It doesn't seem that long ago, but Irish Rugby in August 2011 was quite a different place.
23 year old British and Irish Lion Luke Fitzgerald had been the first choice starting left wing for Ireland since Ireland's Grand Slam winning campaign in 2009. Rob Kearney's injury enforced absence in the 2011 Six Nations prompted Kidney to move Fitzgerald to full back. It wasn't a disaster, but slowly Fitzgerald was losing confidence. He was dropped for Ireland's final Six Nations game against England that denied them a grand slam.
Ireland were in a good place at the end of that Six Nations. Ranked 4th in the world, hopes were high going into the World Cup.
Then the warm up games happened. A loss to Scotland in which several key players didn't perform dropped them to 6th. Luke Fitzgerald was in that side that succumbed to a late Joe Ansbro try in an uninspiring game. He was given another chance the following week as Ireland travelled to Bordeaux to take on France.
It's only when you look back on the teams that played that day that you realise how much has happened in the intervening period. It's also noteworthy about how young Ireland's squad was back then. Keith Earls and Fitzgerald were still promising youngsters. Conor Murray made his international debut from the bench while Felix Jones was making his second appearance.. Murray has now amassed 34 caps.
Ireland Team That Face France On August 13th 2011:
15. Rob Kearney (Sub 22. Felix Jones)
14. Tommy Bowe (Sub 21. Fergus McFadden)
13. Keith Earls
12. Paddy Wallace
11. Luke Fitzgerald
10. Ronan O'Gara
9. Eoin Reddan (Sub 20. Conor Murray)
1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (Sub 16. Jerry Flannery)
3. Mike Ross (Sub 17. Tony Buckley)
4. Donncha O'Callaghan
5. Leo Cullen (Sub 18. Paul O'Connell)
6. Donnacha Ryan
7. Sean O'Brien
8. Denis Leamy (Sub 19. Jamie Heaslip)
Six of Ireland's 22 (the extra replacement would only come into force a year after the World Cup) have now retired, with Donncha O'Callaghan and Donnacha Ryan two others that haven't appeared for the national side in a long time. By comparison, only three of France's 22 on the day are still involved with the French squad - Maxime Mermoz, Morgan Parra and Guilheim Guirado.
And Ireland's newest hope in 2015 that takes over the mantle from Luke Fitzgerald? Robbie Henshaw was busy helping the Ireland U18's beat England to win the FIRA U18 tournament with Ulster's Stuart Olding against Jack Nowell and Anthony Watson who both faced Ireland in this year's Six Nations. In fact 11 of the 27 players Ireland have used in the Six Nations this year weren't even capped at the time including Peter O'Mahony.
Simon Zebo playing for Cork Con in September 2011
In fact, Fitzgerald now has less caps than both Conor Murray and Peter O'Mahony because of his long absence broken only by four substitute appearances in 2013.
That French game didn't go well for Fitzgerald. Despite one final opportunity to impress from the bench the following week, Tomas O'Leary an Fitzgerald were the two high profile casualties that missed out on the squad, despite both being involved in the Ireland RWC jersey launch along with David Wallace who unfortunately missed the tournament through injury that ultimately ended his career.
Ireland's preparation for that World Cup saw them lose all three games, and they ended up dropping from 4th in the world to 8th. It's a far cry from the lofty position of 3rd that we find ourselves in now.
As for Fitzgerald, he comes back into the starting lineup 42 games after his last start. It may not be another long wait until his next one.
Photo Credit Brendan Moran and Diarmuid Greene /Sportsfile
