By Garth Hamilton
September 25th 2007 @ 6:00am
Argentina looking too strong for the Irish
Ireland v Argentina preview, by Garth Hamilton
There has been something about the way the Irish have failed to deliver during this World Cup that has been very worrying. Whilst they have been arguably the most successful of the home nations at embracing the professional era, there has been nothing professional about their performances so far. To ridicule them as amateurs would be unfair to the true amateurs like Georgia and Portugal who have at least played with some heart.
No. Something is wrong with this Ireland team and it would seem it has nothing to do with their on-field ability.
I watched a replay of Ireland’s game against Georgia this week and was struck by Brian O’Driscoll’s expression as the team huddled together just before kick off. Rather than the stern and stoic marshalling of the troops you’d expect from the captain of one of the world’s top teams, O’Driscoll seemed to be imploring his team to play well. Even before the game got underway, on the very verge of the fray, it looked as though O’Driscoll thought it necessary to address some negative rather than reinforce a positive.
Recently the IRFU took the amazing decision to extend coach Eddie O’Sullivan’s tenure for another four years before the start of the world cup, effectively taking a great deal of pressure off the coach. Since then some sections of the Irish press have questioned O’Sullivan’s apparent preference for picking Ulster players. Peter Stringer, Ireland’s long time first choice halfback, has been dropped and the brilliant Geordan Murphy was mysteriously dumped for Gavin Duffy in the crucial game against France. The French press have also targeted Ronan O’Gara, not for the first time, about his personal life including allegations of huge gambling debts and marital problems.
The sum of these problems does not explain entirely Ireland’s disappearance over the last couple of weeks but it does give a picture of a team that is struggling to maintain focus.
Argentina, on the other hand, have been their usual diligent and enthusiastic selves. Devoutly focussed on winning their own scrums and troubling others, securing good lineout ball and always moving forward in tight play. This is a good Argentine side. Too good, it would seem, for Ireland this weekend. Although I would love to see an Irish resurgence I can’t help but think Argentina will win this game by an intercept and a handful of penalties.
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Temba said | September 25th 2007 @ 7:35am | Report comment
Wouldn’t it be funny if after all the bad games by the northern hemisphere teams, England beat Aus in quarter finals, France beat NZ and Wales beat South Africa? it would be a England vs. France final and the worst RWC of my life!
Na, no chance
mudskipper said | September 25th 2007 @ 8:36am | Report comment
The Pumas are worthy of a finals place and I hope they get one. Ireland unfortunately has been very disappointing and seems to be in a tangled with ball in hand. Communication is a problem for Ireland. The Irish seem to have no direction for the halves; O’Driscoll can’t direct all the play from outside centre without the opposing team knowing what’s on next.
I would like to see France vs. All Blacks in Cardiff, (is that a home game for the French?) A little black and blue would be nice softener before the winner meeting the Wallabies in the semi final the following week.
The All Blacks pool stage has not been challenging and will possibly leave them under done for the tougher knock out stage. But I think we all can see that now. Some of the ABs have played very little rugby this year. And others are still signing contracts for next year such as McCaw.
‘Go The Wallabies’
Matt said | September 25th 2007 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
I agree that Ireland look directionless. Instead of well executed plays we’re seeing alot left up to the individuals footspeed and evasiveness to break defensive lines.
I don’t see why O’Driscoll couldn’t run the backline from outside centre…there is a school of thought that says if the player has the experience then outside centre is a great place to get a perspective on where the opposition weaknesses are.
Having said all that I fear it is too late for the Irish…desperation does not make that great a motivational tool and the Argentinians are simply playing too well to be upset this time around…It’ll be a close one but my money’s on Argentina.
Dublin Dave said | September 25th 2007 @ 2:02pm | Report comment
There are no grounds for expecting an Irish win. The first choice team is in a mess and suffering a crisis of form for whatever reason. Our only chance is to take a massive gamble on some of the back up players, and put together a team that has never played together before. That will do nothing for building momentum or establishing a dependable pattern of play but what the hell. May as well give it a shot if we’re going to go out anyway.
