Learning from past lessons will help the Irish conquer their Italian opponents

‘IT WAS here. The battlefield was here. The Carthaginians defending the city were attacked by three Roman Legions. Carthaginians were proud and brave but they couldn’t hold. They were massacred. Arab women stripped them of their tunics and their swords and lances. The soldiers lay naked in the sun, 2,000 years ago; and I was here.” According to General George Smith Patton, Jr, that is. For ‘Old Blood and Guts’ was a staunch believer in reincarnation, where he believed he was the reincarnation of such luminaries as General Hannibal, a Roman legionnaire and a Napoleonic field marshal.

Our greatest leaders have one common characteristic which sets them apart. They all have an appreciation of the history that has brought them to this point. General Patton clearly brought this a tad too far, but for Declan Kidney entering Rome this weekend a strong understanding of the past can be his trump card.

As this is his second coming with Ireland there is a hint of Patton’s reincarnation about him. Either way Ireland will win the Grand Slam in 2009 if Kidney can teach the lessons of the past.

In the aftermath of last weekend it’s clear to see the imprint of Kidney’s embryonic reign and the lessons learned. He has many strengths, most of which have been alluded to over recent weeks. His self-confidence that allowed world-class specialists to share his dream is clearly a huge strength. His ability to empower the players, much the way Alex Ferguson does in Manchester United is another. Of course he remains very much in charge but avoids the “spoon feeding” approach. The players will be given enough scope to arrive to “his” vision and in doing so they will be much more capable of surmounting the challenges on the pitch.

In other words they won’t need an umbilical cord in times of crises. They will be able to think for themselves, confident that the coach has faith in their ability or, as Patton puts it, “if everybody is thinking alike then somebody isn’t thinking”. This was significant against the French, where the mental strength of the players drove them across the finish line.

I certainly believe his greatest strength is the creation of the team ethic, one for all and all for one. He has managed to achieve this by inclusion, discourse and openness where all men are created equal. In Munster he inherited a culture of Cork players and Limerick players which over time became Munster players. And in a very short time he has replicated this achievement with Ireland. For the first time in years there is no mention of provinces. It is abundantly clear from last Saturday that the Irish team, are a team. Look at the team’s reaction to the each try scorer and in particular to Brian O’Driscoll’s try. They swamped him. Does he look like the forlorn leader of old? This doesn’t happen by accident. Kidney clearly recognises the value in blending the provinces into one team as he did with the Cork-Limerick divide in Munster where this Irish team is now a melting pot of opportunity.

The opportunity to select Paddy Wallace at 12 was a very clever move by Kidney. He knows too well that this Italian team will attempt to neuter the Irish the only way they can. The Italians will mimic the Georgians and the Argentinians and orientate for a bruising trench war, slowing the pace of the game and attempting to dominate the corridor of power.

The Italian backs will employ a very fast defensive line that will leave Ireland with two major options. The first is to go over the onrushing defence, chip kicks (grubbers, etc) and, secondly, to go around the last defender. Considering Gordon D’Arcy’s lack of real match practice it’s fair to assume he’s not quite at the pitch of all aspects of the inside-centre role. Hence Paddy Wallace’s distribution skills will afford Ireland that extra width to get Rob Kearney and co down the outside channel.

History has taught us more. When playing against lesser opposition, Ireland have in the past failed to dictate the pace. Georgia, Namibia in RWC 2007, and Italy last year, are examples of when they slowed it down. But then there was Stadio Flaminio, Rome 2007 where pace put eight tries and 51 points on a very experienced Italian side. Sunday’s opposition are not as good as 2007, so we must dictate the pace at all times. That includes the times to slow down the ball, kick for the corners and out-muscle the Italians.

For the major challenges ahead and in particular the English at Croke Park, the Italian match is an ideal curtain-raiser. The English are one step away from the Dean Richards style of the 1980s and 1990s. Ireland need to build on France by performing on Sunday, but to ignore the upcoming English fixture would be a wasted opportunity in Rome.

So by the final whistle in Stadio Flaminio Ireland must have dictated the pace and combated the Italian efforts to slow the ruck down allied with their ability to get outside a hard-rushing defence.

Then England will be next to fall!

Or as Patton puts it, “no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country; they won it by making the other dumb bastard die for his country”.

Of course the greatest lesson from the past should not be wasted on Kidney, Ireland failed to secure the Six Nations Championship of 2007 because they could only beat Scotland by one point. France managed the feat by 27 points and Italy by 20 points.

And for a flavour of Through a glass, darklyby General George S Patton, Jr:

Still more clearly as a Roman,

Can I see the Legion close,

As our third rank moved in forward

And the short sword found our foes.

So as through a glass, and darkly

The age long strife I see

Where I fought in many guises,

Many names, but always me.