A Woman, a Shirtless Ulsterman and a new page for Ireland?
Loving Rugby Union is hard when you're a woman. Even more so, I believe, to a woman loving soccer for example. My reasoning for this would be that Rugby is so much more masculine than soccer. I have been watching Rugby religiously since I was 14. I will not delve into how long that has been because it'll frighten any younger readers. However as a woman in love with a sport which consists entirely of men, sometimes it's difficult to stay totally unresponsive to the participants.
I didn't help myself, or my trying to be an oh-so serious Rugby fan on Sunday when watching France V Ireland. There was a moment you see, when Stephen Ferris' shirt came all 'unstuck' and he had to change it. My subsequent facial expression was there for all to see. To the point where an older gentleman said (and I quote) "well there's something for the ladies . As though I was just there for a glass of wine (in actual fact I was drinking pints of Guinness) and sitting there in hope that just such an occasion should arise.
It was just some light relief from a display of such vitality and spark from Ireland, which was gone in a second. Tommy Bowe's electric display was diminished by a comedy of errors. From Cian Healy's 'oh I'm sorry did I break your concentration?' moment with Vincent Clerc or Gordon D'Arcy's ludicrous fumble. Even the steady hand of Rory Best overthrowing a promising line-out.
These errors were inexcusable in a game that Ireland worked so hard to build all the momentum in the first 40 minutes, an Ireland that seemed to carry right on from their excellent display against the Azzuri the week before. Flashes of brilliance from players such as Bowe were made to look like they were just chance, not thought out. If there was a plan in the second-half, they must have left it in the changing room.
These mistakes are indicative of an Ireland that needs a boost. Contrary to popular opinion, I am not going to scream for new blood (although we need it) like a lot of fans I know are. That would have no effect on the 'now'. However within the current set up there are men who can fire up the furnaces and strike a blow at the heart of the upcoming Scottish and English ranks. Members of an Ireland squad who can have an effect right now.
This is Ireland and Declan Kidney's chance to be daring, without Brian O'Driscoll and now, unfortunately, Paul O'Connell, we now have this window of opportunity. Regrettably it is not normally an Irish trait to be daring in recent years. However I believe that there is so much to look forward to within Irish rugby if we go back to the canvas and draw the future, rather than trying to restore the old masters of the past.
This brings me back to Stephen Ferris and his compatriots in the back row. Ferris was on fire against the French, however the gladiatorial Sean O'Brien and the explosive Jamie Heaslip were unusually quiet. Someone needs to get these boys together, shirts optional, to build a formidable and young engine room that Ireland so desperately need. Build around them and the rest will follow.
I will hopefully be allowed to correspond on Ireland's up and coming games with my thoughts and musings on how, I feel, they should direct themselves. Maybe after I have an interview at Chelsea, they'll give me a bash at Kidney's job?
