Ireland think Australian, ruck Australian

The lessons of the first Test now well digested, the Irish undertook their first serious work-out since then in Perth yesterday with their most practical session of the tour. The motto was: he who thinks Australian, rucks Australian.

In both the semi-contact practice on the full pitch and in the rucking drills, the players arriving in support of the ball-carrier drove in lower, the first player even providing a bridge on one or both knees if necessary, while the next two players drove obstructing ruckers away.

Players in tackle bags were even encouraged to step over the ball carrier when he went to ground, a la David Wilson and his Wallaby cohorts, with Irish coach Warren Gatland urging the supporting ruckers to drive in below the obstructing player's head. It means putting your head in where it hurts even more.

As interpreted by Owen Doyle's refereeing fraternity in Ireland, or most Northern Hemisphere referees, there were enough technical infringements or "bridging" for them to have blown up a concerto. However what's punishable in one game, is permissible in another; depending primarily on who's refereeing, but also in what competition or what country the match is played in.

Last Saturday in Ballymore, Australian players made little or no attempt to stay on their feet to procure the ball, with South African referee Andre Watson (again in charge this Saturday) only penalising them if they went noticeably over the top.

As this had happened to lesser degrees in the first two tour games, and the Irish were aware that a Southern Hemisphere referee was going to be in charge for both Tests, perhaps they could have attempted to change their rucking techniques sooner. But they were genuinely surprised by Watson's liberal refereeing of the ruck situtations. The net result was that the brilliant Wilson, particularly, became more irritating than a skin rash.

"I thought Wilson was outstanding on the day. Every time we took the ball into contact he either slowed it down or won it," admitted Irish manager Donal Lenihan. "It's just that the Southern Hemisphere referees referee differently in terms of the second man in at the ruck situation. They will allow somebody to dive on the ball and to present it back. You'd be penalised straight away at home for doing it."

"Now that's not a criticism in any way, and I don't want it to seem as if we're critical of the refereeing, because we're not. It's just the interpretation of the laws."

Nor is it simply a question of playing each referee on the basis of where he comes from. "In the Five Nations when we had a Southern Hemisphere referee we trained that way, but when we go into the match, because the game is being played in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere referee referees it to the charter. So it's very difficult at times and I think all touring teams struggle with interpretation in that area."

Reiterating that this was not a criticism of Andre Watson, Lenihan observed: "In fact, I feel myself it lends for more continuity in play, because it just means that the ball is made available more quickly for the half backs."

Blithely ignoring the International Board's rulings on rucks, the Super 12s went their own way last season, and attempts to adhere more rigidly to the laws this season provoked such an outcry when the try count was reduced that gradually the reins were loosened. Watson has just come from the Super 12s, indeed he refereed the final.

As the ruck, along with restarts, remains one of the few areas left where the ball is genuinely contested for, all of this serves to highlight how ambiguous interpretations of the ruck have become. "It's an area that has to be addressed before the World Cup," said Lenihan.

On a largely overcast, rainy and chilly day (giving way to another storm in the evening) the session itself took place at Palmyra Rugby Club, with a panoramic view of the Swan River and central Perth on the other side. Not that it had a calming effect on Trevor Brennan in particular. No-one threw themselves into the session more than Brennan. He assuredly proved a point to a grateful Irish management, though, as ever, his team-mates might not have thought "yippee, Trev's on the mend" as it can sometimes mean somebody else won't be. There was even a very minor little spat with Andy Ward.

Brennan will probably come in for his St Mary's team-mate Victor Costello, with Dion O'Cuinneagain moving to number eight, and Malcolm O'Kelly starting, though in place of whom is slightly open to doubt.

Jeremy Davidson's hand injury prevented him from training. Less of a worry are the calf and back strains that sidelined Keith Wood and Peter Clohessy, or the bang on the head that curtailed Tom Tierney's involvement.

Beyond bringing in O'Kelly and Brennan, and Girvan Dempsey for the injured Conor O'Shea, it's difficult to see what other changes Ireland can make, though there might be an argument for bringing Jonathan Bell into the outside three. As for replacing the inventive David Humphreys, scratch that nasty thought.

For although it might be a cause for some debate, one cannot see much point in Ireland reverting to a more structured game and battening down the hatches. After all, virtually every time the halves box-kicked or launched up-and-unders in the first-half last Saturday, they sacrificed possession, the Wallabies even scoring their sole first-half try following a Humphreys' up-and-under.

"We certainly won't batten down the hatches. We're committed to developing our game. We know we're here to advance. Like, you can't just play the `kick it into the corners' game. We'd never get anywhere," said Lenihan.

The team will be announced today, and both tonight's session at the Subiaco Oval (in conjunction with Saturday's kick-off time of 6 p.m., 11 a.m. Irish) and tomorrow's final extended run-out at Palmyra will be closed, amid rumours that last Wednesday's session in Brisbane had been videotaped.

The Wallabies, for their part, have made just one enforced change to the starting XV from last Saturday, with Jason Little replacing Ben Tune on the right wing. Matt Burke is added to the replacements' bench, as is Glenn Panoho in place of Andrew Blades, although the latter will travel with the squad to Perth tonight as there is still a doubt over prop Dan Crowley due to his rib injury.