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Ireland believe Humphreys can inspire grand design

James Corrigan
Saturday 08 March 2003 01:00 GMT
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Perhaps only the Irish could have spent the whole week discussing how wrong it would be to start discussing a Grand Slam so early in the competition.

Well, they will get their wish for at least 80 minutes today when any thoughts of Ireland's first magic sweep since 1948 will be put to one side as they attempt to brush aside that small matter of France. But do not expect the hype to stay bottled up for any longer than the black stuff because confidence is high in the Blarney Army right now. After facile wins over Scotland and Italy, all of Ireland fully expects a historic second Grand Slam to come even more sharply into focus by this evening, when surely only a day trip to Wales and England at home will remain in their way.

A measure of this brash, new Ireland is not only revealed in the news that the bookmakers, for the first time in living memory, make them the favourites to beat France, but also by the manner in which they reacted to a late withdrawal. In the past the loss of a full-back such as Girvan Dempsey – whose groin strain flared up in training – would have been met with howls. But now? Barely a shrug.

"It's a pity, but it's no great drama," said Eddie O'Sullivan, the Irish coach, as he moved Geordan Murphy back into the role he played so admirably in Rome two weeks ago and filled the vacancy at right wing with John Kelly. And just standing by to take Kelly's place on the bench was Rob Henderson, a 28-cap all-rounder who also just happens to be a Lion.

"It was an easy enough decision," O'Sullivan added. "We'll have the same back division that played quite well against Italy." But Ireland know that what may be good enough for Italy may not be for France. Although the 22-15 victory here two years ago is still in the memory, last year's 44-5 thumping in Paris last spring cannot be forgotten either.

Ireland's back line has scored eight tries already in this competition. The majority of these have stemmed from the newly discovered genius of David Humphreys, who wins his 50th cap at outside-half today and keeps the much-fancied Ronan O'Gara on the bench. "David will lead the team out today, which is an honour he deserves," OSullivan revealed. "I think everyone now realises that we have here one of the greatest Irish fly-halves of all time." Not least the French, who will no doubt attempt to nail down the scrum in order to deny Humphreys and co their tool of destruction.

The interpretations of Andre Watson, the South African referee, at the scrummage will therefore be watched closely, especially with France having experienced all sorts of problems in this sphere against England and even Scotland.

Nevertheless, he will be mindful that it will likely come down to whoever makes the most of whatever possession they can muster. And for that reason Ireland must see hope in the fresh faces in the visiting line-up. Due to injuries, poor form and the odd failed drugs test, the spine of the French team – namely the hooker, No 8, scrum-half, fly-half and full-back – has an average age of 23 and that includes a 30-year-old in Rafael Ibanez. The hooker apart, they have just 25 caps between them.

Their weakest link may be at scrum-half where the 22-year-old Dimitri Yachvili steps in to win his third cap to cover for the captain, Fabien Galthié, who is absent with a shoulder injury. How the Biarritz No 9 gels with his outside-half, François Gelez, will have occupied the pre-match dilemmas of the coach, Bernard Laporte, as will the ability of his stand-in captain, Fabien Pelous, to keep a tight rein on discipline.

Otherwise the French have told their enfants what terrible things to expect against Ireland. The prop Jean-Jacques Crenca is just one of 11 on the team making their international Dublin debuts, but seems pretty well versed. "I will have to padlock the scrums, fire in a few crushing tackles and remember my spiked helmet," he said.

France's Pieter de Villiers, who failed a drugs test in December, has been suspended by the French Federation until the end of the Six Nations.

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