RUGBY: NZ Divisional XV ... 3 Ireland ... 56 Memo to the folks back home. The Irish rugby team are in New Zealand attempting to create a major piece of history against the one major Test-playing nation they've never beaten. Gerry Thornley reports from Timaru
Next Saturday's first Test in Dunedin is still as daunting a task as any touring Irish side has ever faced, but as an aside, this opening effort in the South Island hideaway of Timaru showed them to be in pretty decent fettle, indeed in far better fettle than could have been expected a fortnight ago.
Discussing the lack of optimism back home, Keith Wood quipped: "I don't even know if they know we're here because of the soccer World Cup." After the thriller in Lansdowne Road in the autumn the Irish captain also admitted that the thought of playing the All Blacks again eight or nine months on "would have filled a lot of people with dread" but he said there had been an amazing mental turnaround since the squad came together a fortnight ago.
Significantly perhaps, compared to the last post-European hangover involving Munster two years ago before the defeat to Argentina in Buenos Aires, this time there has been an additional week and a warm-up before the first Test. And only four members of Munster's beaten finalists last Saturday week re-appeared in the starting line-up for this match.
There were also a few players itching to prove a point after time in the wilderness, from the workaholic Justin Bishop to a rampaging Reggie Corrigan, and even more who simply needed a game after weeks without one, most notably David Humphreys.
Given the injury toll, the mental state of the Munster players, and the departure of leaders like Mick Galwey and Peter Clohessy, this was a reasonably impressive first night. If nothing else, the management have clearly refreshed this keen Ireland squad, with the carrot of a first-ever victory over the All Blacks, however unlikely, reviving their motivational juices.
Just five days after their long trip to New Zealand, some of the skill levels and handling dexterity of the backs especially was of the highest order. Save for one by Anthony Foley, the backs scored eight of the nine tries, with Brian O'Driscoll accounting for three.
At base this performance reminded you of how potent O'Driscoll and the Ireland backs can be when given silver-salver line-out ball, for many of the multi-phase tries they put together emanated from a line-out which delivered 15 of its 17 throws.
There were no shortened line-outs, and many of the throws were directed toward the tail in a revival of the successful formula of two seasons ago when Simon Easterby was the main target. Even the replacement of Alan Quinlan by Eric Miller in no way diminished the quality of ball. The line-out simply has to deliver again next Saturday, because as O'Driscoll and co showed here, they will cause any team in the world problems in that situation.
Humphreys moved the ball slickly, Mel Deane took it up the middle well (though undermined his performance with a couple of ill-conceived and ill-directed kicks in the second half) while O'Driscoll created gaps for himself and those outside. The forwards mingled seamlessly in the running game too, though they never really imposed themselves on a Divisional scrum featuring two 21-year-old props.
Try as they might, they also failed to maul their way over the Divisional line in spite of several attempts. And despite some impressive continuity, they need to ruck more aggressively. In terms of a physical contest, Wood admitted that this encounter provided little foretaste of what awaits them in the Test in Dunedin. Nor was the defence truly tested by a home side with a poor outhalf who never launched his backs nor brought the useful looking full-back into the line.
Nevertheless, the home side's maul trundled forward impressively, and this was an aspect of the All Blacks' performance against Italy on Saturday in Hamilton which functioned effectively. Two of their nine tries came from the props, and coach John Mitchell will presumably restore many of the Canterbury combinations that were rested in Hamilton.
Ireland also finalise their starting line-up tomorrow. Wood's back injury was not being deemed a problem yesterday, nor was the bruising to Quinlan's knee and Miller's arms.
O'Driscoll hogged much of the attention and most of the post-match comment. Not that he was greedy, just at his awesome best. He looks fit and refreshed, this only being his 24th competitive game of the season for Ireland or Leinster, in which he has now taken his tally of tries to 16.
His three tries were not the only talking point. From the 10th minute, when he forced a penalty in typical fashion by contesting tackle ball on his feet for Humphreys to make it 10-0, it was clear this was going to be near-vintage O'Driscoll. He also gave the try-scoring pass for tries by Girvan Dempsey and Geordan Murphy, and just as significantly in light of next week he drew the defence like a magnet as a decoy runner when Humphreys put Mel Deane over for Ireland's seventh try.
O'Driscoll will get nothing like the same space on Saturday, nor is it likely that he'll be able to wriggle out of tackles to the same extent, but with the All Blacks having taken note of this performance O'Driscoll's mere presence on the pitch could generate gaps for others.
Opponents, no less than supporters, daren't take their eyes off him. "The Irish backs were far too quick," conceded Divisional coach Noel McQuilkin. "Their ball handling and footwork were out of this world. They rate O'Driscoll as the best centre in the world and I've seen Mike Gibson, (John) Gainsford - in their time the best - and I would rate him (O'Driscoll) at the top of them. He's the best I've seen.
"He takes the short ball up, runs wide on the man, steps both ways, tackles like a demon, what else could you ask for? As a rugby player he's God's gift."
No topping that.
Scoring sequence - 4 mins: Humphreys try and con 0-7; 11: Humphreys pen 0-10; 14: Bishop try 0-15; 20: O'Driscoll try, Humphreys con 0-22; 23: Flutey pen 3-22; 25: O'Driscoll try 3-27; Half-time 3-27. 46: Dempsey try 3-32; 52: Foley try, Humphreys con 3-39; 61: Deane try, Humphreys con 3-46; 73: O'Driscoll try, Humphreys con 3-51; 75: Murphy try 3-56.
NEW ZEALAND DIVISIONAL XV: T Manawatu; M Teppman, S Leung-Wai, M Harvey, P Fifita; M Flutey, L Peina (capt); C Newland, P Mitchell, P Bielski, K Leawere, M Porter, D Quate, M Ngarimu, A Griffith. Replacements: K Marfell for Quate (48 mins); J Hapeta for Bielski; S Mckearney for Griffith (both 54 mins); Q Austin for Flutey; J Fa'aiu for Lueng-Wai; D Kemp for Fifita (all 62 mins); D Leefe for Mitchell (66 mins).
IRELAND XV: G Dempsey; J Bishop, B O'Driscoll, M Deane, T Howe; D Humphreys, G Easterby; R Corrigan, K Wood (capt), J Hayes, G Longwell, P O'Connell, A Quinlan, A Foley, K Gleeson. Replacements: E Miller for Quinlan (26 mins); S Byrne for Wood (half-time); G Murphy for Deane; M Horan for Hayes; L Cullen for O'Connell (all 64 mins); P Stringer for Easterby; R O'Gara for Humphreys (both 74 mins).
Referee: S Walsh (NRFU).
