ON RUGBY/Gerry Thornley: Maybe I'm missing something here, but what is the hidden agenda against Willie Anderson ever obtaining a head coaching job in this country again?
Yesterday he was rejected for the second time in a row by his native province, and in between times was overlooked by Leinster.
Nothing against Mark McCall, nor his assistant Allen Clarke. McCall has always been a bright lad with a keen eye, who has earned his coaching badges and was clearly earmarked for bigger things than the Irish under-21s. Indeed, it's encouraging to see another indigenous coach being entrusted with one of the provincial jobs, and one genuinely wishes him the same success Declan Kidney, Harry Williams and Michael Bradley have enjoyed.
Once Kidney's candidature was removed from the equation, were one to compare the coaching CVs of McCall and Anderson - Ulster men through and through - there's little doubt which stands up better to scrutiny.
Anderson, a former Irish captain, has been in the frontline for a dozen years, dating back to his time as unofficial Irish forwards coach in the 1992-93 and 1993-94 seasons, which included those famous back-to-back wins over England. Since then he's had two spells at Dungannon, winning an AIL title in the second of them with perhaps the most thrillingly expansive brand of rugby ever played by an Irish club side, either side of a two-year stint at London Irish, since then he's been a highly impressive forwards/assistant coach at Leinster.
McCall is in his first year as Ireland under-21 coach, after serving on the Alan Solomons ticket, though not as an out-and-out assistant coach. Is he ready? Might he have been better off serving a longer apprenticeship? Isn't there a risk of fast-tracking him too quickly for his own good?
You'd hope it works out, but as an aside, the headlong rush to promote him to the Ulster job leaves a void at the under-21s prior to their participation in the World Cup next June. One can only deduce there may be a personality issue with Anderson amongst some of the Ulster hierarchy. Maybe I'm missing something, but either way it's a kick in the teeth for him.
Ireland's first win over England in Twickenham since that aforementioned 1994 victory, in which Anderson was instrumental, has undoubtedly been the highlight of a mostly uninspiring Six Nations championship, which reaches its conclusion with what the BBC and RBS will have us believe is "Super Saturday".
At least there will be one or two positive aspects to Ireland not being in the hunt for the title when France and England kick-off at 8 pm Irish time - barring, of course, a 50-plus victory margin over the Scots earlier in the day.
It will leave team and supporters alike with a more academic interest in the outcome at the Stade de France, and rather than having the decidedly mixed feelings of wanting an English win (were Ireland still in the equation), Irish supporters can happily cheer on France in the knowledge victory for them would secure second place for Eddie O'Sullivan's team.
Given that would be a third runners-up finish in four years, it would constitute a creditable achievement, all the more so in a year containing visits to Stade de France and Twickenham. It's all in the itinerary really. If France win next Saturday, it would be their fourth Grand Slam in eight years, and their third in succession in years when they had Ireland and England at home.
France and Ireland seem well placed to win at home next Saturday, though psychologically the pressure is on both. France, who expect to have Imanol Harinordoquy and Frederic Michalak passed fit to more than offset the loss of William Servat, motored even more serenely to an appointed showdown with England in the World Cup semi-finals and, to a degree, choked on the night in question. But, even though they appear to have been in cruise control thus far, they've developed a decidedly unFrench and uncanny knack of making the opposition look ugly. Besides, while England's performance against Wales showed they can still dig deep in a crisis, it also added to the impression of a team in relative decline and in need of rebuilding.
And in the heel of the hunt, the memory of that World Cup semi-final, the carrot of a Grand Slam, and home advantage with a Saturday evening kick-off, should all conspire to ensure a big French performance. As a French colleague put it yesterday, they will be angry and hungry.
It may not quite be Super Saturday, but the Wales-Italy game should be interesting as well. If you were to apply the old yardstick that packs win matches and backs dictate by how much, then Italy will probably do a number on Wales up front but scrape home by a point, given their backs look as if they couldn't fashion a try if they were there for a month. But it probably won't work out that way, because Wales might win with 30 per cent of the ball and 30 per cent of the territory given their far more potent back line.
Next season, of course, Ireland have the big two in Lansdowne Road, hopefully fortified with a runners-up spot and a Triple Crown. Even in this relatively productive era for Irish rugby, there's a lack of silverware and medals in the cupboard, save for Ulster's European Cup and Celtic Cup triumphs, and Leinster's and Munster's Celtic League successes. For the likes of Malcolm O'Kelly, Reggie Corrigan, Anthony Foley and Kevin Maggs, who experienced some of the grimmer days in the 90s, it would be a particularly sweet triumph.
A Triple Crown broadens the achievement beyond Celtic boundaries to incorporate England, and as world champions after a four year unbeaten run at Twickenham.
And lest we forget, Wales, who haven't won a Triple Crown since 1988, and Scotland, without one since 1990, would bite off your arm for one now. Would they what?
gthornley@irish-times.ie
