Rugby nerd Ronan Murphy brings us his preview of Ireland's first Autumn international.
A nation holds its breath. Well, some of us do anyway. The half year that's passed since Joe Schmidt's appointment as Ireland head coach
has done nothing to abate the excitement of his ascension. It goes to remind how rare and wonderful test rugby is. Double so when the big
boys from the south come our way.
Opportunity
A few injuries and layoffs have given Schmidt the opportunity to tinker slightly and give a chance to players on the cusp/fringes of the squad (if New Zealand were first up you'd imagine Healy, O'Brien, O'Connell and Sexton would be starting). Jack McGrath aggressive start to the season is rewarded (not so much knocking on the door as bursting through it) and Chris Henry gets the chance to bring his fine Ulster form to the test stage again. Most people will be very excited by the prospect of Joe Schmidt getting his hands on the ever-improving Conor Murray and Paddy Jackson. Perhaps the only disappointment of selection is that Luke Marshall misses out entirely.
Schmidt has also taken the opportunity to send messages to the IRFU and some players about the pitfalls of going abroad. Johnny Sexton's
exclusion is reminder to the IRFU of what they've lost by not tying Sexton down. And some marquee players can see that Sexton's move to France is already impacting his international career.
Balance
There's a sense of balance to much of the Ireland selection for Saturday; the newbies with the spine of experience, some callow starters with the battle hardened bench, starting a 6, a 7 and an 8 in the backrow. And the captaincy situation has been deftly balanced. Everyone and their mother knows that Paul O'Connell is the leader of the Irish pack. But everyone is also aware of the fragility of his fitness these days (Saturday will be his first time in green in over a year and a half). So it's a neat solution that O'Connell captains when he plays while his permanent deputy (successor?) is in place.
Samoa
Samoa are a good team full of quality (Kahn Fotuali'i and Alapati Leiua both had overtures from the All Blacks before playing for Samoa). It was on this weekend last year that they beat Wales in the Millennium Stadium, playing some spectacular rugby but also getting plenty of joy from their own and Wales' set-piece. Given that this is (shamefully) their only Tier 1 test this Autumn, this is the match that they'll be gunning for. This is nothing like the Fiji rabble that got tonked in the non-test test in Thomond last November.
Its a bit optimistic to expect Ireland to spring into life in an all-singing-all-dancing Leinster style from kick-off on Saturday, but all Irish rugby fans will be glued to the next three test in anticipation of the genesis of a new era of Irish rugby. We wait with baited breath.
