Prop with a taste for open space

Six Nations Interview with Marcus Horan: John O'Sullivan talks to the dynamic forward who says the Irish pack must first get the scrum right tomorrow

Marcus Horan squirms in embarrassment when it is ventured that he's the George Best of Irish forward play. Athleticism, pace, dexterity and high skill levels are not words usually found in the same sentence as prop forward but in the Munster player's case they're apposite.

He doesn't panic when confronted with open spaces, has been known to chip the ball over defenders and collect it without breaking stride and is well versed in taking and giving a pass. Throw in the odd dummy and the evidence pretty much substantiates the assertion that Horan is not your common or garden frontrow forward.

Goodness knows what they'd make of him in France where prop forwards are plug ugly by design and boast the dimensions - albeit a little more squat - of a Louis XVth armoire. The Italians, who Ireland face at Lansdowne Road, also take an inordinate pride in all things pertaining to the scrum. Coach Pierre Berbizier's decision to leave Martin Leandro Castrogiovanni and Andrea Lo Cicero on the bench is a little surprising given both are formidable scrummagers.

It doesn't necessarily mean Horan and frontrow buddies Jerry Flannery and John Hayes are in for an easier time. There are the usual pre-game mutterings about the possibility that Ireland's scrum could be in a little trouble as neither of the Shannon props are destructive scrummagers.

Horan rails against the assertion. "There is this myth that you can wreck a scrum at this level. I don't think that's on these days. Teams try and attack scrums but attacking a scrum would be getting the right angle so that their number eight can't operate off the back. That's an effective scrum. It doesn't have to be going back at a rate of knots to be an effective scrum.

"If we can get our backrow moving off the scrum and hopefully, disrupt their moves then that is a good day at the office. I think it is important for us to stay focused on that rather than try to score pushover tries against teams that are well known scrummagers."

The benefit of having three players from the same province in one of the team's units cannot be understated: "There's a unity there from playing together there the whole time. Scrums aren't just down to the front three. I think it is important the whole pack gels together.

"We know how guys feel for certain scrums in different areas of the pitch and are capable of giving each other the nod and wink when we want to up it a bit. Concentration is one thing that has let us down in the past. We could have an awesome scrum at one stage then go into the next one and the scrum might collapse.

"Just the fact that it collapsed the guys kind of relax in their heads and start thinking about other things and that is when a team can come back at you. It's very important to be focused, be ready for it. Each scrum is a separate entity. We have to concentrate and do the same thing every time rather than become distracted."

He rates the Italian scrum highly, putting it on a par with France's, and says if Ireland don't get it right then the visitors could wreak havoc at Lansdowne Road tomorrow.

"It's definitely an area we want to take command of and lay down a marker for the rest of the competition.

"People have their expectations about the game overall. I think this year's battle is going to be there.

"Their mentality is they are rated as underdogs in the competition. They always start very well in the Six Nations before fading a little later on. They're very big men, very physical. They go all out early on.

"Our particular fixture, seeing them first, is going to be difficult. Every year they bring a new enthusiasm to it. If things don't go well then it may peter out."

Horan loves to get his hands on the ball but ventures guardedly: "You can't get ball in hand unless you do the hard stuff first. You have to earn the right to run with the ball in open space."

When asked if he'd prefer 15 flawless scrums or a 45-metre slaloming run through several tacklers for a try, Horan smiled: "Doing my job in the scrum."

The good thing for Ireland is he is capable of both.