Shaking off the mantle of ‘chokers’

Darragh O’Donoghue looks ahead to Ireland’s visit to Murrayfield this Saturday in the Six Nations Championship.

As stage four of Ireland’s Grand Slam plan approaches in Murrayfield on Saturday, coach Declan Kidney has shuffled his side around, making four changes. While Rory Best in for Flannery at hooker is almost a like for like and most expected D’arcy and Leamy to get some game time sooner or later, there is another reason why I have some uneasy feelings as the side prepare to take on Scotland.

Vive l’irlande!

Yellow Roman Candle’s favourite sports writer Darragh O’Donoghue returns with a look back on a weekend of rugby the many still nursing their hangovers will never forget.

After the opening round of games, this season’s 6 Nations already looks like a two horse race, and the good news for Irish fans is that we are in with a great chance of a Championship! Beating France for the first time in about 178 years was a huge result for this Irish team, and the best thing about it was that we did it with Ronan O’Gara playing well below his best.

Exorcising French Demons

The confidence the team will take from this result should not be underestimated, and could give them the impetus they need to finally seal a 6 Nations win. Under Eddie O’Sullivan, the team were bereft of belief, and looked completely lost. The forwards were undisciplined and the backs were about as sharp as a plastic spoon. What Kidney has done is restore the belief, and while he should not be hailed as some kind of sporting Napoleon just yet, the signs are encouraging.