France’s thrilling 26-24 win over England gave the Six Nations a scintillating start but next Saturday’s match between Ireland and two-time defending champions Wales promises to really heat up the tournament as one nation looks to settle a score.
Pretty much the whole of Ireland – even those orientated towards Gaelic Games – will down tools on Saturday and be willing their team to deliver a hammer blow to Wales coach Warren Gatland’s hopes of an unprecedented third successive Six Nations title.
Gatland, a former Ireland coach to boot, has become a pantomime villain in Ireland since he dared to drop Irish legend Brian O’Driscoll from the British and Irish Lions side for the third and decisive Test against Australia last June.
While the Lions won the game and the series, justifying Gatland’s selection, it still rankled with the normally diplomatic O’Driscoll a few months later.
“Yes, there’s resentment, of course,” O’Driscoll said last September.
“Is he (Gatland) on the Christmas card list? Unlikely.
“When you’re left with disappointment that way, you can’t but feel a little bit of resentment.”
Both Ireland and Wales got off to winning starts at home at the weekend -- the Irish eventually easing to a 28-6 win over a hapless Scotland while the Welsh had a scare or too before beating Italy 23-15.
One of Ireland’s three try scorers against the Scots, Rob Kearney, making his 50th appearance for his country a memorable one, had no doubts about what the atmosphere will be like come the match.
“Yes, there will be added spice,” said the 27-year-old, referring to how O’Driscoll’s dropping would impact on the game.
Kearney, who along with brother and wing Dave earned praise for their performances against Scotland from coach Joe Schmidt, also inferred Gatland’s harping on about Wales being in line to become the first side to win three successive Six Nations titles was also firing up the Irish.
“They are going for three in a row (Six Nations titles) which their coach Warren Gatland doesn’t stop telling everyone,” said Kearney.
Gatland, who when coach of Ireland gave O’Driscoll his debut on the international stage in 1999, speaking the day before the Ireland v Scotland game said he was fed up with all the talk about it being a grudge game.
“As far as I am concerned, that’s dead and gone,” Gatland said.
“It’s not about Brian and myself. Brian has moved on, I have moved on.
“The game is more important than myself and Brian, and if people want to make an issue out of that for next week, to me it is just lazy journalism. Move on,” added the 50-year-old, though, his plea is likely to fall on deaf ears.
One thing that both he and fellow Kiwi Schmidt are agreed upon is that both their sides will need to improve.
Ireland should be boosted by the return of iconic lock and captain Paul O’Connell after he missed the opener with a chest infection.
Schmidt, who replaced Declan Kidney when the latter was sacked following a disappointing 2013 Six Nations campaign where their one victory was against the Welsh, said with a day less than the Welsh to prepare there would be little time to change much.
“I have no doubt they’ll (the Welsh) pick themselves up,” said the 48-year-old.
“They’re too good not to. Across the board, they’re stacked with talent, size and speed.
“At the same time we have got to believe that we are formidable enough at home and we’ll be very keen to demonstrate that.”
Elsewhere England will travel to Scotland in confident mood not just because the Scots were so feeble and lacking in ideas against the Irish but because their inexperienced team performed admirably against France in Paris and could have put the game to bed before the hosts late converted try edged the contest.
“From our point of view, the areas which we work around is to make sure you get those little things right, but the positives far outweigh those little moments,” said England coach Stuart Lancaster.
The relief for France coach Philippe Saint-Andre was palpable as he came under increasing pressure after a woeful series of results in 2013 -- but the engaging former France captain knows that his side must build on it at home to Italy next Sunday.
“This try (Gael Fickou’s) at the end of the match is a try of hope and of this young team led by Pascal (Pape) that never gave up.”
