Doomed, doomed I tell ye!

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Ireland announced a two year extension to the contracts of Declan Kidney, Gert Smal, Les Kiss and Mark Tainton on Friday. The contract sees the quartet in charge until June 2012 and is a move which has not met universal approval in rugby circles!

While few can deny the calibre of the candidates the timing of the announcement has brought back memories of four years ago when a similar extension was offered to then coach Eddie O’Sullivan who promptly led Ireland to a disastrous World Cup campaign followed by an unedifying nine months of protracted “discussions” as they attempted to persuade the under fire coach to resign.

Instant success in 2009 swept the fiasco under the table, as Ireland completed the Grand Slam, but, after two mediocre Six Nations performances with an ageing side, the shine has faded from  the Kidney revival and with the 2011 World Cup just round the corner the present regime still has plenty to prove to the ticket buying public outside of Munster!

An under fire Ireland scored their lowest total of points (93) in the 2008 Six Nations campaign, with three losses leaving O’Sullivan with no option but to resign, what is worrying is that this lowly points total was matched in 2011 in Ireland’s three wins, but what is of more concern to me was the lack of adventure in both these campaigns with Ireland’s tactics and mindset fixed in “not to lose” mode rather than “go out and win”!

Sure, Kidney got the best in 2009 out of a group of players that promised much in their careers, but to say that the team has kicked on since then would be to deny the obvious when the overwhelming evidence points to an attempt to nurse the remnants of the “Golden Generation” through to this World Cup campaign with Ireland marking time rather than trying to re-build and it’s in the ability to re-build that the questions still have to be asked about Kidney in his illustrious career for club and country.

At Munster and Ireland Kidney proved beyond doubt that he has can get the best out of a settled side, but they have been sides formed by others, with Kidney adding the intangible  finishing touches that turned them into winners in a similar manner to Harry Williams in 99 😀 . However what has still to be proved is whether he possesses the ability to start from scratch, as he surely must do, after this World Cup campaign.

It’s a bold statement of confidence by the IRFU in awarding these contract extensions and it may well be just the right thing ahead of the World Cup, but is it the right decision for Ireland in the long run? Only time will tell!


One response to “Doomed, doomed I tell ye!”

  1. the mote

    If it is accepted that both BoD and PoC have approx two more years of International Rugby ahead of them rebuilding the international team will only start when DKs contract ends

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