Irish rugby is great isn’t it. All on for winning the World cup. We would have been regular recipients of the wooden spoon back in the day much like the rest of the country in the 80’s and indeed well into the 90’s we were a downtrodden nation. Finances were in shit, jobs were scarce, weather to match and outside of the odd fine day such as Italia 90 and maybe someone running well in middle distance events, we were far from the top table in any sport. How the hell did we find ourselves regularly dining at the top table of various sports such as boxing & Rugby all of a sudden. Well, it wasn’t sudden, was it?
Were always a fairly bright bunch of lads, we always got by and made the most of what we had, and we were happy enough with our lot. Mid 90’s I’d say we began to be a lot more outward looking. Seeing the French, the Spanish and the Nordic lads doing well in the EEC even the Brits were flying it. Hold on a minute and say what about us? Some crafty and to be fair to them shrewd moves at the time by the Government saw inward investment, company’s setting up shop. The IFSC was a beacon of light that would put the spire to shame… We had a few bob, big glass buildings full of cash littered the landscape. Mary down the road got decking on a patch of back garden where her mother grew a few turnips to supplement the family dinners. Eddie Hobbs was advising Gerry from Mallow on an apartment complex in Lisbon. By Jesus we had notions and no intention of stopping.
Sport benefited from investment, giveaway budgets were the norm, gate receipts were through the roof and the likes of the IRFU and its poorly managed friend over there the FAI were rolling in it. The IRFU invested and invested heavily in the future. Academies were set up; schools rugby didn’t go wanting and clubs were well looked after. The provincial structure which has been in place since day dot turned out to be the perfect funnel into the national team. Don’t get me wrong it’s been developed over the years, but that structure was in place when Munster beat all blacks and it didn’t need a lot of work. We were flying it. BOD was scoring hat tricks in Paris ROG and stringer came in as wee pups and opened the door for the likes of Galway and the Claw to bid their farewells. They had served the game well and built the solid amateur/pro foundation. It was now time for the schools and academy lads to show us what we could be about.
Back to the present day and you have a bunch of lads in the Irish set up who don’t know how to lose. Mack Hansen, has he even lost a game in an Irish shirt? James Lowe, Keenan all they know is winning. Johnny and co out of the RDS only time they lost in the last 12 months was to another Irish legend one Ronan O Gara.
Snowball winning mentality, nurturing positivity, and believing what you’re selling. Listening to interviews from the Irish squad over the last few weeks there is a genuine belief and deep-seated sense of, and don’t get me wrong, entitlement to winning. We came out of the 80’s and 90’s as the downtrodden paddy happy to have a days work and a fiver for a few jars that night to a great little country to do business in and the self confidence to go out there and say “what about me” We want a piece of the pie were stepping up here and taking what’s ours, we’ll work for it, we’ll fight tooth & nail and when the day is down we’ll take what’s ours.
Why shouldn’t we?
