their full quota of marathon men and women.

The controversy about that decision rages on. Either way, a statement from UK Athletics hardly admitted they were wrong, didn’t exactly apologise, nor really explained anything – except to suggest something to do with “exceptional circumstances”.

You’d think Britain would be keen to get as many athletes as possible to the start line in their host city. That remains our intention. But with the spring marathon season now winding down it seems unlikely anyone will join Mark Kenneally as our sole men’s marathon representative, although the three places in the women’s marathon must still be somehow split between Linda Byrne, Ava Hutchinson, Catriona Jennings, and Maria McCambridge. It’s a pity the Olympic Council of Ireland didn’t agree to more definite qualifying criteria, such as nominating the Dublin Marathon as a sort of Olympic trial, as was originally suggested.

In the meantime the focus switches to the track, and that fast-closing window of opportunity for Irish athletes to nail the A-standard. David Gillick, Joanne Cuddihy, Ciara Mageean, Jason Smyth, Brian Gregan and Thomas Barr are all in with a shout, although close enough won’t be good enough, – and that’s what I’m here to apologise for.

So, I’m sorry, but if the athletic performances so far this year are anything to go by, then I was wrong to suggest that B-standards should still be considered for London, even in exceptional circumstances. With some countries obviously prepared to leave world record holders behind, that shouldn’t require any further explanation.

I’m sorry but no place for B-standards in London
If the athletic performances so far this year are anything to go by, only the highest standards can apply at the London Olympics.
‘REMEMBER, BOB,” he said. “No fear. No envy. No meanness.” So Liam Clancy told Bob Dylan, first time they met in New York, around 1962. Dylan says he never forgot it, although there have been moments in the 50 years since when he showed a little fear, some envy, and wasn’t particularly kind – and not just that time I met him on Leeson Street.

Con Houlihan also gave me good advice the first time I met him. “Remember, Ian,” he said. “Never apologise. Never explain. And never admit you’re wrong.” But sometimes you’ve just got to bite the bullet and admit you’re wrong, apologise, and at least try to explain yourself.

I was standing outside the Savoy Hotel in London last Monday, looking down the side alley where Dylan recorded that classic video for Subterranean Homesick Blues. This was after passing through Covent Garden and Mayfair, around Hyde Park, past the Royal Albert Hall. This was the London of D.A. Pennebaker, of Dylan’s Don’t Look Back, and it seemed as hip now as it was in 1965.

If there had been some lingering doubts about London’s mood or warm embrace as an Olympic host city then maybe a few days of walking around the old historic sites and stylish backstreets was what I needed, not just a tour of the Olympic venues – although that’s not what I’m here to apologise for.

It was somewhere around mile 16 in last Sunday’s London Marathon, both legs already completely shot, that I realised these Olympics are going to be something very special, not just because of the unbelievable crowds shouting from both sides of the road. It was around here we briefly passed the elite runners, mostly Kenyans, going in the opposite direction, naturally, and already about three miles ahead. From there until the end they would either sustain or indeed quicken the pace, while the rest of us fell further and further behind, praying out mercy.

By the time I eventually reached The Mall, Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany were back in their tracksuits, finishing off several rounds of interviews, looking as if they would quite willingly run a lap of honour. Kipsang’s time of 2:04:44 was just four seconds off the course record, despite leading the charge mostly solo from just beyond halfway, and Keitany’s 2:18:37 shattered the Kenyan record by more than a minute, making her the third fastest woman in marathon history.

Yet at that stage neither of them could be certain of their selection for the Olympics; only on Wednesday did the Kenyan athletics federation confirm them both, along with Abel Kirui and Moses Mosop in the men’s marathon, plus Edna Kiplagat and Priscah Jeptoo, who actually finished second and third to Keitany in London on Sunday.

Kenya may boast over 300 runners with the marathon A-standard for London, but they can only send three men and three women, just like the rest of us. This embarrassment of talent meant they could afford to leave behind Patrick Makau, the man who ran the world record 2:03:38 in Berlin last September, but who dropped out of London, and Geoffery Mutai, who ran the unofficial world best of 2:03:02 in Boston last April, but also dropped out while attempting to defend that title.

Two sub-2:20 women, Florence Kiplagat and Lucy Kabuu, were also left behind.

This gives a clear indication of just how incredibly competitive the Olympic marathon will be this summer, and it won’t be any easier inside the Olympic stadium, especially when the Jamaicans, Americans, Ethiopians and co also have their say.

Some countries actually realised that in advance, and raised their qualifying standards for London even higher that the A-standard – particularly in the marathon. As a result, British athletics has been split this week over their decision to drop the official men’s A-standard from 2:15:00 to 2:12:00, and likewise the women’s A-standard from 2:37:00 to 2:31:00 (while also applying the IAAF guideline of a top-20 finish at the World Championships last summer).

