We must rebuild from the ground up

ALL THROUGH last week I hoped for a howling gale and lashing rain in Lansdowne Road on Saturday. Sadly my timing was off as Saturday afternoon was by far calmer and drier than the previous week. I had a strange sense of foreboding walking into the ground.

The good weather was going to suit England, and the level of Irish expectation, even among former players whom I met, had grown to unrealistic levels. To win this match Ireland needed to produce a superb performance with few errors and to take every scoring opportunity that presented itself.

What happened, in effect, was that we never got going at all, committed far too many unforced errors and failed to take any of the half chances that presented themselves. We made no impression on the English side at all and they always looked comfortable. Early on they were happy to kick high to the Irish defenders thus giving themselves targets to hit and probably destroying the Irish game plan.

They also had the referee analysed to perfection. Their back row and in particular Tim Rodber killed Irish ruck ball time and time again and not only did the referee not penalise them but he also gave them the put in to the subsequent scrums. The irony lies in the fact that if the English back row behaved like that in Mr Hawke's native New Zealand it would need more than a referee's whistle to save them.

The referees in our own All Ireland League have been more competent than the referees we have seen in Ireland's last two internationals.

As the teams went onto the pitch I noticed that Eric Elwood had a knee strapped and looked uncomfortable. It seemed unlikely that he would last very long in an encounter such as this.

The management should, surely, have changed the replacements panel when they became aware of his injury. As things turned out Jim Staples had to stay on the pitch with what looked like a hamstring injury after Elwood went off because there was no suitable replacement.

Although it would be simple to suggest that the departure of Elwood and Miller destroyed Ireland's chances there is no doubt that the loss of two key players such as they have become, must have effected the performance and the morale of the side.

And yet, for all of Ireland's discomfort, if Denis Hickie had not been hand tripped on his way to the English line midway through the second half bringing Ireland to within one score of England, the contest could well have been far closer for the remainder of the game.

After that incident, however, England started to find space and, once the margin stretched beyond 14 points they threw caution to the wind. As in the match against France the physical toll began to take its effect on the lighter, less physical team and the gaps appeared.

Jack Rowell had analysed the Irish players extremely well and Grayson seemed to be acting to instructions when kicking the ball deep into the Irish left corner. I thought the contrast between Grayson's long, smooth kicking from his hands and the various Irish players was remarkable. We seldom gained any lengthy touches even with our penalty kicks. This aspect is disappointing for a nation which has produced great kickers.

There is little point in criticising the players too much. The reality is that we were beaten by a bigger and better side. If changes have to be made they will probably be few. The only person in the A team to enhance his reputation was Kurt McQuilkin by a long way the best Irish player on Friday afternoon. Brian O'Meara will probably replace Niall Hogan.

The selectors may, however, decide to be brave and pick a team which will develop. If they do then Nick Poppelwell and Denis McBride may be omitted.

The harsh reality is that modern rugby, thanks to the changes in the laws, rewards skill, speed and strength more than it did in the past. It has also become more difficult to be destructive which was the traditional hallmark of our game, faced occasionally with the skills of certain individuals who managed to create amid the mayhem.

The rugby authorities here must know that we have to start rebuilding from the ground up. That includes starting, not just with the inter provincial and various national sides but must include every club and school in the country no matter how small. There is no quick fix solution.

England have now disposed of Ireland and Scotland in similar fashion. Home advantage should see them through against France in what was always expected to be the decider of this championship.

An Irish win in Murrayfield will leave Ireland third in the table. Considering the home defeats we have suffered this season at the hands of the Big Two the gap appears to be getting wider. An expanded championship involving at least Italy and Rumania would be a welcome development.