Emmet Moloney writes for the 'The Irish Farmers Journal' and is a former sports columnist with 'The Kerryman'.

After a strange two weeks in Irish rugby, Declan Kidney and his players will be looking forward to getting back on the pitch, writes Emmet Moloney...

It has been an unusual two weeks for Irish rugby. First we had to deal with the loss to France, our first under Declan Kidney (although it was our umpteenth in Paris), then we had Jerry Flannery’s wild kick and subsequent suspension, followed by a spate of injuries and, finally, Ronan-Gate.

The loss to France was highly predictable. So we can calm down on that one. Believe in Deccy. He’s been here before. He won’t panic. His body language and words after the game were, as usual, set to the perfect pitch. We don’t get carried away by victories, we won’t get carried away by losses either he. And he certainly won’t.

We were beaten by the better team and we played poorly. We’ll get over that. One or two lads had a bad day at the office and they will get over that too. We dropped far too much ball. We have to get over that. And we had confirmed a couple of things we kind of suspected here the week before the match.

When Ireland play France in Paris, Argentina away and the southern hemisphere giants anywhere, we simply cannot carry known weaknesses into those games – not if we want to live with the big boys. Deccy knows this and he knows he has a year or so to get players up to speed with the game only the All Blacks, Boks and Aussies can play.

That means the surgery required at half-back will happen. But at Deccy’s pace. Similarly, the transplanted front row will hopefully arrive in good time. It pains me to write this but I cannot see John Hayes or Ronan O’Gara at the 2011 World Cup. Ditto David Wallace and Marcus Horan. Munster men all, but soon to be victims of Old Father Time.

Kidney will lower the blade one cut at a time. By Saturday night we will be right back in the championship. If Wales can cop themselves on they will beat France on Friday night and we can beat the English and throw the championship wide open. With Wales and Scotland to come in Croke Park, Ireland at 9/1 to win the Six Nations is actually good value.

Our performance greatly aided the French in the Stade De France. We couldn’t catch a ball to save our lives and we did some stupid things (more about them later). The beauty of this game in London is that teams like Ireland usually hit back with a storming display. Going into Twickers in 2004 and even back in 2001, 1993 and 1994, we were under a cloud. But there is something about the sight of an English jersey that tends to fire up an Irish man.

Anyway, we’ll play better this weekend. Much better. Circumstances suit us perfectly. The English have two wins under their belt and they’re talking about Martin Johnson as a messiah. The Grand Slam is all but theirs, it seems. As a team, they are back to their 10-man game. Big, powerful forwards and a Jonny Wilkinson boot. That’s it, though. That’s how they beat teams. Defend well, stand up to them, turn them around and make them tackle you. For 10 minutes, Wales ran them ragged and we have better attacking players than Wales. Saturday could be the day to turn them loose.

If I had one criticism of Declan Kidney it was the game plan against Italy. We played a containing, successful but ultimately very tame game, content in waiting a week for the French without expending too much energy. That display pointed towards what we saw in Paris. Kidney knows the quality of the men at his disposal. He has to trust in them now.
Jamie Heaslip, Gordon D’Arcy and Keith Earls are the men who can make the difference. They have magic in their feet and Heaslip has power in his stride. Give them the the ball, Deccy.

Peter Stringer isn’t in the 22-man panel for the game. A pity. Jonny Sexton had to be picked and he’ll need quicker ball from Tomás O’Leary this weekend to put the English on the back foot. Quick ball is the name of the game. Especially against a big and ponderous English pack. The slower, the better for them.

At fullback Geordan Murphy returns to the green of Ireland for the first time since the Grand Slam-winning match against Wales last year. His performance for Leicester last weekend was certainly a welcome boost for Declan Kidney in light of Rob Kearney’s injury. The Naas man knows the English players well. Expect him to have a good game this weekend with a try to boot.

The introduction of Jonny Sexton at outhalf is the real talking point, I guess. Although it’s hardly surprising. I thought Deccy might have gone for his Leinster team-mate at nine but caution mixed with taking the odd chance is his way.

As for Ronan O’Gara, when I heard he had written a letter to the Irish Independent to give out about Kevin Myers’ comments about his (O’Gara’s) performance in France, I thought it was a wind-up. Alas, poor Ronan, it was true. O’Gara’s letter was silly in the extreme. And the wording was, too. It screamed “It wasn’t my fault!”. Foolish, childish, unwise and I wouldn’t have wanted to be Declan Kidney’s cat when he read that morning’s paper.

As solo-runs go, it was a bizarre one. And it highlights the pressure that Ronan O’Gara must be under. He knows (as he pointed out in his letter, he is his own harshest critic!) his defence is simply not up to it when Ireland play France, the All Blacks, Springboks, etc. For that reason alone he cannot be the World Cup outhalf. He was brave against France and he was brave for the Lions last summer, but on each occasion he was run over. And he doesn’t have a break. Okay, most of the time with Ireland and Munster, but not if we want to win away from home, not if we want to make a real mark on the World Cup.

Deccy will decide on how this obituary will be written, but sharpen the pencil, Kevin. You’ll get your chance. Jonny, clean your boots, you’re the man in possession now.
Mairead Lavery is the editor of Country Living and Matt Dempsey is editor of the Farmers Journal, Ronan, if you feel like writing again.

Sexton to star and Ireland to win. And everything to be all right in Deccy Land again.

To catch Emmet's latest column, get 'The Irish Farmers' Journal' every Thursday...