Sunday’s race acted as their final marathon trial, and originally they only selected Scott Overall and David Webb in the men’s team, plus Paula Radcliffe, Mara Yamauchi and Claire Hallissey in the women’s team – leaving out Lee Merrien, despite his 2:13:41 last Sunday, a personal best by 46 seconds, well inside the official A-standard of 2:15:00, and when there was still a vacant spot to fill.

“You don’t get people to jump higher by lowering the bar,” says Charles van Commenee, head coach of UK Athletics, whenever he’s asked about his strict and often ruthless policy on selection. He’s not alone: Canada set their Olympic marathon standards at 2:11:29 for men and 2:29:55 for women, although two women, Lanni Marchant and Krista Duchene, are appealing that rule, having recently run well inside the official 2:37:00 As it turns out, Merrien was added to the British team yesterday, thus giving them their full quota of marathon men and women.

The controversy about that decision rages on. Either way, a statement from UK Athletics hardly admitted they were wrong, didn’t exactly apologise, nor really explained anything – except to suggest something to do with “exceptional circumstances”.

You’d think Britain would be keen to get as many athletes as possible to the start line in their host city. That remains our intention. But with the spring marathon season now winding down it seems unlikely anyone will join Mark Kenneally as our sole men’s marathon representative, although the three places in the women’s marathon must still be somehow split between Linda Byrne, Ava Hutchinson, Catriona Jennings, and Maria McCambridge. It’s a pity the Olympic Council of Ireland didn’t agree to more definite qualifying criteria, such as nominating the Dublin Marathon as a sort of Olympic trial, as was originally suggested.

In the meantime the focus switches to the track, and that fast-closing window of opportunity for Irish athletes to nail the A-standard. David Gillick, Joanne Cuddihy, Ciara Mageean, Jason Smyth, Brian Gregan and Thomas Barr are all in with a shout, although close enough won’t be good enough, – and that’s what I’m here to apologise for.

So, I’m sorry, but if the athletic performances so far this year are anything to go by, then I was wrong to suggest that B-standards should still be considered for London, even in exceptional circumstances. With some countries obviously prepared to leave world record holders behind, that shouldn’t require any further explanation.

I’VE ALWAYS been intrigued by the nomination of Man of the Match. The recipient should be the player who has the most positive influence over the fixture. In most cases the award is a lazy one where the kicker or the try-scorer tends to get the award.

Paul O’Connell has been at his peerless best until injury but didn’t win a man of the match. How Ireland could have done with him in London. The role of a tighthead prop is to prop and if anything, London proved our tightheads should receive far more awards.

In a week of introspection many theories abound for Ireland’s misfortunes in Twickenham. Graham Rowntree, for one, understands the value of the scrum as a catalyst when stating in the post-match press conference, ‘We’ve been born again as a new team under Stuart’. Born again is one thing but the English have done so while winning.

Meantime Ireland, with not quite the same grounds for rebuilding, have not. If change occurs, however, all is not lost.

I’ve suggested a PhD would be worthwhile in examining the rebirth of Harlequins and England over such a short time. Why does it appear to take so long for Irish rugby to react to the shifts in rugby patterns?

The laws do force a rethink of tactics on a continual basis in other teams. The clear difference between Declan Kidney and the teams above him, represented by Warren Gatland and Stuart Lancaster, is the depths they dig to both tactically and in team selection to keep the ship going rapidly forward.

Kidney must want this and the IRFU must back this process. If not, then what?

It is, of course, a little rich for the bandwagons to demean players and coaches who try their best but stumble as it is unwise to be too sure of one’s own rugby knowledge. Or as Gandhi said, “It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err”.

Kidney has unfortunately erred while his scrum weakened and now faces a monumental triple challenge in New Zealand. Not because the scrum has struggled but because some of his warriors are no longer up to it and the culture he has created (tactics, defence and bench) is slow moving while other rugby nations are flying/experimenting.

The scrum can be fixed; many nations have been there before us, as have our provinces. I’m convinced had Mike Ross stayed injury-free (and with O’Connell onboard) the first five scrums would have been torture but it would have evened out. As there are no mythical tighthead props out there the real worry is the lag time in producing new tightheads could be years (IRFU suits?).

Conscious of the axiom “Don’t talk about the bulls until you’re in the bull ring” I had two magnificent experiences last weekend where on Friday night I found myself “rolling on” for Mick Galwey at the Stoop after 22 minutes in the England v Ireland Legends game.

The wing forwards, Kieran Dawson and David Corkery, were far too talented for me to break into, politics once again at play! So into the frontrow I went and found ample support through Shane Byrne (just back from a 1,110 mile cycle for Sports Relief) and Gary Halpin, the man who scored that famous try against the All Blacks in RWC 1995. I had more than enough power behind me with Malcolm O’Kelly in the engine room.

