Mike Ross should be called the bus driver and other world cup thoughts
Every time the big screen flashed to Martin Johnson during Saturday's game, his scowl was more pronounced than usual. And with good reason. Perception is reality and before the game England were perceived as a group of freewheeling young backs and steely forwards marshalled by Johnson, who had shared with them the blueprint to win. The reality is probably a talented but inexperienced side still lacking quality in the key positions. Their World Cup aspirations shifted from contenders to pretenders in one half of rugby.
Ireland can plan ahead to the tournament with a far brighter outlook than looked likely a few days ago. A lot of pre-match build up focused on the "experience in the Irish side, and that the veterans would be reenergized by the sight of the white jersey and would be more motivated than they had been previously. The reason for the seismic performance is far more tangible. Our backline is more talented than theirs and our forwards, both young and old, tackled and carried at a ferocity that was agonisingly out of reach in the previous games. The players are professionals and you'd like think their motivation and execution could be at a similar level throughout the tournament. With that in mind if they can carry that level of play to New Zealand they will be very dangerous.
Obviously that is not easy. An Irish team in far better form weren't able to do it four years ago and the reason Kidney was brought in was to change that. Despite the win over England there are still some unresolved issues going forward to the World Cup.
Luke Fitzgerald has ruled himself out of the fullback slot for the time being after some jittery performances and the last memories we have of Rob Kearney aren't of his usually high standards but a string of so-so performances in the build-up to his injury. Keith Earls had a revelatory performance, his probing grubbers and honest attempts at counterattacking is how Ireland should use the position. His display is even more impressive seeing that it was is first Irish start at 15 since his debut against Canada in the autumn of 08.
The backrow competition for the World Cup will be a selection migraine for Kidney. Ferris returning will probably mean Wallace drops to the bench, but that rip and run off an England maul showed that he still possesses the power of old, even if it can only come out sporadically. He will be a very influential impact sub. There were six backrows in the 2007 squad, so the last two spots come down to probably Leamy and either Rhys Ruddock or Dominic Ryan. Now that's the kind of migraine a person can live with. The behind closed doors competition between the young flankers at Irish and Leinster camps will bring both players on massively.
Sexton silenced his critics with a performance that mixed gainline and pocket play as casually as gin and tonic and credit to O'Gara whose tactical kicking is as inventive as it is effective. The revolving door at ten has to stop. You don't replace a conductor mid performance and a two-man game of musical chairs doesn't work. It's not fun, you're constantly worried that you won't get that seat and you're going to either resent your opponent or the person that makes you play the game. Sexton went out and won the jersey much like Sean O'Brien has done and O'Gara, like Wallace, still has a lot to offer in a diminished but important role.
Hopefully the front row had a big session after the England game because they deserved it. They got through the Welsh and English scrums with their reputations enhanced and if Ross can make his opponents retreat as fast and far as he did to Corbisiero we should definitely start calling him the busdriver. That we are trying to give him affectionate nicknames shows that he has grow as a prop since the dark days of pure laziness that characterised his initial displays with Leinster.
For people who think that one good game doesn't make him a good prop and that the last paragraph was a complete knee-jerk you're probably right but for helping to deny Johnson he should get the benefit of the doubt, no matter how briefly.
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.jpg "England will be hosting the Rugby World Cup 2025")
.jpg "The ball for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 has been unveiled")