Fence said | September 25th 2007 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
I think that a lot of my “positive mental attitude” got used up by the France match. We’re just not performing, and Eddie isn’t using the bench, even if we’d've been playing average rugby up until now, with the amount of game time the players have put in they’d be wrecked anyway. And to dump desperation into that mix? I’m staying deluded and hoping we do it, but if I’m totally honest I can’t see Argentina not progressing.
Dublin Dave said | September 25th 2007 @ 5:38pm | Report comment
Seen the team? Apart from leaving the hooking spot vacant to see which of Flannery’s or Best’s injuries heals more quickly he has not changed the pack at all. Big mistake.
OK so he’s swallowed his pride and brought back Murphy and Hickie into the backline but we still have a zombified O’Gara at fly half with an unfamiliar half back partner and the same underperforming pack of forwards.
Oh well. Sometimes God is good.
mudskipper said | September 26th 2007 @ 7:48am | Report comment
Hi, following up on my earlier comments about lack communication in the Irish attack, and the direction of play by O’Driscoll at outside centre. I am not questioning his abilities to read the game as he is a master gamesman. The world cup games seem to be a festival of noise permeating around the venue in addition to very load crowds. I wonder if that is causing difficulty and there is not enough involvement by the first receiver or fly half.
Even though I am tipping the Pumas I would not right off the Irish.
Enjoy the rugby…
Matt said | September 26th 2007 @ 9:26am | Report comment
mudskipper,
You’re absolutely right…the crowd noise has been pretty full on so it’s probably going to make it hard for O’Driscoll to direct proceedings from OC. It’s hard to believe a team of Irelands calibre could be performing so badly…I would like to see them pick their game up but sadly they appear a shattered unit at the moment.
On the crowd…I love the trumpeter that was in the crowd for the Fiji v Wallabies game, the crowd got a real buzz everytime he fired up. The sad thing is that if that guy took his horn to any Australian sporting event it’d get confiscated…
Sam Taulelei said | September 26th 2007 @ 9:55am | Report comment
The French will be urging the Irish on against Argentina in the vain hope they can score the required bonus point win, and I agree with Ross that an Irish victory is a possibility which would then be reported as an upset. Who among us prior to this world cup would have entertained the notion that a victory against Argentina would be considered an upset.
That would then setup a knockout match featuring a desperate and unfancied French side against an untested and favoured NZ side played at a neutral venue. Hmmm now where have I watched that before?
Lightning surely couldn’t strike twice, could it?
Ross Mativenko said | September 26th 2007 @ 9:58am | Report comment
An Irish team struggling for direction up against the functionality of an Argentinian side desperate to prove a point.
This has all the makings of a classic.
The off-field drama has to stay off the field for the Irish to have a chance. Neither O’Gara or O’Driscoll have shone thus far, and for an Irish side so reliant on their Midfield, this is bad news.
For whats it’s worth I think an Ireland victory is possible, although if it happens, I doubt it will be by the margin needed. My fear is that they will be taken apart by the Argentine pack, if that happens, I can see a defeated Irish side, the knock-on effect of such failure will be devastating.
Temba said | September 26th 2007 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Lightning..? Sounds more like sweet justice. I know revenge is a dish better served fresh but that would be good match to watch
mudskipper said | September 26th 2007 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Matt I agree the Trumpeter, drummers and the supporters arriving in costume is excellent. The French bikini girls were spellbinding… fantastic… This French RWC was probably the one to go to…A lot more fun than Auckland. Oh well.
The New Zealand supporters, who were sporting the Scuba driving gear in remembrance of the Rainbow Warrior was a nice wind up for the French crowd though… I wonder if they will show up in Cardiff… at the possible France vs. All Blacks game at Cardiff…
The Roar - Your Sports Opinion » Rugby World Cup weekend’s preview said | September 28th 2007 @ 9:09am | Report comment
[...] “There has been something about the way the Irish have failed to deliver during this World Cup that has been very worrying.” Read Garth Hamilton’s match preview. [...]