It didn’t take too long for me to enter my first scrum where Jason Leonard arrived into view. In an international career that began with him being the youngest prop to play for England (1988), he became the first, and so far only, Englishman to play in 100 tests. He finished his playing career with 114 caps and went on three Lions tours .

It was humbling to lock horns with him in the Stoop.

Leonard had major neck surgery on a prolapsed disc in the middle of his career, as did I in 1998, when I had surgery on my prolapsed disc at C5/C6 and I can only imagine the millimetres that saved him and me and allowed me to experience an amazing journey in rugby last Friday night.

It didn’t stop there as afterwards the old school camaraderie kicked in with a buffet dinner and porter.

Martin Corry and Byrne, who straddled both eras, spoke about the value of team ethics and team spirit and the unbelievable good fortune we all had to be still playing when others suffered lesser fates.

Corry, in explaining his motivation for togging out in front of 6,000, didn’t have to refer to Stuart Mangan, whose name adorns the annual trophy up for grabs, nor the IPF, the RPA Benevolent Fund and the IRFU Charitable Trust, as only a few short weeks ago Alex Bennett, a team-mate of Corry’s in the previous two Legends games, fractured his C3 vertebrae in his upper spine playing a club match for Lymm RFC.

Bennett and his family have received immediate support from rugby to aid them through the unspeakable recovery process.

Former SCT Blackrock School backrower David Hackett working in “the City” received a late call up through big Bob Casey. A little nervous, he togged out with Galwey on his left and O’Kelly on his right, a total of 133 international caps between them (Galway 41, O’Kelly 92 and Hackett 0). Understandably Hackett felt a little humbled and was far too slow taking the field when our manager Len Dineen motioned him on.

Coincidentally, Seán Cronin had the same amount of pitch time as Hackett. I enquired from him afterwards how he found it; he replied “the pace was very fast”. What must it have been like the following day in Twickenham? He was so delighted that I must suggest to the organisers there may be more Hacketts out there willing, for charity, to tog out with the Legends.

I leave you with my favourite Gandhi-ism: “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes”.

I hope Kidney has the ambition and the freedom to make those mistakes for the betterment of Irish rugby and accept that those new players he trusts will make mistakes and that we the public will forgive him, all the more if, like Wales and England, you do so while winning!

PS. The many scrums I partook in last Friday were, to my disgust, uncontested; we still lost!

There were 18 scrums in total and the penalty try on 58 minutes fired up the English, with bear hug embraces and energisers that coaches could only dream of. The score had been 12-9 and for all their dominance in the scrum this was a big seven points.

It had the opposite effect on Ireland.

Benchmarking can be a dangerous process but league tables do that automatically. Ireland came a respectable third, one ahead of France but any exploration of the actualities will tell you that in a very short space of time Wales have built a Grand Slam team while England in a ridiculously short space have built a culture all can be proud of. There is a cracking case study to be completed at PhD level in explaining how Harlequins and England can turn awful cultures so quickly.

Last week I commented how “nice” it was to see Tomás O’Leary back but questioned Isaac Boss or Paul Marshall’s absence, hinting they’re in better form. In Marshall’s case he is full of top-end energy that could exploit tiring defences, a la Ben Youngs.

It hasn’t been an easy few months for OLeary. That said he came on very early and tried to effect change but lacks the top-end matches and honed skills-set to do so.

I searched for Tom Court as O’Leary carried the ball over his own line in a poorly-judged decision that would not have occurred in former times. What must have gone through Court’s mind as referee Nigel Owens indicated a five-metre scrum to England: ‘You caused the scrum you can go into tighthead; let’s swap’.

Can one isolate the scrum in analysing the individual and the team? Clearly not as so much damage was inflicted on the Irish team. Physically, there was the exhaustion experienced by the secondrows as they tried to buttress their frontrow in position.

“I may go down but I’ll never go back” springs to mind. I can’t recall our pack eking out recovery time between scrums. Dare I suggest the Six Nations affords just one spare prop so had Tom Court stayed down injured the scrum would have drifted to uncontested?

Was this discussed in the stands as it’s an option? What difference Paul O’Connell (or a healthy Mike Ross) would have made behind Cian Healy we’ll never know.

You can come back from a scrum onslaught like this where Ross has the brains and ability to educate his pack on the lessons learned. Apart from Leinster’s revival against Northampton in Cardiff it’s very unusual to experience that in real time. Obviously reducing the number of scrums was a first start, hence O’Leary’s extremely costly error.

Apart from the obvious cheating option of uncontested scrums there is another “half cheat”: I’m very surprised the Irish didn’t pull the classic step back on the hit option. It’s been utilised for years where, under pressure, especially on your own line, all eight hit but immediately step back allowing the opposition to follow through on their hit, with the scrumhalf shouting “early hit, ref” and you get a cheap free kick, which is worth gold to the front five.

