With the Six Nations set for kick-off this weekend, Planet Rugby takes a look at each team's chances in 2013. Next up, Ireland!
With their title prospects de-railed early on last season at home to Wales, Ireland will begin their campaign by visiting Cardiff looking for revenge and eyeing up another Six Nations crown.
Last year: A well-earned draw in Paris - where their match with Les Bleus went ahead at the second time of asking following a frozen pitch - and a heavy defeat at Twickenham proved to ultimately be Ireland's undoing, along with the defeat to Wales in the opening encounter.
No side scored more points or made more line breaks than Ireland in the 2012 championship though, with Tommy Bowe finishing as the tournament's top try scorer with five. The Ulsterman will miss this year's championship due to a knee injury.
Where Ireland struggled was in the set-piece - the memory of their splintered scrum against England at Twickenham has not quite been forgotten - with forwards coach Gert Smal this time around unable to select either Stephen Ferris or Paul O'Connell.
Moving on from the Six Nations, Ireland were whitewashed by New Zealand in June - including the 60-0 defeat in Hamilton - before a narrow defeat against South Africa and a big win over Argentina in November lifted spirits ahead of the new year.
This year: A third Heineken Cup in four years for Leinster has seen Irish rugby's stock rise further since last year's tournament, with Ulster and Munster set to compete in the quarter-finals of this year's European showpiece.
Bowe's injury is far from a disaster due to the excellent form out wide of young duo Simon Zebo and Craig Gilroy - with both players more than able to accommodate for Bowe's absence.
The return of Leinster absentees Sean O'Brien, Brian O'Driscoll and Rob Kearney will have boosted coach Declan Kidney's spirits no end in recent weeks, whilst upfront Cian Healy has been in excellent form for the European champions.
Given that Ireland will host both France and England in Dublin, a win away at the Millennium Stadium in Round One would make them candidates to the lift the title this season if they can back it up with the key victories at home.
Key players: Besides at prop and in the second row, Ireland have great depth throughout their squad. A crop of the 2009 Grand Slam winning side remain but all eyes will be on fly-half Jonathan Sexton.
Set to join Racing Métro on a big-money transfer at the end of the season, the Leinster fly-half has proved his value over the last 12 months and will be integral to any Irish success in 2013.
Elsewhere, the aforementioned Healy is crucial both to Ireland's scrum but also around the park, where his power and pace turn him into an extra back row. One man who could be selected in that area is Chris Henry, whose performances in the Heineken Cup indicate the big stage is where he belongs.
The return of Brian O'Driscoll provides essential leadership in midfield, whilst the man who has taken the captain's armband from O'Driscoll,Jamie Heaslip, will face a step up from when he lead the side in November. As Ireland look forward to the next generation, much will be made of their success under Heaslip's captaincy over the next two months.
Prospects: Win against Wales in Cardiff and the hype around Ireland will swell. Concerns remain over their ability to scrummage with the best but an effective line-out and Sexton's ability with boot and hand give Ireland an edge. A top three finish feels within their grasp, but they could go all the way.
Fixtures:
2 February: v Wales - Away
10 February: v England - Home
24 February: v Scotland - Away
9 March: v France - Home
16 March: v Italy - Away
Comments
shrimps says...
@ carpelone
this year!? i was on an article from 2 years ago whilst searching for another article and you were making a similar point about ireland competing for the wooden spoon even back then. 2 years ago!!! maybe you'll be right this year, but you've it looks like youve always been wrong and still blindly arrogant about your italy team. have some realism or honesty plase!
Posted 20:45 31st January 2013
Kevin83 says...
Shoobydo
You say: "Mike Ross, Best and Healy got taught a lesson in scummaging at Twickenham last year and didn't fare much better in NZ."
Firstly Mike Ross was running at about 60% fitness that day and Dan Cole had a field day because of it. Not Ross' fault at all and Tom court came on early enough to replace him.
A lot of things went wrong in New Zealand but I do not think the scrum was one of them. A scrum doesn't have to move the opposition back 10 metres to be considered good. it was solid and I thought that tour set our scrum back on the right track. This was then proven against Argentina in November, known as one of the best scrummaging nations.
Our Scrum will be fine, I have no doubt about that and if we can show the same Link up play we did against Argentina on Saturday then I will start to get excited but ever since the Grand Slam our biggest problem has been consistency. Get that sorted on Saturday and We could be in for a good Championship.
Welcome Back 6 Nations!!!
