Right on cue for the arrival of February, spring was in the air for the start of Ireland's pre-match preparations yesterday in Dr Hickey Park - more Sunnyskies than Greystones. But amid the positive mood generated in the Irish camp this past 12 months and the feel-good factor which Ulster's Euro exploits have sparked, there was a fly or two in the ointment.
On top of Malcolm O'Kelly's weekend trauma, it looks increasingly likely that Andy Ward will be ruled out of Saturday's Five Nations opener against France with a knee injury. The results of his MRI scan will not be known until today, when the starting XV and replacements for Saturday will also be named, but it is believed that Ward has sustained ligament damage.
Trevor Brennan was yesterday called into the squad as a precautionary measure, and will probably be named among the replacements. "If he is not 100 per cent fit he won't play," said team manager Donal Lenihan, who sounded none too optimistic about Ward's chances.
Ireland coach Warren Gatland, along with backs coach Philip Danaher, took in France's win over Italy in Genoa on Saturday and was impressed. "They were strong up front and their scrum was very strong, along with their driving play from the line-out and anything close to the line."
"I was impressed with Emile N'tamack at full-back," added Gatland, and here the ominous news from France yesterday was that the beefed-up Toulouse flyer looks likely to be fit for Saturday. N'tamack suffered a knee injury during the win over Italy, but following an MRI scan yesterday, a final decision on his availability for Saturday's game will not be made until tomorrow - when the French team will be selected.
Injuries or lack of fitness have placed clouds over a number of French players including Thomas Casteigneide, Fabien Pelous, Olivier Brouzet, Marc Lievremont, Christian Califano and Raphael Ibanez.
But Gatland takes French doom and gloom with a pinch of salt. "I think it would be pretty naive if you think that France were not very strong opposition. We're happy enough that we're playing them first up in the Five Nations and we'd like to think that we can be as competitive as we can be, but if we go into this game without being fully prepared we'll be letting ourselves down."
Set against all of that is the Ulster factor. Following their homecoming celebrations in Belfast on Sunday, the Ulster quartet in the squad were, fittingly, driven to Wicklow in a stretch limousine where everyone had waited up until 11.30 for their arrival in the Glenview.
Aside from being a pointer to the Irish team, Lenihan hoped it would be a pointer to the comparatively colourless support for the Irish team. "I think you saw 49,000 genuine rugby supporters and I think that made the day really. The type of atmosphere generated in Lansdowne Road last Saturday we'd love to see repeated this week. We'd love to see the Irish public buying the scarves and flags and everything that was available. I think the Ulster players got a huge lift out of it."
The support played a huge factor, Lenihan maintained, and while acknowledging that a winning team sparks that kind of support, he stressed that there was a huge opportunity there, particularly in a World Cup year.
Pat Duignan has been called onto the replacements' bench for the injured Jan Cunningham for next Friday's A international. The vacancy caused by Mark Blair's promotion to the A team will be filled today.
The International Rugby Board's referee selection committee have appointed Paddy O'Brien to officiate at England's Five Nations Championship match against Ireland in Dublin on March 6th. He replaces fellow New Zealander Steve Walsh, who has withdrawn from the game through injury.
