From Rugby World reader, Ken Fitzgerald
A Celtic perspective on the week in rugby.
Congratulations to Brian O Driscoll being named player of the decade at the rugby writer’s dinner held in London last night. The next time Richie McCaw is in Dublin he should drop his IRB world player of the year award off at the mercurial outside centres house.
Unfortunately the snow has raised its ugly head again and threatens round 5 of the Heineken Cup going ahead in some venues this weekend. It will be very interesting to see if Ravenhill and the RDS can have their playing surfaces ready for their weekend fixtures. Very interesting the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) here in Ireland has thrown Croke Park into the mix for both provinces should their grounds be unplayable. Neither Ravenhill nor the RDS have heated pitches but as yet the IRFU has made no approach to the GAA about using GAA HQ. Not a cheap day out for the IRFU I hear. The GAA now using its marvellous stadium as revenue generating commercial entity to other football codes makes me wonder what all the bother was about a few years ago.
Gavin Henson has allegedly dropped 3 stone during his sabbatical and the Ospreys are keen to have him back. Can anybody tell me why? He is in my opinion the singular most overrated player ever to grace the professional game.
It looks like Rod Macqueen is going to be the new head coach of the new Melbourne Rebels Super 15 franchise with John Connolly allegedly being considered for a role also not far behind him. It will be very interesting to see their player recruitments for next season.
In the Magners league news Celtic rugby is considering playing postponed games on 6 nation’s weekends. Good luck with that!
London Irish have been forced to move next weekends round 6 fixtures against holders Leinster to Twickenham. It will be a difficult ask for the Dublin based champions. They’ll have to beat London Irish at the breakdown and somehow stop Bob Casey and Nick Kennedy from poaching their line outs all night. Before all that though they have to put Brive to the sword on Saturday in whatever stadium the game takes place. Let’s hope Van der linde gets a run out on Saturday and can come through uninjured. Like wise for Irelands new out half Johnny Sexton.
Roll on the weekend.