Posted 16:03 30th January 2013
carpelone says...
shrimps
Of course I think that Scotland and Italy are WS contenders as per tradition. This year I would not exclude Wales and Ireland as well. That was out of discussion in past year editions. This year, Scotland and Italy seem to have improved a bit while Ireland and Wales seem not as powerful as they used to be.
I will take the banter if wrong. Happy rugby to all.
Posted 15:01 30th January 2013
Shoobydo says...
@dodgyrog
Mike Ross, Best and Healy got taught a lesson in scummaging at Twickenham last year and didn't fare much better in NZ.
It'll be interesting to see if the Ireland's set-piece has improved since then.
Performing well against Wales will be a massive psychological boost for the front 3.
On the flip side, Zebo-Kearney-Gilroy are probably the most exciting back 3 in the 6-nations.
Posted 13:42 30th January 2013
shrimps says...
@ carpelone
any team could be competing for the wooden spoon, but let's be realistic. it's probably going to be italy and scotland as it is every year.
Posted 13:29 30th January 2013
carpelone says...
By the way, where are crunchfit and blametheref?
Posted 12:17 30th January 2013
carpelone says...
TV Addict.
They can come close to win but also they could be handed the wooden spoon this year. They have a lot of work in progress and Kidney is failing to acknowledge that Ulster now is the leading Irish (!) province. For instance, Henry should be a regular starter for me. Kidney insists in playing Murray with Sexton, they just don't go well together. In my opinion, apart the Grand Slam win, Ireland have always underperformed under DC (especially if compared to some scintillating rugby produced by Leinster during the past years) and the squad is not getting better, apparently.
Let's see how they perform. I put my head on the block with this prediction, but I would be also happy to be proven wrong.
Cheers to all.
Posted 10:21 30th January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
With both france and england at home, ireland like "the odd years". O'Connel still leaves a void waiting to be filled and Declan Kidney is not Mr Popularity with the irish fans. BOD's back though and I liked his tries vs exeter a couple of weeks ago, he looks good. Ireland have sublime set peice attacking plays that come off quite often. They are arguably the best structured team in the six nations, so good it doesn't look mechanical. Their team is packed with talent. Skilled backs that make me envious (and excited for the lions), and big angry forwards. ...only thats the problem. their feared back row isn't clicking and it's already hurt their european aspirations this season. There is a ground swell of discontent with Kidney. but class is perminant and Ireland need to show a bit of confidence. BOD will help in this regard. I think they are potential winners so long as they get their heads screwed on straight. But with Ireland self belief is always the biggest question.
Posted 10:20 30th January 2013
Dougie says...
Melkdave, Ferris is 27. Hardly over the hill yet.
Posted 00:59 30th January 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
I still don't get where Ireland are going. Kidney seems to be selecting for nothing more than the next game which, perhaps is the pragmatic approach to keeping one's job but one or two positions are starting to look threadbare in the Irish side and you just can't see where the new blood is coming from.
How long is Kidney contracted for?
Posted 22:25 29th January 2013
scrumdog says...
Both tighthead props, Ross and Fitzpatrick were well able for Woodcock and Franks in the June test series....and both are in the match 23. Ireland's vulnerability in the scrum are overstated because of a single game and Argentina can vouch for that!
Posted 19:22 29th January 2013
TVaddict says...
I really don't get why everyone seems to be predicting Ireland to do poorly. They play their hardest matches (England and France) at home and they are a squad full of experience and a sprinkle of young talent. Their first choice front row are decent at the set pieces and their second row both mobile and solid. The backrow looks a bit unbalanced in terms of the breakdown, but effective at everything else. Half-backs solid and experienced together, most used centre combination ever, exciting pacey wingers with a rock at fullback. Ireland are my dark horses to win this year.
Posted 18:43 29th January 2013
melkdave says...
Still feel France will win the championship,albet without a slam.,and its between England and Ireland as to who finishes 2nd .Ireland need to find consistency,its no longer acceptable imo.For them to put in one fantastic performance every 5-10 games,ala against New Zealand last summer and Argentina in the aurtum.Ireland also imo,need to blood the good talant coming though quicker,and give them game time.They still seem over relient on the so called golden genaration players.If POC and Ferris ect where fit does anyone dought they would be starters under D.Kidney,and C.Henry wouldnt even be in the squad.or D.Tohuy even if his injured atm.
Posted 17:18 29th January 2013
dodgyrog says...
No worries about scrums as long as mike ross is on the field, line outs have looked a bit shaky with o'connell missing, other than that if we get a win on Saturday, confidence should be high for the one we really want to win the following week against England.
Posted 16:11 29th January 2013