Loose Pass

This week we will mostly be concerned with ambition, ego, falling from grace and cop-outs.

This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with ambition, ego, falling from grace and cop-outs.

All those who doubted Gavin Henson's hunger to get back in that red jersey should do so no longer after Henson's departure from north London (never an easy fit, Saracens and Henson) for the sunnier climes of the south of France this week.

Henson, who was always likely to be stuck behind the established Brad Barritt and up-and-coming Owen Farrell in Sarries' pecking order, departed citing a lack of game-time which would hinder the four-month window he has remaining to somehow impress Warren Gatland enough for Gatland to pick him for the World Cup.

While his current target looks somewhat far-fetched, that move to Toulon could also be a piece of genius. Philippe Saint-Andre's style of rugby will play into Henson's hands. He is now surrounded by English-speakers and strong support runners in equal measure and will almost certainly be the team's first-choice goal-kicker (when Wilko isn't available).

Whether you approve of how he has done it or not – and there's a lot of arrogance about the way he has drifted in and out of the game and then simply swanned out of Saracens saying he's not being played enough – you have to now sit back and admit: Henson is serious. Fair play to him for not letting things like contracts stand in the way of his naked ambition… or is it delusion?
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One who certainly was delusional this weekend was Ronan O'Gara. The Munster fly-half has cut a more and more frustrated figure over the past two seasons, as his place in the Ireland team has been gradually, almost painfully slowly, handed over to Jonathan Sexton.

This process has clearly not gone down well chez Ronan, who uttered the following after he dropped a late goal to seal Ireland's win in Italy: “…someone like Jonny comes in and he's really good but to continue the analogy, when the ship hits choppy waters you bring someone in. Jonny played well, but I got backed to come on and try to win the game.”

OK Ronan, it was all you. Yours was the magic touch, yours was the direction, yours was the miracle moment and necessary touch of genius…

But lest you forget, when you actually came on, Ireland were already winning. In fact, while Jonny was on the park, Ireland led 10-6, but for the time after you came on, Ireland lost 5-3. Is Jonny really as inexperienced as you say or are you clutching at straws as your own ship hits those choppy waters you refer to?
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Either way, one thing is clear: this is the end of Ireland's great generation. The Irish have lurched alarmingly since the Grand Slam of 2009, still too reliant on Brian O'Driscoll's leadership and with neither Munster nor Leinster providing as steady a stream of settled combinations as they used to.

Not many of the new lot coming through look to have the star quality of a Courtney Lawes, Joe Ansbro or Jonathan Davies and the problems at prop continue to be monkeys on Irish backs

It's a World Cup year, which almost presages an Irish fall from grace at some point. Indeed, such has been the catalogue of unexpected Irish failures since that epic near-miracle against Australia in 1991 that it's debatable who chokes more at World Cup, Ireland or New Zealand (you can add Wales to that list too).

Usually the team bounces back the following year, but the impression now is of a team very much in transition and with no firm hand at the steering wheel. It could be some time before the next Grand Slam.
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Another position with no firm hand at the wheel is that of the Six Nations commentary team's Man of the Match selection panel. Not to do down Toby Flood's contribution, but his selection as Man of the Match in Friday's England-Wales clash beggared belief.

In a brutal clash played at high speed, there were countless candidates among the forwards, not least Tom Wood, Dylan Hartley, Nick Easter, Ben Foden, even Welshman Brad Davies stood out more than Flood.

The habit pundits are falling into of lazily choosing a fly-half as MOTM, ostensibly on account of a goal-kicking performance, is beginning to do television spectators of the game an injustice. Tight five forwards in particular get short shrift. Could we not get a view that's a little more subjective please?

Loose Pass compiled by Richard Anderson