Under-19 World Cup: Gavin Cummiskeylooks at the problem of size and what the IRFU are doing about it
"If we are to remain a top-four nation, as stated in the IRFU strategic plan, we've got to have the bodies to compete at the highest level.
"That means, fortunately or unfortunately, conditioning the players earlier. Whether morally or conscience-wise it's something we as parents would want - goes by the board when it's professional rugby."
Thus speaks the Ireland under-19 coach, Charlie McAleese. His son, Harry, is the team's scrumhalf.
McAleese wasn't merely cribbing in the wake of the 31-5 drubbing by South Africa last week - when Ireland were patently unable to contain the opposition's physicality. Iconversation with this reporter before the competition got under way, the Ulsterman foresaw such a scenario.
The tournament will be remembered for the "men against boys" analogy.
At senior level, Eddie O'Sullivan's team outmuscled Australia and the understrength Springboks last November. The harvest is here but it's the storm clouds on the horizon that should cause genuine concern. It took the bones of a decade before our senior structures began yielding fruit - and that with a golden generation of players.
The ferocity of a senior Test match will be evident in today's final between the Baby Boks - an ironic moniker considering the size of these specimens - and the Blacks.
With 15 schoolboys in a 26-strong squad, Irish courage was not enough against South Africa and Australia in a desperately unlucky draw, considering Ireland were fifth seeds.
Long story short? Irish teenagers are not a physical match for the young warriors from south of the Equator.
Ireland has a proud history at this age group. A fearless attitude on the world stage is attributed to the lessons learned in a highly competitive schools system. The pinnacle was reached when Barry Gibney led a truly great schools side unbeaten through Australia in 1996.
That was at the cusp of professionalism. Eleven years on and the benefits derived from enthralling schools cup campaigns are no longer enough. Irish teenagers are severely disadvantaged by the advanced conditioning and natural physicality of the young Afrikaners and Polynesians.
This present team were also caught wanting in skills. In this context England and Wales also came up notably short against a New Zealand side nearly all of Maori origin.
Irish skills suffer as a result of the "cup mentality", whereby percentage rugby prevails in a win-at-all-costs environment. Granted, they learn to maintain defensive structures and cope under pressure, but under relentless barrage from Australian and South African hulks this Irish team was doomed to defeat.
"The be-all and end-all of protecting and ring-fencing the schools cup just does not prepare players to improve as quickly as we need them to improve in terms of conditioning, skills and game appreciation. There are good people in place, so hopefully a means can be worked out," says McAleese.
The solution is apparent: identify talent at an earlier age and implement the conditioning and skills coaching to ensure players possess the foundations when they take the professional route.
Some 85 per cent of Ireland internationals are produced by 20 elite schools. This is where the focus must remain. It is, as IRFU director of rugby Eddie Wigglesworth aptly describes it, "the goose that lays the golden egg". We are talking about the O'Driscolls, D'Arcys, Leamys and Fitzgeralds.
New Zealand experienced, what they perceived to be a crisis at under-19 level after losing the last two World Cup finals. Coach Kieran Crowley noted an immediate reaction by the NZRU.
"We used to rely primarily on our natural size. But you can see that is not enough - South Africa went back this year to sending out a huge team. We know now we cannot complete at this level unless we get the guys a few years before and start getting them into physical development because otherwise you get knocked around at a tournament like this.
"Look at Ireland. They were outstanding in the first game against Australia but they were so small they just got beaten up in all three games . . . The physicality of it is too demanding.
"For the system to work everyone has got to be moving in the same direction - national, province and school must all buy into the same blueprint. New Zealand are starting to get that into place now."
You read it here first, folks. The Kiwis are only starting to get their underage house in order. Oh dear.
Now, before the panic button is pressed, the IRFU can rightly point to Ireland's recent Grand Slam success at under-20.
The key difference is those players were under the supervision of provincial academy directors for at least nine months. Physically they evolved - strength coach Dave Fagan, take a bow - while their skills were honed by professional coaches. The under-19s prepared for a couple of weeks.
The current crop have another year to develop core strengths. They are going to need it; in all likelihood most will be back on a global stage in 2008. The IRB are expected to drop their under-19 and under-21 competitions, the focus switching to an elite 16-team under-20 Junior World Cup.
The IRFU are not burying their heads in the sand. A transition-year programme begins this summer where the best under-15 talent will be monitored until senior level.
The coaching of coaches, under the supervision of IRFU fitness director Dr Liam Hennessy, is also under way
"We are aware of the three Southern Hemisphere models and how effective they have been, especially in Australia in the past three years," says Hennessy.
"We had the under-20s for nine months - with skills and conditioning coaches working together in an accelerated programme.
"Coaching structures are in place. There are 50 coaches now with level-one weightlifting qualifications; 250 coaches have undergone a one-week course to take back to clubs and schools."
The problem is consistency. Ireland international Luke Fitzgerald, who left Blackrock College only last year, admitted in a recent interview a professional weights coach was not available in school.