Did the Ireland management discuss this and other options at half-time? Maybe that 28th-minute turnover wheel scrum success suggested the English were fatiguing.

The physical was one aspect but the mental is altogether another. We have all been in situations where tremendous work has been done but then something horrible occurs and back into yet another scrum you go. That those horrible things were in the most part avoidable was deeply damaging: kicking out on the full, poor handling and poor utilisation of the back line at crucial times were bad enough, but 21 turnovers suffocated any chances.

I had suggested Irish control over the breakdown would control the fixture. In many ways this proved correct as ruck after ruck, I counted the English speed of recycle. Four in a row oscillated from five seconds to 10 in what was a monumental breakdown performance by the Irish team.

So much so the classic fall guy in these occasions was taken off on 48 minutes in an effort to speed up the game and turn their considerable scrum advantage into more points. Lee Dickson at scrumhalf was the villain and Youngs the hero, especially on scoring their second try.

The real men were the Irish at the breakdown, with Seán O’Brien, Donnacha Ryan and Healy leading the way. Had Ireland not slowed the English flow to over five seconds on almost every ruck over the 80 minutes who knows what the score would have been? Hence a powerful work ethic in terrible conditions from the Irish which highlights the culture is there but the many weaknesses are unfortunately there too.

Neither team lit the stage creatively and you would argue England had the much better opportunity but failed. I counted a grand total of three carries by Manusamoa Tuilagi where Gordon D’Arcy hit him side on and then front on but he did no damage and Ireland’s defensive system deserves credit.

Much of the Irish backline attack struggled to fix the English and precious few opportunities arrived to Keith Earls, who clearly had the pace and feet to evade the monsters in midfield on 66 minutes.

From the breakdown, O’Leary ran sideways before kicking for the corner to the chasing Jamie Heaslip; a poor decision and execution. Heaslip spent much time on the flanks. I’m not sure it is a team tactic but he has been struggling to get into the games and hanging around the wings takes him further away.

The substitutions highlight Declan Kidney’s approach. Both O’Leary and Ronan O’Gara came on very early, and justifiably so. Both have been significant players in Kidney’s career and he trusts them. That clearly can’t be said of Fergus McFadden, a centre employed on the wing when the first-choice outhalf moves into centre, nor of Seán Cronin, given six minutes at the end of the most fatiguing fixture Rory Best is liable to experience.

I fear we’ve seen the last of some great Irish players and the first of an English team with many becoming great.

“All players recognised by the relevant television host broadcaster as man-of-the-match during the first four weekends of the championship were automatically placed in contention for the prestigious award,” trumpeted the official press release. What it failed to add is that by using said criteria the organisers have overlooked those players who have displayed consistent excellence over the course of the championship.

Four Welsh players have made the cut which, considering they are chasing a Grand Slam is fair enough. Dan Lydiate, Alex Cuthbert and Mike Philips could all have reasonable claims after solid performances but Sam Warburton? The Welsh skipper has only played in two of the four matches and lasted just 40 minutes in one of those! Super Sam was pretty impressive against England but one swallow does not make a summer.

Scotland, who must win in Rome at the weekend to avoid the wooden spoon have two contenders (David Denton and Ross Rennie) while second-placed England have . . . well, none. Go figure.

As for Ireland, well we have two names on the shortlist but certainly not the ones you’d expect. Surely Tommy Bowe, just one try away from an all-time Six Nations record, makes the grade? Eh, no. Nor does Stephen Ferris, the stand-out Irish player over the first four weekends, or even Rob Kearney who is back looking like the Lion he once was.

Instead, fans will be asked to choose Jonathon Sexton or Donnacha Ryan. Without being unkind, both would struggle to make it onto an Irish player of the tournament shortlist, again making a mockery of the whole process.

Time for a rethink.

For the record, here’s the shortlist in full.

Wales
Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate, Alex Cuthbert and Mike Philips

France
Julien Malzieu, Yoann Maestri and Imanol Harinordoquy

Ireland
Jonathan Sexton and Donnacha Ryan

Scotland
David Denton and Ross Rennie

Italy
Sergio Parisse

England
None

AFTER 30 minutes or so of Saturday’s game I developed a thought bubble. I had expected and even wanted so much from this Scottish side that I was genuinely excited by the prospect of seeing Richie Gray and his colleagues in full flight. They had played some great rugby but the errors were killing them.

They had lost their three opening matches and I had convinced myself that those results were down to very costly and dumb errors. It was quite obvious that there is much talent in the Scottish outfit but on 30 minutes I concluded that they are no use. Andy Robinson, in total acceptance, announced post-match how the “errors were not good enough at this level”. I’m afraid much of what Scotland created was not good enough at any level. Where does he go from here?

