User:rorynoonanDate:27/03/2013Time:08:14:38Edition:27/03/2013Wedwedecho270313Page:56Color:
EE - V1
User:johnroycroftDate:26/03/2013Time:11:50:49Edition:27/03/2013Wedwedecho270313Page:48Color:
48
Evening Echo
SPORT
SPORT Wednesday,
EE - V1
March 27, 2013
RUGBY
JASON HOLLAND Cork this week will leave great memories with some for club, province and country over his adopted years, when he the last 14 up a coaching leaves to take post in Canterbury. He has left many memories for those who have followed his fortunes with Midleton, Munster and Ireland A. He will be fondly remembered both as a player and coach with Munster later as a backs’ and was part of a team that has left a lasting legacy in the province. Jason Holland in “Leaving here is tough, but Munster against full flight for it’s also the start of a new era. It was Former Munster rugby Musgrave Park back Connacht at an opportunity too player and backs coach in 2004. good Jason Holland pictured I’m looking forward to pass up and he heads back to New Zealand for a coaching job at his beloved Midleton to the new challenge,” said the at Canterbury. RFC grounds before in the game former first centre. against the All Picture: Daragh Mc “I’ve had some Blacks Sweeney/Provision game in Thomond great days with Midleton. I originally in 2009 was probably the standout came over expecting to play moment on the in Ireland for coaching side. a season or two and we got promoted “If Joe Rokocoko from division four and three that try, that would hadn’t scored and they were really have been a real great days. high point.” “Times have changed A lot has changed a lot since then economically, since Holland left New Zealand Back then you’d have had huge in the 90s and he has spent some crowds at Town’s time with Munster Park, particularly coach Rob Penney, with the promotions and half who left Canterthe town would bury to join have Munster — talking been back in the about the lie of clubhouse after the land so to speak. the game. The craic was brilliant and Holland wants the atmosphere to hit the ground running when he was unbelievable eventually does and I have a get lot of really to his new job fond and he feels the memories from time those times.” spent talking to Penney will be Almost as if to time well spent. show his undying loyalty to the east Cork club “I’ve had a few with conversations with whom he stayed since Rob about New Zealand and the 1999, he is concernedhis arrival in culture in about the club their and what to expect. current plight in Division 2A I’ve been away of the for a long enough league where they are close time. to the drop zone. Canterbury play a similar style “I feel bad to be to what Munster are heading off with the last couple trying to achieve. of games being “We’ve had quite so im- Munster portant but as a few conversaboss Declan Kidney. I said, it was an tions about attack and defence opportunity too good “I got the call from was Munster’s philosphies, so to miss. Deccie and obgame I won’t be going “Hopefully, we against gave viously wasn’t Toulouse in Bordeaux out there cold. I want will be able to us a chance going to say no in 2000 in the get that. Little the points to to hit the ground to Heineken Cup Bordeaux especially going out to running.” stay did I think back semi-final. then it in a semi-final been a great club up. They have would turn The boys in out the way it He won’t be going to be with and red beat Toulouse against a French side in their did. Back 31-25 will miss them I directly to work own with Canterbury. back yard. in a never-to-be and I have made then I hadn’t thought about forgotten day turning some incredible First the plan is “Younger people to spend a couple friends there over pro and it was a real eye-opener when the province finally who of the years.” days watch when I got into broke with their duck on French Mun- ily in New his famster mightn’t remember the set-up. Zealand before soil. Holland arrived what a big his “I have great taking up “The Toulouse deal it was because at the start of the new post. respect for Dec. game was the Munster have professional era, I standout one done it more over but there had never suppose when you get time “I head to Auckland for me. It was the years but that to look been an intention the first would back and reflect, first and spend three or to be one of the you can see what time we had beaten a French four days with ally when he came play profession- he did and standout moside on ments French soil. my he was a top-class parents. I will to Ireland. for me as a player. fly to down on man He was getting manager. His management “We did it with Easter “There were others Monday and start rave a bit of style and of people the playing for Midleton reviews while is what set like playing A work on April famous Munster internationals him apart.” 2.” Even though he back in the haland the Gloucester fans also found cyon days of the envisages staying Of all the big game, but I think All-Ireland league days that Munster their voice in that game. It the Toulouse game in New Zealand for the long and that didn’t was a was the had, one game haul, he go unnoticed by has quite ruled in particular stands great day and we played some standout moment new out for the out not ever coming for great pecially rugby. Midleton player with what followedme, es- back. and that with “There weren’t “Never say never too many people Munster. because you “I think being one of the coaches never know, but I think I’ll be back there for the long haul.”
