WITH eight members of the Ireland squad in action at Sunbury last Saturday in The Courage League First Division tie between London Irish and Northampton, the Ireland coach, Muray Kidd, and selector Donal Lenihan were due to hold a watching brief. Circumstances - a delayed flight - decreed that they never left base.
That was unfortunate for several reasons. They missed a magnificent match of high quality, a superb demonstration of the game's many virtues. This was as good a club match as it has ever been my good fortune to witness. With a final score of 34-21 to London Irish, it embraced pace, power, courage, fluency and fluctuating fortune that had a crowd of 4,000 enthralled.
From the perspective of the Ireland national team, Kidd and Lenihan would have left the ground, as we all did, delighted by the displays given by so many of the contenders for the Ireland team. "It was," said Northampton coach Ian McGeechan "a really great game of rugby. I do not like to lose but if my side has to lose, I feel much better about losing a match like that than losing 9-8 in a negative war of attrition".
McGeechan, who has a dual mandate as Northampton coach and as coach to the Lions in South Africa next summer and whose influence on Lions selection will be profound, will have taken note of some Irish performances of real quality. "I think it will help the Irish players greatly to be playing at this level of competition and there were some quality performances," he said.
It has been a bad summer for rugby in these islands, the game uneven and tarnished by an ongoing saga of greed, avarice and self-interest as politics and ill-advised policies dominate the headlines. One left the ground uplifted and with a feeling that somehow the game on the field had been purified and a long, dark shadow lifted.
"Its was a great game to play in and a very big win for us," said London Irish captain Gary Halpin. Willie Anderson took a coaching session with the forwards last week. "That session was invaluable for us," said Halpin, a point taken up by London Irish coach Clive Woodward. "Yes, he will be coming back," said Woodward. "Willie's influence and advice was in evidence out there, especially the way we rucked and drove in the second half. It's not only how but also when you ruck," added Halpin.
"We did not start well," said Woodward. London Irish had a three-point lead after one minute but it was Northampton who controlled matters for the first 30 minutes. Northampton number eight and captain Tim Rodber's influence was immense up front and outside half Gregor Townsend was composed and authoritative as Northampton put the home side under constant pressure.
They scorned penalty opportunities to go for the tries, including two very easy chances, as they sought to crack the Irish defence and break the spirit. When Rodber and Michael Dods scored tries and Dods converted both the score stood at 3-14 and the policy seemed likely to succeed. By comparison with Northampton's cool assurance, there was a frenetic ring about some of what London Irish did. "We were making mistakes," said Halpin.
There was brave defence from the Irish and it was needed. There was good line-out possession, with Gabriel Fulcher, Malcolm O'Kelly and Jeremy Davidson the agents, but not the required assurance and authority in other respects. Then five minutes from the interval, O'Kelly got a try after Fulcher won a line-out. David Humphreys converted and then kicked his second penalty and it was 13-14 at the break.
Rather flattering for the Irish but the best was yet to come. Both wing Justin Bishop and full back Conor O'Shea had played well in that initial period - Bishop is a real prospect - but the Northampton backline as a unit was very menacing.
The pace of the game never dropped and the Irish forwards to a man played with a new belief and assurance in the second half. Humphreys, who had a superb second half, kicked his side into the lead with a penalty in the 49th minute and five minutes later Northampton were awarded a penalty try, with Halpin being deemed the quilty party. "It was fair decision," said Halpin. "I did put my arm around the ball in an off-side position." Dods converted and his side led 21-16.
But with Fulcher magnificent in the line-out, well supported by O'Kelly, and Victor Costello playing with a renewed vigour and effect, London Irish took over.
"The line-out was a problem for us," said McGeechan, and it became a bigger problem as the game progressed. Humphreys prospered in the new circumstances, varied his game beautifully and showed what a perceptive player he is. Davidson, on the short side flank, was excellent and got some great ball on the ground.
In the 62nd minute, Costello got a try after the Irish won a line-out and the drive forward. Humphreys converted, then kicked a penalty and dropped a goal - the match had taken an irretrievable turn. Niall Woods embellished the win with a great pick-up after a poor pass from Northampton centre Jonathan Bell was not gathered and Woods made a great pick-up and was over the line in the right corner. Humphreys was narrowly wide with the conversion from the touchline, his only miss from seven kicks at goal. He scored 19 points, four penalties, two conversions and a dropped goal.
Northampton's great run of league wins dating back to last year had come to an end. "We want to be a team good enough to beat any side in the league," said Woodward. The achievement of that ambition certainly looks attainable.