Consequently it is difficult to judge Ireland’s performance. They were extremely clinical, even ruthless, in maximising Scottish ineptitude and considering the injuries, especially within the leadership circle, it was a fine performance. But are we in danger of fooling ourselves into a false sense of security? Yes and no. The scrum battled throughout as did the lineout, which is no mean feat considering the changes in personnel.

There were individuals who stepped up such as Cian Healy and of course there were four tries and three cracking conversions.

There were, however, too many penalties and turnovers conceded, there were lost lineouts (understandable) and many box kicks and some of the passing was behind the shoulder and caused the receiver to check his run and stunt the budding attack. Ireland conceded huge possession stakes to Scotland but remained patient in defence waiting for their errors, and it was great to see Tomás O’Leary back, but could Isaac Boss or even Paul Marshall be worth a look?

Back to the 30th minute where Scotland had their second lineout in the Irish corner from a penalty and sensing an opportunity went for the classic set up, hitting Jim Hamilton in the middle. The ball was fed back, where the maul was in good shape, and crucially with great attacking body height. As the maul inched forward you could actually see it disintegrate under Irish pressure and the inevitable happened; two feet from the Irish try line it simply ran out of steam and died. Yes the Irish had infringed, but in the classic team skill, Scotland failed.

This was made all the more galling as Ireland 17 minutes earlier had their lineout on the Scottish line. Like Scotland they found the middle with Donnacha Ryan coming forward to receive. Ireland didn’t engage, where Donncha O’Callaghan took from Ryan, spinning touchside to Peter O’Mahony and sending Rory Best crashing over. And what a conversion from Jonathan Sexton!

I wonder how often scrumhalf Mike Blair practised defending his line in the five-metre channel. It is not good enough that team tactics place a smaller, less competent, man in that channel and explain away a five-pointer “sure he had no chance”. If that be true then don’t put him there.

Whatever way Scotland want to spin their decision to kick three points after their failed assault on the Irish line is fine by me. Robinson claimed it was his call, but when you defend your line as Ireland did and the opposition ‘flip flop’ their mind and go for a three-pointer you know they are a spent force.

The energy derived from this was evident in the next phase and cements Scotland’s status. Another fine kick-off from Sexton was butchered by the Scots (ala Wales) and referee Chris Pollock penalised the instinctive offside Scot and off Jamie Heaslip goes (good call?). Healy added more yards until Eoin Reddan dotted down for yet another seven-pointer. I hung my head and could only imagine what the Scottish travelling support could be thinking.

Thankfully a glimmer of light arrived through the towering Gray taking a pop off the very meek and tactically naive Greig Laidlaw at outhalf. Gray did the rest by barging over Reddan and slipping inside the sensational Rob Kearney a little too easily. He was still accelerating as he crossed the try line.

Last Friday I asked about Ireland’s potential tactics to combat Scotland. What were Scotland’s? One of which should certainly have been “stay away from Stephen Ferris”. Tackling is one thing which he clearly very much enjoys but the destruction and timing of his hits are amazing. His best hit? All of them were bone shuddering, where at times his technique is overridden by sheer upper body strength combined with lower body power. I especially liked his hit on Sean Lamont on 52 minutes and 20 seconds; beautiful.

What of his backrow colleagues? Peter O’Mahony has no issues with international rugby and will spend much time in the arena. But what number jersey will he wear? Early in this season when watching him for the first time it was obvious how technically proficient he was around the ball. He did, however, spend much time away from the ball/action.

On Saturday there were vast chunks of time where he was at the opposite side of the pitch, although filling a role, but he is far too impressive around the breakdown and is a wasted resource to be staying out wide. A minute into the second half Keith Earls was fighting hard in the depths of a ruck before O’Mahony’s breakdown instincts spotted an opportunity and he dived in to steal a cracking turnover; great aggression, great instinct and great technique; more please which he did on Chris Cusiter on 54 minutes.

I’m sure he’ll have learned much from the starting slot but especially how to defend the opposite number eight pick and go. Deep inside their 22 on the 45th minute David Denton picked off a Scottish scrum and was gone slipping past O’Mahony on the openside flank, bearing down on the Irish midfield and riding tackles at will.

Less than a minute later Scotland had a scrum on the half-way line and this time O’Mahony was very aware of the Denton threat so much so that he detached into no man’s land but Pollock spotted him; penalty!

The stat nerds compiling the error count will focus on the overt but it is the covert errors that are really killing Scotland, such as the failure to score seven points off the lineout mentioned earlier and all the forward passes or the spilled balls. After 50 minutes the count stood four-all in errors but when their outhalf fails to understand that the value of momentum and pressure combined should bring points and kicks the ball away, as he did when affording Kearney another chance of running out resulting in Tommy Bowes’s “try” that wasn’t, you know you’re in trouble.

