IT’S BEEN A strange few weeks in the ‘find Brian O’Driscoll’s replacement’ story. Some surprising selections at provincial level, loss of form and injuries to potential successors, advice from O’Driscoll on who his best replacement might be, and Joe Schmidt having his say on the media’s input into the whole thing.
The reason we’re in this spot is for the last 15 years most elite players knew there was no point aspiring to be the Irish outside centre and either moved elsewhere on the pitch, or grew old and cap-less.
On the other side of things you have school kids and academy players who all want to wear 13 for their team because of the O’Driscoll phenomenon, but none of them are old enough to be a factor at senior level.
While all-time greats such as David Wallace and Ronan O’Gara had to battle to keep their spots at certain points in their careers, there was never even a discussion about O’Driscoll. In part, because he was so good, but also because no viable contender emerged for any meaningful length of time.
O’Driscoll’s legacy to Irish rugby is positive in every way, apart from the vacuum left in his absence.
As a result, the situation we’re left with is a muddled one. Keith Earls, Fergus McFadden and Luke Fitzgerald are all injured and not considered for selection (though Fitzgerald is on the brink of a return with Leinster).
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Darren Cave started both of the summer Tests against Argentina but isn’t getting his place in the big games for Ulster, Stuart Olding is playing 12 or not at all, and Brendan Macken has slipped down the rankings in Leinster at exactly the wrong time.
As Schmidt succinctly put it on wednesday that leaves just Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne because ‘they are the two guys who are playing 13’.
Is Robbie Henshaw hampered by not playing Champions Cup? Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Its interesting that Schmidt bristled at the notion he influences provincial selections. Its the first time he has spoken publicly about anything in the media, so its clearly a topic that stung.
In reality would, say, Pat Lam or Matt O’Connor, men presumably with designs on long and fruitful careers, jeopardise their own reputations by choosing the players the national coach wanted? That would be an incredible favour to ask and given the control freak personality most head coaches have, extremely unlikely to be granted.
Its a delicate time for Schmidt as he tries to make Payne and Henshaw feel they’re worthy of wearing 13 for Ireland, while at the same time working on their deficiencies. He also doesn’t want anyone assuming they’re already out of the running based on how they’ve done with their province. The current attrition rate means he will probably need at least one of the other contenders at some point.
The bottom line is whatever about his feedback to the four provincial coaches, he is ultimately reliant on the selections they make.
O’Driscoll seems to have given Henshaw the nod as the most natural 13 of the two, in an interview in The Irish Times this week. O’Driscoll spent a lot of time last season passing on his knowledge to the Connacht man and it appears he is a fast learner. He’s also bigger, more aggressive and a full 8 years younger than Payne.
Henshaw’s problem is that at the moment he can only prove himself against Challenge Cup and Pro 12 opponents, but within that environment he is excelling. Crucially Henshaw has progressed again this season, and in the most high profile Connacht game so far, against Leinster in the Sportsgrounds, he looked the sharpest outside back on the field.
The selection sub-plot won’t be too subtle this weekend then. If Jared Payne excels against champions Toulon, with a likely midfield of Giteau, Basteraud and Mermoz, then Henshaw will have ground to make up, no matter what he does against Exeter.
At the moment there isn’t a whole lot between them. They can both pass short and long, they each have a varied kicking game, and are adapting to the defensive demands of the position. Perhaps the deciding factor will be who deals best with the O’Driscoll shaped shadow hanging over them for the next few months.
Simon Hick column: 'BOD’s legacy is positive in every way, apart from the vacuum left in his absence'
IT’S BEEN A strange few weeks in the ‘find Brian O’Driscoll’s replacement’ story. Some surprising selections at provincial level, loss of form and injuries to potential successors, advice from O’Driscoll on who his best replacement might be, and Joe Schmidt having his say on the media’s input into the whole thing.
The reason we’re in this spot is for the last 15 years most elite players knew there was no point aspiring to be the Irish outside centre and either moved elsewhere on the pitch, or grew old and cap-less.
On the other side of things you have school kids and academy players who all want to wear 13 for their team because of the O’Driscoll phenomenon, but none of them are old enough to be a factor at senior level.
While all-time greats such as David Wallace and Ronan O’Gara had to battle to keep their spots at certain points in their careers, there was never even a discussion about O’Driscoll. In part, because he was so good, but also because no viable contender emerged for any meaningful length of time.
As a result, the situation we’re left with is a muddled one. Keith Earls, Fergus McFadden and Luke Fitzgerald are all injured and not considered for selection (though Fitzgerald is on the brink of a return with Leinster).
Darren Cave started both of the summer Tests against Argentina but isn’t getting his place in the big games for Ulster, Stuart Olding is playing 12 or not at all, and Brendan Macken has slipped down the rankings in Leinster at exactly the wrong time.
As Schmidt succinctly put it on wednesday that leaves just Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne because ‘they are the two guys who are playing 13’.
Its interesting that Schmidt bristled at the notion he influences provincial selections. Its the first time he has spoken publicly about anything in the media, so its clearly a topic that stung.
In reality would, say, Pat Lam or Matt O’Connor, men presumably with designs on long and fruitful careers, jeopardise their own reputations by choosing the players the national coach wanted? That would be an incredible favour to ask and given the control freak personality most head coaches have, extremely unlikely to be granted.
Its a delicate time for Schmidt as he tries to make Payne and Henshaw feel they’re worthy of wearing 13 for Ireland, while at the same time working on their deficiencies. He also doesn’t want anyone assuming they’re already out of the running based on how they’ve done with their province. The current attrition rate means he will probably need at least one of the other contenders at some point.
The bottom line is whatever about his feedback to the four provincial coaches, he is ultimately reliant on the selections they make.
O’Driscoll seems to have given Henshaw the nod as the most natural 13 of the two, in an interview in The Irish Times this week. O’Driscoll spent a lot of time last season passing on his knowledge to the Connacht man and it appears he is a fast learner. He’s also bigger, more aggressive and a full 8 years younger than Payne.
Henshaw’s problem is that at the moment he can only prove himself against Challenge Cup and Pro 12 opponents, but within that environment he is excelling. Crucially Henshaw has progressed again this season, and in the most high profile Connacht game so far, against Leinster in the Sportsgrounds, he looked the sharpest outside back on the field.
The selection sub-plot won’t be too subtle this weekend then. If Jared Payne excels against champions Toulon, with a likely midfield of Giteau, Basteraud and Mermoz, then Henshaw will have ground to make up, no matter what he does against Exeter.
At the moment there isn’t a whole lot between them. They can both pass short and long, they each have a varied kicking game, and are adapting to the defensive demands of the position. Perhaps the deciding factor will be who deals best with the O’Driscoll shaped shadow hanging over them for the next few months.
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‘I’m shook, a sitting duck’: How Brian O’Driscoll talked his way back onto the field against France
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