One week too late, Ireland look for a scrum coach

The phrase horse, bolted, door etc can be applied to the IRFU’s decision to look for a scrum coach after our pack got mangled last weekend.

They say hindsight is 20/20 and after witnessing our front eight get pushed up and down Twickenham on Saturday, the IRFU have decided to step in and look for a High Performance Scrum Coach.

The job, posted on the IRFU website this morning, states that the candidate must have;

• Expert knowledge in the area of scrummaging and a proven track record of achievement in this area
• An IRFU/IRB or related union coaching accreditation
• The ability to plan, communicate, research and constantly evaluate current scrummaging practice in order to achieve excellence and realise the vision

This is all very heartening, even more so when the role is designed to not just be an aid to the senior team, but also to work with the provinces and implement a High Performance Scrum Programme across the professional game in Ireland.

Some would argue that the problem is we simply don’t have the players and that the positions we do have in our provincial sides are taken up with imports but at least this is a step in the right direction by rugby’s governing body.

Whether the lucky soul who gets this job will be able to prevent some grim viewing on our upcoming tour of New Zealand is unlikely but hopefully we won’t have to witness the decimation of our scrum again like we did last Saturday at the hands of England.

Better late than never eh?