Fla is feeling pretty confident ahead of the crunch clash in Paris, the scene of the final Irish international for the man he calls ‘The Bodster’.
Well here it is, the last weekend of the Six Nations, Drico’s last game in green and a chance for Joe Schmidt’s side to secure a well-earned championship title.
I’ve really enjoyed watching the development of the Irish team since Schmidt has taken over. He has put the emphasis on disciplined, selfless play with the individual sacrificing for the greater good of the team. Ireland’s game plan is based on all players executing the basics to a very high standard and each player being held accountable for every aspect of their role on the field. This process driven approach based on the fundamentals of the game, set piece, breakdown, defensive system and work rate off the ball, has brought a level of consistency to the Irish play which I feel will give us the edge on Saturday in Paris.
The French, on the other hand, are the exact opposite of the Irish side. Throughout the tournament to date they have appeared rudderless, lacking any discernable game plan and inept at performing the basics. I don’t for a second underestimate the French as we all know they can turn it on and tear teams up when the mood takes them. However, looking to pull a 9/10 performance out of nowhere is much harder to do from such a low baseline performance level due to a creaking set piece, inaccurate breakdown work and players that appear unfit for the intensity of test rugby.
Ireland, on the other hand, can come into the game confident of a minimum 7/10 performance as a result of their focus on solid execution of the basics. Joe Schmidt seems to have been basing his selection on players who will perform their basic roles to a consistently high standard over players less consistent on the basics but with greater potential for big individual plays.
An effective clean out at a ruck is championed to the same degree as a line-break as, by and large, it’s very difficult to make that line break without the quick ball from the preceding breakdown. By Schmidt putting such weight on the simple parts of the game he has created an environment where the sum of the parts really is greater than the individual. Rugby is fundamentally a game where each player relies on the man beside him and Schmidt’s approach has set a standard now where any new players coming into the side are left in no uncertain terms as to the bare minimum standard required from them. Everything over and above that is what determines which individuals will be selected ahead of each other but highly talented players who fall below the benchmark required for the basics won’t be getting a look in.
Joe Schmidt’s process-driven approach has yielded great results so far
I’m a bit wary of tipping us so strongly to come away from Paris with a victory, particularly with our woeful record there, but the logical part of my brain just can’t see us losing. The past is the past and I’m confident this Irish side can weather whatever storm the French throw at them for the first 20 minutes and do more than enough to secure the championship.
Now I feel it would be remiss of me not to spend a little time talking about Brian O’Driscoll in the lead up to his final game in a green jersey. My first experience of Brian was at an Irish schoolboys’ trial in Blackrock in Dublin. One of the selectors had obviously seen me telling cool jokes and bossing the dressing room beforehand so they had gone and made me captain of my trial team. Trials are a little bit of a shambles when it comes to the standard of rugby played, nobody knows each other, there’s no game plan and all anyone wants to do is carry the ball.
I do distinctly remember one guy in the centre on my team who was just running riot so during a break in play I called in the lads and told them that they just need to keep getting the ball out to “that guy Barry Macracken in the centre”. He was head and shoulders above the rest. I’d spotted a diamond in the rough. After the game I went over to say well done and he introduced himself and said his name was actually Brian; Barry Macracken was a centre from Ulster and was on the other team.
I’ve never been one to rush into things so I contemplated his words before I eventually took his advice on board and from then on he was known as Brian to me. If you’re a bit slow then just let me make it clear, the player I’m talking about was Brian O’Driscoll. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship and although I ended up a sub during that 1997 Irish schools campaign – so as to allow to me to peak for the 2009 Grand Slam 12 years later – I learnt a lot and knew that Brian and I would be indelibly linked for the rest of our careers.
Some of my favourite memories from my sparkling career revolved around the Bodster. In huddles before big test matches our eyes would invariably meet and there was a look, I knew Brian would put his body on the line for me, winning turnovers, outrageous displays of skill, scintillating line-breaks and breath-taking tries.
BOD during the short-lived ‘soul patch’ phase
Likewise, Brian knew that he could trust me to fill the pillar role in defence, to hit a two flat in the lineout, to be the fourth man in to seal off a ruck and to selflessly run dummy lines to create space for others. There have been a lot of things I’m grateful for from my rugby career and having the opportunity to play with Brian is right up there. He’s an amazing talent but if you were to ask me the best thing about Brian it’s that he’s a normal bloke, a really good laugh and apart from that weird phase he went through with the long bleached blonde hair (see above), he hasn’t changed from the day I first met him.
I can’t think of a more deserving way for him to sign off for Ireland than by winning the Six Nations Championship.
P.S.: I’m aware that my blogs have consistently featured Eddie O’Sullivan is some way shape or form. Eddie gave me my break in international rugby so I feel I owe the man and this is something I’m never going to forget. Given the nature of this week though I feel it’s fitting that our Irish side and Drico are the main feature of the article. Forgive me Eddie.
Fla x
