STOCKDALE ON THE RISE

Tony Ward: Murrayfield test will tell real tale for Farrell’s Ireland and Stockdale should be there

BACK in 1877 at the Ormeau Cricket Ground in Belfast, Scotland beat Ireland in the first of the 138 international matches played between them to date. On Sunday next in Edinburgh, we have only our second chance ever to edge ahead in this eagerly awaited fixture between Celtic cousins.

As of now the head-to-head record stands at 66 victories a-piece (five draws) and one abandoned game in 1885 (also at the Belfast CG for the anoraks among you). It might seem a superfluous statistic given the more immediate issues at stake but equally is it a reflection of Irish dominance, specifically in more recent professional times.

Since the turn of the millennium we’ve taken 21 of the 27 matches played. We’ve also come out on top in nine of the last 10 encounters. To that add the ‘character-forming’ win in Rome at a time when the Scots were idle given the cancellation of their fixture in Paris.

Having hit the ground running in spectacular fashion at Twickenham, they, like us, were knocked back in their tracks by the Welsh. It will be almost a month to the day when they’ll get the chance to exorcise that home defeat and on the premise ‘you are only as good as your last game’, the past four weeks must have seemed an eternity for Gregor Townsend.

So with a win under our belts, albeit against pathetic opposition, and a third run-out to their two, we are at a decided advantage. But our form in this Championship has been at best indifferent, at worst poor. In football currency, comparing tries with goals, we’ve suffered two defeats by the odd goal in three followed by a six-nil success which says so much more about the opposition than anything in terms of character or any other post-match rubbish of that ilk.

To be fair, you can only put away the opposition as it is presented and Ireland did that comprehensively in Rome – in the first half at least.

Credit where credit is due. What it means in terms of normal opposition we will know next Sunday evening.

The Irish management have also been blessed by what effectively mounted to two PRO14 semi-finals, which doubled as a final trial of sorts; for this Six Nations campaign at least. Not for the 23 retained but for those released and returning to their respective provincial bubbles.

Of those released, Rhys Ruddock and Josh van der Flier looked closest in form to the level required for the two Six Nations games to come. And while on the receiving end of a Leinster thumping, Jacob Stockdale showed enough on his return to suggest an either/or call between him and James Lowe for the left-wing.

I suspect Lowe will get the nod but, quite frankly, I’ve been disappointed in the adopted Kiwi’s inability to transfer exceptional form in Leinster blue to Ireland green. What is the game coming to that we bring in a player with undoubted offloading ability to kick the leather off the ball?

And just for the record, Stockdale

can fulfil that self-defeating policy too.

Whereas Rome was an opportunity to experiment on a meaningful scale missed, Edinburgh takes us back into must-win territory and you can bet your bottom euro that will be the squad selected and playing policy.

We do accept that on this occasion it’s a case of ‘needs must’ but I think it worth recording the promise of so many young bucks over the last few days. Specifically Scott Penny, Dan Sheehan and Max O’Reilly (that delicious offload to Luke McGrath an example of what can be achieved) for Leinster, and Ulster’s Robert Baloucoune, Adam McBurney, Rob Lyttle, James Hume, Michael Lowry (I don’t care how small he is).

In Limerick, Jack Carty again looked what he is: a pure footballer getting the rawest deal of all. Gavin Thornbury and Ultan Dillane were both immense, while Alex Wootton is beginning to thrive in his new home.

As for Munster? A win is a win particularly in a cup final qualifier but just how uplifting is it to have Joey Carbery back in action. I still don’t know whether 10 or 15 is his better position going forward, though I suspect the former, while in attacking terms Mike Haley may have added his name to the mix.

All names for the summer tour (we hope) to the Pacific Islands and beyond. As to the question posed by the head coach midweek: “Having somebody on the Irish management on the Lions management: Is that a benefit to our lads going?” No Andy, it’s not. The right thing is for you to be at the heart of that Ireland tour wherever it is. Nowhere else.

No Andy, it’s not. The right thing is for you to be at the heart of that Ireland tour