... and a third as the hooker and captain?

Press, 4 June 1982, Page 15

... and a third as the hooker and captain?

Interviewing Ciaran Fitzgerald on 8.8. C. TV after Ireland's defeat by France, Nigel Starmer-Smith remarked that Fitzgerald's replies indicated why "the Irish are the best-loved players in rugby."

Certainly, Fitzgerald's towheaded boyish appearance. and his cheerful grin at a moment when he could have been angry and disappointed. restored one's faith in sportsmanship. His leadership qualities transformed the Irish team this year. One could hardly think that the team which defeated Wales in January was the one which had performed so languidly only two months before against Australia. Yet the only important changes were Fitzgerald for Cantrell and Campbell for Ward.

Fitzgerald brought that indefinable chemistry which makes one man able to lead others.

His phenomenal energy meant that he .was often round the field like a backrow forward after disengaging himself from the front row of the scrum, and was therefore able to lead from

the front as a good officer should.

His relaxed approach ensured that there was a mood in the dressing-room before the match which suited the volatile Irish 'temperament. The routine of psyching up, which has become popular in recent years, was dispensed with.

The idea put forward by an Irish captain in the sixties was that the team should not shave before a match, or smile in the team photograph, would have seemed laughable to Fitzgerald. A few stretching exercises were all he demanded of the team in the dressing-room, so that they kept their pentup energy for the field.

In the back-line, it was Ollie Campbell’s year. His kicking was uncanny, and against Scotland he put over every scoring kick he attempted for his 21 points, which included a dropped goal.

Up to this season, one would have thought he

lacked the acceleration to make a clean break. But against Scotland he got through like a knife on two occasions, and the perfect' timing of his passes made the tries.

If any comparison is to be made with Jack Kyle, it would be that that player would get clean through with a sort of scurrying acceleration that took him away from everyone (including his own players) and score himself, while Campbell is content to make the gap and then pass. Hugo Mac Neil! at full-back was the other success. In the Scottish match especially he had an amazing game for such a young player, dealing expertly' with the high ball and a furious gale as well as taking his try beautifully.

It is hard to make any judgment about the rest of the back line, as the strategy Ireland devised did not give the three-quarters room to exploit their talents. The idea was to get the ball in

the line-out and scrum, and make sure that there would be a minimum of mistakes among the backs, which usually meant that Campbell's boot was applied to the ball as soon as it came from the scrum.

For this strategy. Fitzgerald's hooking was a vital factor, and for the first time in years, Ireland was getting a clean ball.

It shot through the tunnel into the scrum half's hands, and Willie Duggan's annoying habit of holding the ball at No. 8 was obviously curbed by his captain. Lenihan was an exciting discovery in the line-out, with his antelope leaps and the pianist-like touch with which he was able to palm the ball into the scrum-half’s hands.

It is clear this'pack is not long for the road. Too many of them are over 30. Radical changes will have to be made next season if Ireland is to build up a pack for the future. The French match was a

disappointment. The disadvantage Ireland suffered in having to shift ODriscoll to No. 8 because of Duggan's injury, should not be underestimated. The pack by this time was finely tuned, and to ask first violin to play the flute, so to speak, could have had the effect of putting their performance out of svnc.

The one blot was the treatment of Ward. After Campbell was preferred, it was inexcusable not to have Ward among the substitutes. If Campbell had been hurt during a match. Ireland would not have had one of the best place-kickers in the world to replace him. The day Ireland defeated Scotland to ( win the Triple Crown. I met', on my way out of the Lansdowne Road ground, a disconsolate fan in a tartan cap. To cheer him up. 1 said: “Funny thing.' Campbell is a Scots name.” "It's the only funny thing about it.” he replied.

But it was indeed a fun year for Ireland. It won the “triple crown” for the first time in 34 years, and found a great captain who looks like being around for some time.