From BOOM to BUST
Twickenham serves as sobering reality check for hysterical media and fanbase
HAVE we learned nothing from the boom times? We’re a more mature nation nowadays. As a people, we look back on the Celtic Tiger era with a degree of embarrassment. Ireland lost the run of itself for a while in the early 2000s.
The largess, the foreign property expos and the 100 per cent mortgages were symbolic of a time when this small island got desperate notions about itself. And there was no soft landing.
There’s been the same vibes around our national rugby team of late. The same giddiness, and, pertinently, a rather misguided belief that the good times will keep rolling indefinitely.
It wasn’t just the fact that so many people in the media and
There is no arrogance in Ireland’s inner sanctum
extended fanbase expected Ireland to win at Twickenham on Saturday, they expected a rout. For many, it was almost a foregone conclusion. Andy Farrell’s side were going to storm England HQ and rack up a big score, apparently.
Such claims have led to calls of arrogance from fanbases of rival nations. Of course, there is all amplified by social media and an army of former players making outlandish predictions. One former No8, in particular, is becoming a parody of himself with his ridiculous observations in the media.
There is no arrogance within Ireland’s inner sanctum, however. Farrell and his troops weren’t just paying lip service to their opponents last week. They knew the scale of the challenge facing them.
Their head coach knows the English mentality better than anyone. The hosts were backed into a corner after their dreadful display in Murrayfield. They copped it from their own press, ex-players and punters for weeks in the aftermath.
There was always going to a backlash. Physically and mentally, England were on a different plain to Ireland.
A siege mentality and the prized scalp of a heavyweight nation targeting an unprecedented haul of back-to-back Grand Slams was a powerful motivator.
Ireland, so slick, efficient and clinical, in the first three rounds were knocked off their customary rhythm.
They struggled to gain possession and territory. They had nothing on their own terms.
They spent the majority of the evening in fire-fighting mode.
Despite all of those setbacks, they almost snuck a win. That’s the mark of a seriously good team. How many times have the All Blacks conjured a win when they spent the majority of the game on the backfoot? McCaw, Nonu, Carter and the rest would spend the day on the back foot and then, bam, snatch it at the death.
They did it plenty of times at
Twickenham. And, despite this damaging defeat, Ireland remain a top-class side. But some of the rhetoric around this squad has reached bizarre levels in recent months. Boom-time hysteria.
For one thing, the argument that Farrell’s squad are the best team in the world should be given short shrift. The Springboks have all the recent receipts on that front.
For all the great achievements, consistent results and high-calibre play, the cold, hard facts remain that Ireland’s status as a truly great nation will be judged on what they achieve at a World Cup.
It’s a harsh but thoroughly fair assessment.
Fans can continue to delude themselves about success in Six Nations, autumn international windows and summer tours.
Indeed, they will be party long into Saturday night if the Scots are dispatched and the title is secured.
The global showpiece is the real acid test, however.
There has almost been a steadfast refusal to engage with what happened at the World Cup. The fanbase have collectively stuck their fingers in their ears while screaming ‘la, la, la’ when the quarter-final defeat by the All Blacks is brought up in conversations.
It’s important though. Farrell has brought Ireland to a new level, building on the brilliant, transformative work of Joe Schmidt. This squad still have a long way to travel.
Saturday’s performance was a sobering reminder that Ireland are far from the finished article.
All is not lost. Another Six Nations title is within their grasp. The Scots will be dangerous for all the usual reasons.
The hosts, however, should have far too much class. And another championship trophy is nothing to be sniffed at. Lest we forget, it would only be Ireland’s sixth Six Nations title in 24 years. The Grand Slam is the coveted prize but the title is no mean feat either.
If everything goes according to plan in Dublin later this week, this group will celebrate their latest triumph, and rightly so.
In the passing of time, thoughts will drift back to what transpired at Twickenham and an occasion when this group got bullied a bit.
The whole experience has surely given Farrell plenty to ponder in the months ahead. It was a game when a few of the veterans looks a yard short of a gallop, Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray, in particular. Both have been superb servants for club and country. Perhaps it’s time for Farrell to begin thinking about the long-term plan.
Not many players are built like Johnny Sexton. The Leinster out-half had a unique perseverance to keep delivering Teststandard excellence at 38 years of age.
The game has moved on and pace, power and dynamism are the KPIs of the modern day rugby player. The form of Ryan Baird and Tom Ahern — the two hybrid locks-cum-backrows — who have been tearing up trees all season cannot be ignored forever.
Ireland haven’t suddenly become a bad team, mind you. This was a setback and a reality check. It shone a spotlight on a few areas which need some work, namely the breakdown, set piece and kicking game.
It won’t be much consolation, but the fact that England had to deliver their best performance in five years — arguably their best since that stunning 2019 semifinal win against the All Blacks is testament to the quality of Ireland these days.
Farrell’s Ireland are a truly a global superpower. The scenes of delirium at the final whistle was telling. This was a huge scalp for England. How times have changed.
Ireland are a still a very good team.
One of the best. But let’s park all the chat about being the market leader. Everyone just needs to take a breath and chill out a bit. These are great times for Ireland, but perhaps people have just lost the run of themselves lately.
Unlike the boom times, the national team have built solid foundations. Twickenham was a grim reminder that this group are far from bullet proof.
It will dampen down at the great expectations for a while.
No harm.
Everyone just needs to take a breath and chill out a bit