A plan for Japan - trio given new deals as IRFU build to World Cup
Kearney and Best vital to Ireland’s well-being
AS RECENTLY as January, news of Rory Best and Rob Kearney signing Ireland contracts through to the next World Cup would have met with a mixed reception.
Best’s honourable leadership of his country, and his determination to maintain high standards during yet another season of Ulster ineptitude, were commendable, but a player due to turn 36 this August did not look a viable contender to start for his country in Japan next year, let alone lead it there.
Niall Scannell, Sean Cronin and Rob Herring were all options for the hooker’s shirt, and Peter O’Mahony the outstanding candidate to succeed Best as Ireland captain.
Kearney was three months shy of his 32nd birthday at the start of the Six Nations, but age was not the issue in his case; Jordan Larmour was.
The prodigious talent emerged at Leinster before Christmas and his attacking prowess wowed all who saw him play, never more than when scoring a tremendous try against Munster on St Stephen’s Day.
Larmour ran half the pitch and left Munster defenders clawing thin air as they tried to stop him. He played the game with a daring and a fleet-footedness that Kearney couldn’t offer. Calls for the younger man’s inclusion in the Six Nations plans of Joe Schmidt were unrelenting.
And Larmour did get some championship action, just as Cronin did.
But Best and Kearney were immovable, not only keeping their places in the team, but leading this remarkable side, a fusion of young talents and veterans, to the Grand Slam.
There was no better No2 in the Six Nations than Best, and there were few if any better in any position than Kearney.
News yesterday that both men have signed national contracts running to the end of next year’s World Cup only confirmed what the evidence of the past two months had argued: these men remain vital to Ireland’s well-being.
Confirmation later in the day that Iain Henderson has committed to the Irish system for a further three seasons beyond this one was expected, but he is 26, entering the prime of his career.
Not even their fiercest champions would make that claim for Best and Kearney. They are veterans, celebrating their second Grand Slam nine seasons after their first.
Signing up Best, in particular, is not without risks. He will have turned 37 by the time the World Cup starts in September 12 months. Rugby has never been harder physically and Best will have been playing the game at the highest level for over 14 years by then.
But the calculations by the IRFU will have been straightforward: in the form he is now in, Best must be in the Irish team. And as long as he continues to meet those standards and stays fit, then extending his contract is good business.
The same goes for Kearney. He has been around for so long that no player is more taken for granted. The emergence of Larmour, like the arrival of Simon Zebo before him, triggered calls for change in the No15 shirt.
These players bring more unpredictability when attacking the opposition, but there is no one who offers the solidity Kearney does. Certainty is highly valued by coaches, who will always put clean catching and a solid boot before sidesteps. And Kearney is the most reliable player in the world under a dropping ball.
His attacking game was not forgotten in the Six Nations, either. Dummies and off-loads are not his game, but he has tremendous strength and can pump his legs after being tackled, allowing him to drive on and gain valuable territory.
Schmidt looked genuinely puzzled on Saturday evening when told that Kearney’s consistent selection prompted exasperation in some quarters, particularly online.
‘You don’t pick people if you don’t think they have got a future with you,’ said Schmidt.
‘I am not sure what more people want from Rob Kearney.’
More of the same will keep supporters happy, even those who may have doubted his continued effectiveness.
‘Rob has continually illustrated his value to Irish rugby over a stellar career and in his 11th season in a green jersey has produced stand-out performances,’ said David Nucifora, the high performance director in the IRFU, and the man responsible for contracts.
‘He is a leader and a fantastic example to young professionals at Leinster and with the national squad.’
He employed similar sentiments when welcoming Best’s deal.
‘Rory has been an outstanding leader for Ireland and continues to produce stand-out performances at the highest level of the game. He is an important member of the Ireland leadership group and we are delighted that he will continue to play a central role in Irish rugby.’
Henderson’s deal has been in the offing for months, but that it has finally been agreed fits the last piece into an intricate, highlyevolved Irish machine.
“No one offers
the solidity that Kearney does” “Signing up Best
is not without some risks”