It was a great win under difficult circumstances but my head will remain hung for quite a while in sympathy for Scotland.

AS “I walk through the long schoolroom questioning” what’s the best team to take the pitch this Sunday, I’m reminded of William Butler Yeats’s Among School Children. My eyes soon land on the starting number seven and his young colleague at nine and ask “Are you the leaf, the blossom or the bole?”

Seán O’Brien is certainly no leaf or blossom but fits the description of the “bole”. Conor Murray must be all three. As the trunk of a tree O’Brien is crucial to Ireland’s chances in Paris but when asked last Monday by Matt Cooper I suggested that Jamie Heaslip could play at seven. Was this mad? Maybe just a tad. Neither O’Brien nor Heaslip are suited to the openside shirt but as we’ll witness on Sunday neither are Thierry Dusautoir, Julien Bonnaire or Imanol Harinordoquy (France’s starting seven last week).

In essence it matters not a jot. So how do the French get into a World Cup final and lose by just a point without a true tear-away? How have they beaten Italy and Scotland with Bonnaire and Harinordoquay at seven?

For a start they don’t play the traditional role of seven and are judged accordingly.

The best openside in Ireland in terms of running lines, defensive positioning and control at the tail, breakdown work and, most importantly, with an openside’s instinct, is Shane Jennings. He has been unable to secure a starting slot.

The next best is certainly Dominic Ryan, who is at the crossroads of his development, possibly followed by Niall Ronan.

Peter O’Mahony will make a world class openside, with technical ability matched with the brain and attitude to redefine how we view this position. So why not start him?

The arrival of the cerebral Anthony Foley should not be lost on the backrow. Number eights require a rugby brain which allows them control team tempo. Foley is bursting with a rugby brain. I’m not sure O’Brien is that type of player and I would be very careful not to overload his tasks by putting him into eight. Heaslip is not Foley, nor is Stephen Ferris.

I would love to have been at Foley’s first talk with his Irish backrow. Leadership from eight is not built on constant talking but real leadership: direction and most of all judgment. Thus Heaslip is best placed. O’Mahony at seven and Ferris at six means O’Brien would miss out.

Our judgment of O’Brien at seven must be adjusted as he is not a seven, which doesn’t prevent him from being outstanding on Sunday, but don’t expect a Sam Warburton performance. A traditional seven has a million things to do which are constantly being adjusted. If France go off the top his defensive line is crucial, if they go into midfield quickly to get centres Aurelien Rougerie and Wesley Fofana flat in attack he is crucial. If the Irish midfield slow or stop them he is crucial at the breakdown. Beyond that there are a million permutations, and that’s just in defence.

In attack they build again, providing the link between the swift-off-the-deck ball ahead of the scrumhalf, trailing of the ball carrier and much, much more. It is a position of judgment and instinct, constantly reading the ever evolving situation of others. Hence seven is the most restrictive position on the pitch. O’Brien simply can’t do all that and do what you want him to do as well. Accept it!

And in accepting this we must also accept Heaslip is not the same player with O’Brien at seven. His natural game is diluted to cater for deficiencies in O’Brien’s openside game. Accept that also.

Hence Ferris is the only player picked in his natural position so he continues to shine while the other two appear to struggle.

Murray deserves to start on Sunday based on his many attributes. However, I’ve been long asking how he will balance the trenches with team tactics. Fuel was added with Eoin Reddan’s arrival on the pitch against Italy. Reddan appears much more comfortable in his skin, where he does X, followed by Y, which will result in Z.

However with age, experience and a winning formula (Wasps and Leinster) he knows if the X and Y method doesn’t net Z then he can change the letters, knowing his team-mates will expect this, believe in him and react accordingly. Murray is learning this, as are his team-mates of him. Reddan is more likely to keep the bigger picture in view, facilitating those around him, most notably Jonathan Sexton and his backrow.

As Yeats might put it, Murray’s challenge for Sunday is, “O body swayed to music, O brightening glance/ How can we know the dancer from the dance?”

While Murray and co will dance around Stade de France, physicality brought Scotland 17 French turnovers. The French were badly exposed by an improving Scottish outfit. But the biggest lesson from Scotland was their ability to keep the ball away from French contact and but for errors they would have won.

Lessons – move the point of contact, target the blindside and survive the opening mayhem.

With that in mind I can understand the extra lineout specialist Bonnaire being included, not to mention a massive increase in backrow work-rate, with Louis Picamoles to be launched as the Irish tire.

Watch the French midfield off their lineout! We’ve very little knowledge of Fofana at 12 for France but his lines are powerful and for a smallish fella his core strength is incredible and, as France like to cut the ball behind decoy forwards, he will do damage, as can his outhalf Francois Trinh-Duc.

