Madam, - Ireland's performance against Georgia last Saturday night was a dark moment in Irish rugby - darker than the 1999 game against Argentina.
Georgia rightly deserved to win the game and can feel rightly aggrieved to have lost it. Ireland's performance lacked passion and desire and oozed arrogance, indifference and lack of respect for the opposition.
There are parallels between the performances of the Irish rugby team and the Irish economy. Both have done exceptionally well over the past ten years, punching above their weight on the world stage. But now that they are in crisis, their weaknesses are being exposed for all to see.
As they come to the end of their good years, they have little to show for 10 years of alleged success. The Irish rugby team has not won the Six Nations Championship, and our economic success has left us with a shambolic planning and healthcare system, creaking transport infrastructure, and schools that cannot cope with our burgeoning population.
It is a shame to see the end of the economic boom and the decline of the Irish rugby team. Both have brought joy to a lot of people, but were essentially the preserve of an elite few. Both were built on fragile and flawed foundations, with no long-term vision.
In essence, the Irish rugby team is a product of Celtic Tiger Ireland. - Is mise,
BRIAN CASEY,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.
Madam, - Georgia humiliated Ireland last Saturday. Absurdly, the Irish manager attempts to put a positive spin on this abject state of affairs. It is a bizarre response in the face of evidence that is both obvious and damning.
Who does he think he is - Bertie Ahern? - Yours, etc,
E DE LEASTAR,
South Lodge,
Co Tipperary.