A rugby miscellany compiled by Gavin Cummiskey

K onfident Kiwis: Huge majority believe home World Cup means a home win

THE NEW Zealand Herald conducted an interesting poll to see how confident the natives are nine months out from the first World Cup on home soil since 1987.

A huge majority, and perhaps a clear indication of Kiwi’s arrogance when it comes to rugby, of 70.4 per cent believe they will win the World Cup, with just 16.5 per cent feeling they will not (these may well be Australians living across the ditch). Some 10.2 per cent couldn’t make their mind up, while 2.9 per cent didn’t care.

Perhaps the greatest All Black, Colin Meads, exuded similar high levels of confidence while stating a familiar warning: “If we were to lose Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, we would be in trouble.”

Another question put out was who, if not the All Blacks, will win the William Webb Ellis trophy: 45.5 per cent went for the Wallabies, 24.7 per cent for South Africa, 8 per cent for England and a measly 5.5 per cent for France.

Little old Ireland? No mention.

POOR GAVIN

Saracens first-team coach Mark McCall sympathised with new signing Gavin Henson, who only had three touches of the ball at outside centre in his first start for almost two years as Sale won 28-22 at Edgeley Park.

The Wales and Lions international, who made his Saracens debut in the victory over Wasps last week, was withdrawn after 53 minutes.

“Gavin didn’t see a lot of ball,” McCall added. “They were on the front foot, they were in our half for the whole of the first half. He had a bit of defending to do, but it was a difficult day to be outside centre in a team getting beat 28-3.

“Today we came across a very, very motivated Sale Sharks team, who were outstanding in the tackle area, outstanding in the physical exchanges and were better than us by a long, long way,” said McCall.

Back into the fire: No easy ride for McLaughlin

LATE SATURDAY evening Kevin McLaughlin must have been in a realm of pain unimaginable to us mere mortals, yet he was still fairly close to the ecstasy he felt on winning his solitary cap for Ireland against Italy last February.

The plan was to give the flanker 40 minutes after a seven-month, injury-enforced lay-off. Only problem was, Seán O’Brien sustained a cut above his eye and was withdrawn in the 13th minute.

Considering O’Brien will be required in the next three weeks it was opted not to send him back into the fray after being stitched up, so McLaughlin quickly realised he was in for a long ride.

Joe Schmidt admitted that “aerobically” McLaughlin ran out of steam in the last quarter, but it was a welcome return for a player who has been on enough operating tables to last a career.

LACEY IN COMMAND

APPROACHING THE 40-minute mark at the RDS on Saturday, Connacht outhalf Miah Nikora punted to touch before making for the dressing-room. Most players followed, and several were already down the tunnel when referee John Lacey insisted they return.

The former Clanwilliam, Shannon and Munster winger is following in Alain Rolland’s footsteps by switching to whistle- blowing. His first Magners League game was in November 2008.

So he, not the players, gets to decide upon half-time, which is fair enough. There was time for another lineout.

THEY SAID

“You can’t coach that, it is all down to the hearts of the players and I am so proud of them.” – Harlequins coach Conor O’Shea after his side came back from two sinbinnings to beat English league leaders Northampton

Interpro idea: How to revive the traditional rivalries

THERE HAS been growing concern about the downplaying of the old interpro clashes in recent seasons as many of the best players are absent from these Christmas/New Year games because they overlap with the pre-Six Nations Ireland camp.

There is a solution that is already being used in part. Before the opening rounds of the Heineken Cup in October and quarter-finals in April, Leinster and Munster play their Magners League meetings.

It is the only way to guarantee that the intensity of what follows a week later can be replicated.

So why not put other interprovincial derbies on the weekends before the December and January windows of European competition?

Just a thought. It would ensure full houses for Connacht and the best players in Ireland will be certain to go head-to-head in front of the public.

As it stands, Connacht and Ulster suffer in these games as their squad depth does not compare to Leinster and Munster.

The downside would mean teams travelling abroad over the festive season.

MUNSTER will be looking at using a wildcard at hooker ahead of a return to Heineken Cup action away to Toulon on January 16th after Jerry Flannery pulled up in his return game against Ulster.

ERC rules allow teams to replace an injured player with a wildcard during the pool stages. Leinster have already done so with Kiwi prop Clint Newland, a late registration, while Saracens look certain to do likewise with Gavin Henson (currently being tried at outside centre) ahead of their visit to Dublin on January 15th.