MARK RODDENon why the iconic French backrow just loves a tussle with Ireland and Paul O'Connell
NEWLY RESTORED to the French backrow, Imanol Harinordoquy is relishing the prospect of facing a wounded Irish team in Paris on Saturday.
The Biarritz captain’s dynamic cameo in the win over Italy has earned him a starting place ahead of Julien Bonnaire, and he says he is relieved to have put his post-World Cup injury problems behind him.
“I’m really happy to be able to play, to be starting at the Stade de France in front of our fans,” he said. “And then it’s against Ireland – there’s plenty of reasons to enjoy yourself.”
The iconic 31-year-old has been the source of heartache for many an Irish side over the years, but he says that at international level this is a fixture that stands out from all the rest.
“It’s maybe the match where, if you aren’t on your game physically and at the breakdown, then you don’t exist. They’re specialists when it comes to defensive work – they work collectively.
“There are always two or three of them around the player with the ball, they tackle you high, they prevent you from going to ground and that slows down your ball. They win a lot of possession in those areas too.”
France have won 11 of their last 12 games against Ireland by focusing on that part of the game, according to Harinordoquy, but he does not believe that they have a psychological edge over Declan Kidney’s side.
“Every time it’s been tight and the result hasn’t always reflected how the match went. So for me there are no favourites for this match. They’re a confident team that don’t panic.
“In the first 20 or 30 minutes on Sunday they were pushed around and you had the impression that the Welsh really had the upper hand. But in the end Ireland were still in the match and could have won it.”
Harinordoquy says that the French will be keen to get as close as possible to the ball carrier at the breakdown in expected sub-zero temperatures in Paris on Saturday, and he also admits that they will take some inspiration from the Welsh performance in Dublin.
“They moved the ball a lot – they showed that you can score tries against Ireland but you have to move the ball. When Wales scored their tries, they got the ball out quickly to find some gaps. But there weren’t too many gaps either.
“I don’t think we’ll play in the same way as the Welsh but in terms of their attitude there are things we can copy. They gave as good as they got and it was a pretty incredible match.”
The French win over Italy was a much more low-key affair, although there was plenty that Philippe Saint-Andre was unhappy about. As a result, Harinordoquy has been drafted in to call the shots in a lineout that was inconsistent last Saturday. That will see the Basque star once more try to outwit Paul O’Connell, a player he respects enormously and with whom he shares an indefatigable will to win.
“I remember the first time I was standing beside him and I found him pretty big,” Harinordoquy laughed. “What impressed me most was his reach.
“In a ruck, he’s quite difficult to get rid of and in the lineout even when he’s caught or when he’s fooled by a dummy he always comes back – he’s always got a wandering hand. He’s never beaten . . . I think he’s the guarantor of the Irish team’s spirit.”
An unwelcome distraction for the French this week will be the release of a book by former coach Marc Lièvremont in the build-up to Saturday’s game.
Harinordoquy was fiercely critical of Lièvremont following the World Cup and he says that he will be in no rush to get his hands on a copy.
“I’m already reading a book that I haven’t been able to finish,” he quipped. “For now I’ll try to study the Irish until Saturday – that’s my priority.”