We know what Dusautoir can do in the counter-ruck but if you question the value of a tough tackle followed by a counter scramble along the deck watch Paul O’Connell tackling Italian supremo Sergio Parisse on 45 minutes and 15 seconds. On the far touchline Parisse carried into traffic and O’Connell stopped him dead. Not content with that he lowered his body height, dragged his knuckles along the ground inches above the felled Parisse and pumped his legs, propelling him into the Italian side of the breakdown. A poorly-placed ball bobbled and O’Connell snaffled it, allowing the Irish backline to take off, with Ferris breaking the Italian midfield, offloading to Tommy Bowe before Andrea Masi scuppered a certain try.

More again please. As ever I have great hope and optimism for Ireland on Sunday and leave you with Yeats.

“Labour is blossoming or dancing where/ the body is not bruised to pleasure soul.”

Both fighters, two of Ireland’s brightest hopes for medals at next summer’s Olympics (assuming, of course, both are able to qualify) give as good as they get at a training get together in the Curragh.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Light-flyweight Barnes, incidentally, was giving away some 10kg to Taylor who fights in the women’s ligthweight division.

In case you missed it in today’s Irish Times, here’s the remarkable and harrowing story of Taylor’s potential Olympic opponent Queen Underwood, who has emerged as a contender for greatness from a background of sexual abuse and deprivation that could have sent her off on the wrong direction in life.

That the communications manager of the Six Nations, one of the very few women in this manly, oval world, was anointed for the job seemed in itself a cowardly piece of decision making on a night where officials once again stretched fan loyalty beyond decency.

An initial observation, was how decision makers in the game stood up straight around the pitch as fans booed and jeered Mrs Connolly, when there wasn’t a vertebra in the house.

Not for the first time gender was used to pacify a simmering crowd, which had every right to feel that some sort of treachery was afoot. That their tickets would be respected for the return fixture was, regardless of the legal terms and agreements, a sensational sleight and misjudgement of the mood which was bubbling beyond outrage.

Now that the 80,000 fans are not in a position to break up the stadium in St Denis, the Six Nations have decided that there are “very significant logistical issues arising from this situation,” and they would wish to be in a position to give a comprehensive clarification following a meeting on Tuesday.

What is clear is that everyone who bought a ticket has the cash to get back to Paris, right?

In a world where the line between sport, business and entertainment is constantly blurred, the indifference to the Irish and French fans literally freezing cold in Paris was an interesting study of nonchalant disregard.

It was like the waiter standing beside the table in one of those wonderful French bistros shaking his head and unmoved saying ‘non, non, non’ when all you ask for is your entrecote to be well done. Well, maybe there is a cultural point to be made there but belittling detachment from the customer can be trying with two children and 80,000 people wondering when the next train will arrive.

For the uninitiated there are no bars and bistros around Stade de France. People cannot just filter away down cobbled side streets and hunker down in a bar to wait it out.

Thousands of euro that went into flights, hotels, food, drink will never be recovered because of indecision and lack of foresight and not once could the fans have come into the thinking. The IRFU recently found out to their cost with ticketing prices that the depth of the rugby pocket is in fact finite and when stakeholders of the game are treated with disdain there is a reaction.

The IRFU will say nothing because these events are political and, well, it’s the French covered in merde. But they should because these fans are their support base. They deserve duty of care.

As it stands the FFR president, Pierre Camou, pointed the finger at referee Dave Pearson. Pearson pointed the finger at the concrete pitch. French television pointed the finger at the Six Nations and the FFR. The FFR pointed the finger at God. The fans pointed their fingers at officials who felt obliged to build a stadium with no underground heating and Declan Kidney, as tradition has shown on a variety of topics, pointed his finger at nobody.

Finally they pushed out poor Christine at whom everyone pointed a finger.

Gallant to the last.

YOUNG PADDY bought a donkey from a farmer for €100. The next day, however, the farmer announced, “I have some bad news. The donkey’s died.” Paddy obviously demanded his money back. The farmer couldn’t do that as he’d already spent it. “Okay, then,” says Paddy, “just bring me the dead donkey as I’m going to raffle him off.” But “You can’t raffle a dead donkey!” “Sure I can,” says Paddy. “I just won’t tell anybody he’s dead.” A month later, the farmer met up with Paddy, who stated proudly: “I raffled him off, selling 500 tickets at €2 each and made a profit of €898.” “Didn’t anyone complain?” retorted the farmer, to which Paddy replied, “Just the guy who won, so I gave him his €2 back!”

Last Sunday’s loss to Wales, fuelled in part by a trip to Paris, has panicked many. Why? Because evidence has been floating under the radar that provincial form is not being transferred into the national ranks (management’s role?). Australia apart, it’s been a long time since this team played to its potential, such as in the autumn series, the Russia match, the previous Six Nations, etc. Supporters are struggling to find fault, who to blame. Many theories abound but I can’t believe the donkey is dead, there’s too much talent which must bring us back into profit.