Holland goes back to land of long cloud
O’Connell: Finding
MUNSTER’S talisman Paul O’Connell hasn’t quite figured out why there has been such a fuss made about the Munster game plan. What bemuses the second row even more is that fact that when Munster lose, the default button seems to be to blame the game plan. If there was anyone to blame when Munster lost it was the players and not the game plan. “For me, and I wasn’t even playing, I always thought there was clarity. I think most of the players were that way. probably just weren’t We playing well at times as well. It doesn’t matter what game plan you are playing, if you are
space vital to Munster
’s game plan
running into touch or you are dropping balls, it doesn’t matter MUNSTER RUGBY what game plan That's what Rob you are playing, is trying to give you are going to us, maybe an easier put yourself under framework to find pressure and take By SEÁN McCARTHY that space. it (pressure) off RaboDirect PRO12 the other team.” “Very early on when Rob came The theory is far to blame the game in the biggest thing P W D L F simpler than the plan Leinster he A BP Pts practice. Cut out 18 14 0 4 467 reason at the moment, for some about was all about was talking Glasgow the errors says 18 13 0 5 429 307 7 63 and I don't our kicking the think that's Young Munster Ulster game, and how 18 13 1 4 453 251 10 62 clubman. the case.” a good kicking Ospreys “You need to play 18 12 1 5 384 294 8 62 Finding space and game allows you find Scarlets error-free rugby, making the most space with the 18 12 0 6 338 251 4 54 it doesn’t matter Munster of it is key to Munster’s hands easier. Look, 18 10 1 7 351 333 6 54 what game plan Treviso I suppose, it is strategy 18 8 1 9 317 261 5 47 now and it has you are playing, amazing to do interviews Cardiff always been, says whether you 18 7 0 11 285 372 5 39 and talk Connacht O’Connell. are playing one-out about a game plan 18 7 0 11 282 390 5 33 runners or Edinburgh so much, it is 18 5 0 13 325 321 4 32 “I think we always whether you are such a strange Dragons playing wide look for space, thing for me. But 18 5 0 13 279 411 8 28 Zebre we probably weren’t it or whatever you is not such a big 18 0 0 18 224 475 3 23 are doing. deal as people are 468 8 8 finding it,” he says that good at making it out to I think that's an with a smile. be. I just think “I remember one at times we haven’t important thing of the first things mixed it up as for us, Deccie was saying well as we needed first one to say I think sometimes whenever I came to.” that as well. It into the squad, is all He reckons that positive from the when we don't 'we'll attack space, his Munster coach play players’ point of whether we have might be inclined view, from the well, people just to to agree with that players I speak like run it there, that's kick it there or sentiment. to anyway it is all what we'll do'. positive. Hopefully, “I think Rob would it continues that probably be the way now as things move on.”
Ireland’s James McCarthy shows his disappointment after the game against Austria at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin last night. Picture: INPHO
Éamonn Murphy: Current crop of U21 footballer are capable of a lot more: P52
Rugby: Jason Holland goes back to the land of long cloud: P48
Peter McNamara: Cork football defence must keep out Mayo strike force: P53
Trap won’t give up on qualification Ireland Austria
Gio insists Ireland’s World Cup chances haven’t faded away
2 2
DESPITE Ireland’s disastrous 2-2 draw at home last night, which makes reaching the World Cup in Brazil an uphill struggle, Giovanni Trapattoni will be staying on board as manager.
SOCCER By NOEL SPILLANE stage man of the match Shane Long — who has been under-utilised by Trap in general — had been bizarrely withdraw. The former Juventus guru survives though, as it would cost the FAI in excess of £4million to shaft him and assistant Marco Tardelli in terms of compensation. The 74 year-old Italian will see out the World Cup qualification campaign and is determined to do so. He
Yet again, the Italian’s questionable team selection, communication skills and in-game switches undermined the Irish, with gifted midfielder Wes Hoolahan left on the bench in the second as the Austria gained the upperhand and pressed for an equaliser. That duly arrived with 90 seconds to go, by which
should have been jettisoned after the 6-1 humiliation by group leaders, Germany in Dublin last October, but if Ireland had been victorious last night they would have held a grip on second position in Group C with qualification for Brazil 2014 in their hands. Instead Ireland are level on eight points with Sweden, who’ve a game in hand but must visit Dublin, and Austria, who host Ireland after the summer. Barring a remarkable series of results for the Irish, who are also away to Germany, Trap will be re-
placed at the end of the campaign by either Norwich manager Chris Hughton, Sunderland’s Martin O’Neill, or the recently out of work ex-Reading boss Brian McDermott. After the 2-2 draw last night, with Jon Walters netting a double, the Italian insisted that there would be no question of him considering his future. “Why? Why? You remember we are Ireland. You know we are not Germany or England and so on. We are Ireland. We are in a good position in the group.” ● See P47 for more.
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