Lifting weights incorrectly can hinder development. Often, it's a rude awakening for players on graduation to professional academies or underage IRB competitions.
"Even if we had the 19s for nine months' preparation the difference would have been significant," says Hennessy. "The main aim is to create a pathway for the elite players from age 15 to senior level. We are close but not fully supported yet."
The Leinster coach, Michael Cheika, is well placed to give a view. Australian rugby has the added motivation of having to fend off competitors from within.
"Rugby league guys will go to a union school in Australia and just start contracting the good players: 'Here's five grand, come train with us' - and that's at 14 and 15.
"Competition from other sports pushes that competitive environment down to a younger age.
"In South Africa and New Zealand, rugby is almost a religion. All the provinces are looking to get the best players, younger. That's got to be very well managed. You've got to have good people.
"At Leinster, we're putting in place different systems for the future that will survive long after I'm gone: a professional scouting system in Ireland and abroad to make sure we get the correct talent coming through. Our sub-academy also works well to condition players straight out of school.
"It's going to take time. The lessons they get from playing against these nations will show that they are going to have to push the level down as they go forward. It's difficult because you don't want to go over the top, because they are only young fellas."
True. But in the meantime representing Ireland at underage demands extraordinary bravery from players putting their comparatively slight bodies in harms way. Serious injury threatens. Unless everyone starts to sing from the same hymn sheet, the next stage of evolvement cannot happen.
The structures appear sound in theory. Now they must become a reality.
NEW ZEALAND
15 Israel Dagg 1.86m-6'1"/ 91kg-14st 5lb
14 Zach Guildford 1.84m-6'/ 87kg-13st 10lb
13 Robert Fruean 1.88m-6'2"/102kg-16st
12 Jackson Willison 1.82m-6'/90kg-14st 2lb
11 Kade Poki 1.76m-5'9"/84kg-13st 3lb
10 Daniel Kirkpatrick 1.82m-6'/85kg-13st 5lb
9 Wayne Ngaluafe 1.78m-5'10"/80kg-12st 8lb
1 Rodney Ah You 1.83m-6'/114kg-17st 13lb
2 Ash Dixon 1.82m-6'/105kg-16st 7lb
3 Ben Afeaki 1.92m-6'3"/141kg-22st 3lb
4 Chris Smith 1.95m-6'5"/105kg-16st 7lb
5 Samuel Whitelock 2.03m-6'8"/98kg-15st 6lb
6 Peter Saili 1.89m-6'2"/105kg-16st 7lb
7 Luke Braid 1.85m-6'/98kg-16st 6lb
8 Liukanasi Manu 1.9m-6'3"/106kg-16st 10lb
SOUTH AFRICA (v Ireland)
15 Wilton Pietersen 1.83m-6'/84kg-13st 3lb
14 Vainon Willis 1.82m-6' /89kg-14st
13 Stephan Dippenaar 1.88m-6'2"/88kg-13st12lb
12 Stefan Watermeyer 1.85m-6'1"/92kg-14st 7lb
11 Bernado Botha 1.8m-5'11"/83kg-13st 1lb
10 Francois Brummer 1.82m-6'/91kg-14st 5lb
9 Francois Hougaard 1.79m-5'10"/85kg-13st 5lb
1 JJ Rossouw 1.84m-6'/107kg-16st 11lb
2 Henry Bantjes 1.84m-6'/101kg-15st 12
3 Frederick Kirsten 1.92m-6'3"/115kg-18st 1lb
4 Cornell Hess 2.01m-6'7"/102kg-16st
5 Martin Muller 1.96m-6'5"/101kg-15st 12lb
6 Thiliphaut Marole 1.82m-6'/91kg-14st 5lb
7 Johan Van Deventer 1.78m-5'10"/90kg-14st 2lb
8 Gerrit Van Velze 1.92m-6'4"/95kg-15st
IRELAND (v South Africa)
15 Jamie Smith 1.78m-5'10"/80kg-12st 8lb
14 Alan Gaughan 1.78m-5'10"/82kg-12st 13lb
13 Eoin O'Malley 1.80m-5'11"/84kg-13st 3lb
12 Murray Kinsella 1.94m-6'4"/86kg-13st 8lb
11 Paddy Brophy 1.8m-5'11"/85kg-13st 5lb
10 Scott Deasy 1.79m-5'10"/82kg-12st 13lb
9 Harry McAleese 1.77m-5'10"/82kg-12st 13lb
1 Paul Karayiannis 2m-6'7"/100kg-15st 10lb
2 Stephen Douglas 1.71m-5'7"/90kg-14st 2lb
3 Patrick McCabe 1.81m-5'11"/103kg-16st 3lb
4 David Foley 1.98m-6'6"/92kg-14st 7lb
5 Ian Nagle 1.98m-6'6"/96kg-15st 2lb
6 Kieran Essex 1.94m-6'4"/96kg-15st 2lb
7 Rajan Reilly 1.76m-5'9"/90kg-14st 2lb
8 Paul Ryan 1.88m-6'2"/90kg/14st 2lb
