February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
For some of the game’s so-called golden generation, this just might be a last shot at glory. The likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, Paul O’Connell, Peter Stringer and David Wallace stand on the cusp of an achievement they began dreaming about nearly 10 years ago.
Following Wales’s desperately unconvincing 20-15 win over Italy in Rome, Warren Gatland’s side only have a points difference of plus 21 as against unbeaten Ireland’s plus 46, so a defeat for coach Declan Kidney and his side on Saturday by a margin of 12 points or less would mean that the championship would still be won.
A first title since 1985 would be a lot better than nothing, but now the talk is of the Slam or bust.
Ireland should have an edge up front, but no matter who Gatland selects behind the scrum, the threat will be superior to anything O’Driscoll and company have faced so far this season. Scotland’s Evans brothers flattered to deceive at times in Edinburgh – they are not in Shane Williams class, and never will be.
With Williams, Jamie Roberts, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips and perhaps, Lee Byrne who was injured at the Stadio Flaminio, aiming at retaining the title they won last year, at Lions’ recognition, and of course, at spoiling Ireland’s party, the confrontation of the two back divisions is positively mouthwatering.
Not to diminish the achievements of Karl Mullen and his warriors of 1948, but the Grand Slam wasn’t a factor in those days. Back then, what Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales set their sights on at the start of the championship was the Triple Crown.
Still, there might just be some lingering karma from the success of ’48 as the Irish played their games in the same sequence as this season. And if the score is unlikely to be the 6-3 that did the job for Mullen and his players against Wales in Ravenhill, 6-3 would undoubtedly do Kidney just fine.
Ireland didn’t exactly have to weather a Scotland storm in the first half – it was more like sheltering from a shower – and then in the second, they took control.
The scoreboard said there was only a converted try between the sides at Jonathan Kaplan’s final whistle, but the gulf was much, much wider. While the Scots undoubtedly gave it their best shot for an hour, when they had to chase the game, they resembled the befuddled, modest outfit they really are.
Equally, if Chris Paterson’s eye hadn’t been in – Scotland’s most capped player unerringly landed five from five and hasn’t missed a kick for his country in two years now – Ireland would have won at canter.
In a much improved performance from the England game, O’Gara kicked 17 points and also passed Jonny Wilkinson’s record points haul of 479 for the championship on a day when Hayes became Ireland’s most capped player with 93 appearances.
Jamie Heaslip came off the bench for the injured Denis Leamy and scored the a crucial second-half try after a rejuvenated Peter Stringer had carved open the Scottish defense.
“This group of players has given huge service to Ireland,” said Kidney. “We’ll go out in Cardiff and give it a go, that’s what genuine sports people will ask of the team and that’s what we’ll ask of ourselves. If that’s good enough, it’s good enough. If it’s not, we shouldn’t cry over spilt milk. We’ve managed to give ourselves a chance, that’s all.”
Although the opening half had a grim fascination about it, there was precious little quality rugby. Crucially for Ireland, O’Gara had a much better game than a fortnight ago and whenever Paterson threatened to open up a really meaningful lead, the out half pegged Scotland back with some fine place kicking.
The Irish trailed 12-9 at the break with Stephen Ferris was once again outstanding in the first half, it was perversely a shoulder injury to Leamy that provided one of the contest’s pivotal moments.
On came Heaslip to make a major impression as Ireland upped the tempo after the changeover. Not only was he dynamic in the loose, with O’Connell as ever not far behind, the number eight popped up to score the match-winning try after 51 minutes.
Even if the winners played with a lot more urgency and control after the break, there were still signs when Rob Kearney’s basic handling ruined an overlap that they were probably pressing too hard.
Then after Heaslip had won a line-out near the Scotland 22, Stringer sensed the opposition defenders drifting towards O’Gara and his knifing run took him close to the line. Just when it appeared that he was isolated and the move might die, Heaslip surged onto his scrum-half’s offload.
If his touchdown was less emphatic than it should have been – no premature celebrations in Cardiff please – the score killed off whatever resistance the Scots had left. O’Gara converted, then quickly dropped a goal, and suddenly at 19-12, the Grand Slam loomed larger than ever.
Reputations and careers will be on the line next weekend. It won’t be easy, but you get the feeling that Ireland’s time has come.