Ireland's expansive gameplan key to end-of-season success

Once more with speed, intensity and width then. Such is the allure of an Irish team to the expatriates here that a record 7,000-plus crowd is anticipated at Fletcher's Field in Markham, on the outskirts of Toronto, today for the seasonal and tour finale against Canada (kick-off 4 p.m local time, 9 p.m. Irish). And such is the sea change in the side's approach that it behoves Ireland to mark the occasion in some style.

In a sense this is a reprise of last week's game against the USA Eagles and indeed so many other games since the dawning of a new era against Scotland last February - something you dared not call at the time but the results since have confirmed it to be such.

In their last six games Ireland have scored 32 tries - can this really be Ireland we're talking about? The team that couldn't score tries now can't seem to stop doing so. Even in failing the tour's litmus test against Argentina, Ireland outscored the Pumas by four tries to three.

As that game and the preceding defeat to Wales proved, Ireland haven't been as ruthless as they should have been and it's hard not to think that otherwise Keith Wood and company could be on the verge of an Irish record of seven successive Test wins today.

But, in point of fact, those losses to Wales and Argentina showed that the key to Ireland's chances of victory at Test level nowadays is to keep playing their new brand of expansive rugby. The same is true today, for as with the Eagles, the more the Irish pack supply quick ball on the front foot for the Irish backs, and the more the backs apply pace and width at a high tempo through four or more phases, then the more they will profit.

The contrast in style with Canada makes this even more apt. The Canadians are respected throughout the rugby world for their physical aggression over 80 minutes. It served them well again last week when a spirited last 28 minutes turned a potential rout at a point-per-minute 51-13 into a relatively respectable 51-18 defeat against the Springboks.

It's highly doubtful that the Eagles could have mounted such a spirited damage-limitation exercise in identical circumstances, confirming an impression that the Eagles' win over them a fortnight ago was a bit of an aberration. Video analysis of the Canadians' subsequent performance against the Springboks underlines the Irish management's impression that today's opposition will be more effective in retaining the ball through phases, albeit in narrower confines, and altogether cuter in slowing the game down - which would not suit Ireland. "We want to play our style of rugby that we're going to develop over the next four years and we want to do it well and we want it to be tidy and we want to be efficient," says their talkative Australian coach Dave Clark, freely admitting that they are set on frustrating Ireland.

"If we can do those things and maximise our possession time and frustrate the Irish team so that when they do get the ball they get into high risk, low-return type of plays which a lot of teams do, then we can deem that as being a successful day. And if that means we put more points on the board than the opposition, we end up with a win."

That should be beyond them, but containing and stifling Ireland for long stretches mightn't be. After all, when England cut loose with a ton against the US in their World Cup build-up, a week later Canada came to Twickenham and limited them to a 36-11 win (holding the French to a nervy 33-20 World Cup opening win next time out).

There is also an understandable concern that Ireland will be in holiday mode, knowing that a welcome month's holiday is in the offing at the end of an exceptionally gruelling, 13-Test, 43-week season. They wouldn't be the first, nor the last, tourists to mentally switch off. Nevertheless, it's a big game for enough of this side to give an edge to their performances - particularly the restored Mick Galwey and Andy Ward (his first start since the World Cup), as well as, more obviously, the restored Dominic Crotty. Even the likes of Justin Fitzpatrick, Keith Wood (after an off-colour day against the Eagles), Peter Stringer (after Guy Easterby threw down the gauntlet last week), David Humphreys and Mike Mullins (originally not even a tour pick). Warren Gatland expects a good performance. "Irish rugby has had a pretty good run in the last few months and it's important that we finish off the season on a good note, and that we play our rugby against the Canadians."

Compared to the longueur of Manchester, New Hampshire, this week has flown by. Varnished by visits to Niagara Falls, this is testimony to how much more enjoyable the tourists' stay has been here even if some of Rugby Canada's arrangements for the Irish party (Fletcher's Field is over an hour away from the squad hotel near Toronto airport) haven't been.

However, Ireland can see the finishing tape more clearly than ever now and if the tourists do round off the tour and the season in some style, then they can soak up the sun, sea and sand contentedly.

Assistant coaches John Rutherford and Hugh Campbell yesterday welcomed Ian McGeechan's decision to leave the Lions behind and devote himself to Scotland as the trio prepared to play a dangerous New Zealand Maori side in New Plymouth tonight. Head coach McGeechan has confirmed he rejected the opportunity to lead the Lions party for a fourth successive time when they tour Australia next summer, citing his longterm commitment to Scotland as the primary reason behind the decision. Rutherford and Campbell, meanwhile, have remained the Scotland backs and forwards coaches respectively since McGeechan's return to the team last summer.

The focus of all three is currently on how their developing side will cope with a powerful and highly experienced Maori side at New Plymouth's "Bull Ring". Tuesday's comfortable 51-10 win over East Coast-Poverty Bay may have lifted the squad's spirits after last Friday's humbling 42-16 defeat to the New Zealand Vikings, but today should provide a more reliable indicator of the Scots' progress.

Against the Vikings, McGeechan's men showed encouraging signs of getting to grips with the technically proficient and adventurous game he espouses before losing their way in the face of a second-half onslaught. Only forwards Tom Smith and Scott Murray of tonight's starting line-up remain from the Scottish side defeated 24-8 by the Maoris at Murrayfield two years ago.