Jamie Heaslip (picture from :http://bit.ly/fWHbMR)
RBS 6 Nations
Saturday , February 12
England vs Italy 14:30
Scotland vs Wales 17:00
Sunday , February 13
Ireland vs France 15:00
England vs Italy
England have the next three matches at home (Twickenham can dip the chariot and welcome back the team into her ample bosom), which does put them in a good position for the rest of the tournament. Next up are the Azzuri and I get the feeling England see this as a takeaway pizza win and all that has to be decided is the toppings – 20 point advantage? 30 point advantage? They would do well not to take anything for granted though – they are going to get no change at all out of the Italian forwards, and while their backs are clearly better, they still need to soften up the pack before they let their backs get going. It’s one of those awkward matches where your fans are expecting a massacre that you can never quite deliver. They will beat Italy of course, but probably end up as satisfied with the win as Ireland were last week.
Scotland vs Wales
This is an uncomfortable match, neither side with a win, lose two on the trot and the rest of the tournament could be grim. Incredibly, Wales have lost their last 8 matches in a row, and now they have to take on the dark horses of the tournament Scotland, in Scotland. Gulp. They are also going to have to start with Hook at flyhalf as Stephen Jones is injured, and after calling for ages for Hook to be first choice flyhalf, now I’ve changed my mind after watching him suck big time there. Phillips is not firing for Wales at scrum half, and Dwayne Peel is injured – now I’m scratching around for some good news for the Welsh camp – and it’s not coming. Coach Warren Gatland has a contract until 2015? Maybe I should just quit while I’m ahead. Scotland have no injuries, no problems with form, and no worries basically after keeping things decent against France last week. The Scotland of 2011 is big and bad, and keen to flex those muscles. Make that 9 in a row with the Scots to come up trumps at home.
Ireland vs France
Someone was saying to me that it couldn’t get worse for Ireland against France. I didn’t entirely agree with him there. We could end up with size 10 Patrick footprints all over our backs, and have 15 insolent cockerels strutting round the Aviva, sniggering to each other ‘Les Irlandais sont les blouses de grande fille!’. And that would be worse, wouldn’t it?
There’s been intense preparation by the Irish team this week – props Healy and Ross have their chiropractor appointments booked for Monday, and the pack has been simulating scrummaging against the French by being run over by a bulldozer. Meanwhile, the backline have been experimenting with Velcro gloves. Declan Kidney has persisted with Tomas O’Leary as the starting scrum half which has a biblical feel to it to me, serving the poor wine first then bringing on the vintage stuff right at the end of the party. Go on Declan, turn the water into wine and start with Stringer or Reddan, you know you want to.
So in all seriousness, how are we going to beat the French? Having Heaslip back is a great start. That French razzmatazz is based on quick ball, and space to be creative, so we have to ensure they get slow ball and as much space as in the back of a VW Beetle. That means an absolute war zone at the breakdown, roughly this side of legal, and intense pressure on the backline, quick up on them, then every kick, into play or into touch, well followed up. The French missed 25 tackles last weekend, we missed three last weekend, so if we attack as well as we can, the holes could be there. I could see Ireland winning this match. But on balance, unless we have a bit of an implosion from France, they are going to take this, and I think they will.
Finally, for Ireland supporters, get yourselves down to the O2 site http://www.bethedifference.ie/ and check out some of the cool stuff O2 have organised for Irish fans to get involved with the team. Anyone who’s backing the Irish team like O2 deserves a bit of support.