Last Monday I chose to highlight the reasons why Ireland lost to Wales at the World Cup, ignoring at times some very obvious under-par performances. I focused on the Welsh, a team in unison, dancing to the same beat in a multi-phase approach to unearth space for their big men.

Post match, I found myself in the Berkeley Court Hotel. The victorious Welsh team arrived into the foyer and I couldn’t believe their size. Several rugby campaigns have brought me into contact with big men but Alex Cuthbert, Mike Philips, Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies and George North are backs. Fergus McFadden did not miss a tackle on North, but each time, the phases leading to that point put North in total advantage, allowing him to hit McFadden at his weakest.

How often are Ireland replicating this? Keith Earls back in harness, even Paul O’Connell himself, would struggle with North.

The fundamental difference: Wales maximise their assets, Ireland don’t. Why?

Ireland are a very potent team against any opposition when they maintain pace and intensity and without these we don’t have the game plan (management) to punish quality opposition. The provinces have a ferocious breakdown and real pace from the subsequent ball allied to a game plan the players have bought into with enormous confidence.

The opposition we faced last Sunday, and more importantly tomorrow, have many threats and assets in their armoury that when Ireland’s pace dips, we will continue to be punished unless we develop a more rounded performance to get the most from our considerable assets, or at least a game plan all 15 totally commit to; time is against us.

The good news first! France will start at 100mph tomorrow, and their defensive line speed is excellent. Worse, the quality of their one-on-one hits is sensational. Take their captain, Thierry Dusautoir. His brilliance can be explained by his tackle technique. At 6ft 2in and 15st 10lbs, he is no Welsh back but check out his 42nd-minute hit during an Italian counter-attack (on Andrea Masi) last weekend.

All through their defensive line, which fills the field exceptionally well, there are monster hitters and they trust each other. They have also bought into the choke tackle through Louis Picamoles and Pascal Pape (and Lionel Nallet, bench).

That’s hardly good news but then France under certain circumstances go to sleep, allowing time to slip by. Unfortunately, they tend to wake up, so it’s maximum Irish effort when they’re asleep.

When they’re awake, the French lineout maul (improved with Imanol Harinordoquy’s addition), from miles out generates a spin and heads into open field, launching Morgan Parra and his back line. Our fringe defence must be ruthless to stop this dynamic maul. The French have many potent moves off lineouts, with several channels to be struck. Aurelien Rougerie at 13 and Wesley Fofana at 12 switch in arriving for the flat, off-the-top ball, confusing the Irish midfield, not to mention the sensational Julien Malzieu off the wing; a big day for Earls.

Ireland stole Welsh ball last week but the task is much more difficult with Harinordoquy popping up all along the line; in attack and defence, interestingly, the French struggled when up a man to maul Italy over from a lineout penalty. Ireland must to go back to the maul, big time.

Ireland must weather the opening perfect storm from France before re-engaging in their own attack. Most disappointedly, Ireland failed to weather the closing Welsh storm by conceding enormous tranches of land through meagre defence. This can’t happen in reverse tomorrow, especially in broken field.

Italy were much more structured against France but were simply incapable of 80 minutes. Like the scorpion and the frog, the French back three can resist their instinct under their new coach Philippe Saint-Andre for only so long. On 39 minutes against Italy, Vincent Clerc fielded a “mark” and immediately all three at the back attacked the opportunity. It’s going to happen; they’re fantastic at it and we must not switch off. And if you need an insight to the front five check out new boy in the secondrow Yoann Maestri’s skills on iti.ms/A2zIT1

François Trinh-Duc affords us another chink of light. It doesn’t take a huge amount to unnerve him where his precision from the boot drops a tad. The French weakness can be an abrupt drop in unity of effort. After a flying start they dipped against Italy for over 10 minutes before Rougerie’s try as Italy themselves went to sleep. Then another 15 minutes passed before the Malzieu’s try from Picamole’s brilliant carry in both hands. Then 20 minutes later, Clerc’s try from nothing but brilliance from the French.

Ireland must move France in a structured way; precision kicking, unlike last Sunday, monstrous chasing lines after the brilliant Conor Murray box kicks. The backrow must pop up in a structured way all along the channels and Murray attack the blindside with structured support.

We must reduce the one-up carries (French too offensive in defence) and ensure a structured in-your-face defence throughout. Rob Kearney’s energy and influence is growing and he must change the point of contact to maximise Andrew Trimble and Tommy Bowe, but Jonathan Sexton must dominate the quarter-back position and Murray like never before.

Never give up. Wake up, Ireland, I can’t believe the donkey’s dead, it’s just asleep!