If The Irish Can Beat The All Blacks - What's Stopping Us?

IRELAND, Ireland, together standing tall – and the Murphyia – the game was in Chicago after all – never stood taller than they did in ending the All Blacks' magnificent 18-match unbeaten streak at Soldier's Field on Saturday night.

Soldier's Field, no “Soldier's Song” and a bizarre bit of fiddling for “Ireland's Call” - and we all thought the Yanks did PR well!!!

But, to the game, the Men in Green really got tore into the Men in Black, with what we who watch the PRO12 now know to be Irish ferocity. Nobody saw this one coming, but, no praise is too-much for Joe Schmidt's men. Many more results like this and Joe is a shoo-in to be the next All Blacks' coach.

Again, the sad passing of Anthony Foley was referenced before and after the match – with the Irish team lining up in a figure of eight for instance. If I was BOD or POC I'd be worried.

“Jaisus Paddy, the lads are not playing too-well, and we've got the Six Nations coming up”.

“Don't worry Sheamus – we'll bump-off BOD and the lads will play out of their skins to honour him, then, just before the 2019 World Cup, POC will have a wee accident and, job done”.

Cynic – moi?

I AM a wee bit worried about the special attention Zander Fagerson is getting in the build-up to the Autumn Tests. I know he's a big lump. I know he's a very special talent in the making, but, Zander is, in front row terms, just a kid.

The timing of Wilem Nel's neck injury is disappointing, but, Scotland faces three huge scrummaging examinations over the next three Saturdays, let's just hope Zander gets through them unscathed, without putting a lot of pressure on him to do well.

Also, although he has been propping on the other side of the scrum for his club of late, I would not be surprised to see Moray Low being handed the number three jersey against the Australians – BVC has always been a conservative coach, who may well go with the more-experienced man.

GLASGOW gave a honking display in Llanelli on Saturday night. They were no better than ok in the first half, but, the way they couldn't make their pressure pay had me worried. Then, in the second half, the Scarlets found an extra gear of two and it was game over.

And, well done to Edinburgh. I for one, honestly did not fancy their chances against Ulster at Murrayfield, but, after their slip-up against Zebre, they showed the right stuff to battle back and win.

I know Glasgow had the weaker team in Wales, but, something needs to be done to keep the fringe players closer to the necessary intensity of first team play. Glasgow and Edinburgh B teams, playing in the British and Irish Cup might help. The partnership players, plus the best of the Premiership guys, could be utilised to pad-out the squads. After all, the Irish and Welsh provinces pick B teams, or “Premiership Selects” for their B&I Cup squads.

Of course, for this to happen – Murrayfield would suddenly have to pay attention to the BT Premiership clubs. Naw, cannae see this happening any time soon. By the way, has anyone seen the Lesser-Spotted Johnston lately?

I DESPAIR at the decision-making on the Sports Desk of a certain Glasgow-based daily newspaper, which has, until comparatively recently been one of the organs of record in rugby coverage.

At the weekend, the top four clubs in the BT Premiership: Melrose, Ayr, Glasgow Hawks and Heriot's went head-to-head in league games. Ayr and Glasgow Hawks are both based within the Glasgow and West of Scotland area which is that paper's heartland.

I cover games at both Ayr and Hawks, and am getting fed-up listening to long-established readers of that particular paper bemoaning the lack of coverage their club receives. A lot of these guys have stopped taking the paper, partly because of this.

So, on Saturday, with Hawks at Melrose, first entertaining third, and Ayr at home to Heriot's – second hosting fourth, in easily the two joint “Matches of the Day”, what did the papers sports desk decision-makers do – they sent an excellent Edinburgh-based freelance to cover Stirling County v Boroughmuir as their feature game. Two clubs in the relegation zone.

And, they wonder why the paper is haemorrhaging readers.

Right, rant over – now let's consider the state of the Premiership. Ayr v Heriot's was just as intense as we thought it would be. Again, as so-often, Ayr's combination of a well-organised defence and a very strong pack carried the day. But, that said, both back divisions entertained when given the chance.

Ross Curle, as so-often against Heriot's, got to sit on the naughty step, for a marginal tip tackle. But, the real talking point was the way, mid-way through the second-half, after Struan Cessford was yellow-carded after he caved-in under pressure from George Hunter, Heriot's suddenly had to go to unopposed scrums.

The way the whole thing was orchestrated stank to high heaven. Unopposed scrums nullified Ayr's previous scrum control. Fair play to Phil Smith for circumventing the rules as he appeared to do, but, it just didn't look right.

Meanwhile, the medical staff seemed to be the busiest bees down at the Greenyards, with the pitch at times resembling a MASH as injured players were cleared off the pitch. But, well done to Melrose for coming back so well after Hawks streaked into an early lead.

The Premiership now goes into limbo for the Autumn Internationals, but, looking ahead, Saturday, 17 December, with the current top four going head-to-head again – Melrose hosting Ayr, Hawks entertaining Heriot's looks like being a pre-Christmas cracker of an afternoon.