Planet Rugby

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Cups running over

The Sunday Telegraph columnist Paul Ackford had some relevant points to make in his column yesterday. The former international voiced what many people have been thinking about the glut of trophies now on offer and the questionable relevance of the Triple Crown. For those of you who don't take the Telegraph, here's some of what he has to say.

"Ireland won the Century Quaich yesterday as well as the Triple Crown. It came as a surprise to me, too, because until I leafed through the match programme I hadn't heard of the Century Quaich, which is a trophy up for grabs when Scotland play Ireland these days."

No, never heard of it either.

"I had heard of the Cook Cup (England v Australia), the Bledisloe Cup (New Zealand v Australia), the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate (Australia v South Africa), the Calcutta Cup (England v Scotland), but that's about the lot . . . The Tom Richards Trophy (Lions v the Wallabies, named after a bloke who played for both sides), the Dave Gallaher Trophy (France v the All Blacks), the Hopetown Cup (Australia v Scotland; don't ask, I haven't a clue) and the Freedom Cup (Springboks v the All Blacks) don't ring any bells whatsoever," Ackford writes.

"I'm for doing away with the Triple Crown altogether because it is increasingly anachronistic. It now exists in a tournament, the Six Nations, in which two of the teams, France and Italy, are excluded from securing it. What is the point of a competition within a competition, which is not open to all?

"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention the Millennium Trophy (England v Ireland) and the Lansdowne Cup (Ireland v Australia). I'm sure there are more out there but I'm losing the will to live." Discuss.

Trebles welcome

Whatever about Ackford's robust views, this is how it now stands - 1894, 1899, 1948, 1949, 1982, 1985, 2004, 2006 and 2007. They are Ireland's Triple Crown-winning years and you can understand why Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan and the players are fighting their corner.

A raft of Irish players - those who have been there since 2004 - have become the only ones to have won the competition for a third time (though surprisingly, not Denis Hickie, who was injured for the previous two).

The five years from 1894 to 1899 would have seen several players surviving between the two sides. Similarly, there would have been double winners between 1948 and 1949. The teams of 1982 and 1985 would also have had individuals spanning the years.

Interestingly, the Triple Crown has gone unclaimed almost as often as it has been won. The statistics show England have 23 wins, Wales 18, Scotland 10 and Ireland nine. In total that is 60 Triple Crown titles since it began in 1883. On 53 occasions none of the teams involved could win it outright.

Calls lost in transit

When Wales kicked to the corner on Saturday and referee Chris White blew his whistle for full time, it was another case of bad communications on the pitch. A successful Welsh penalty, had the team chosen to take that option, would have denied Italy the win.

"Quite clearly we were told there was time to play. If we had been told otherwise, we would have kicked for goal," said the Welsh coach Gareth Jenkins afterwards.

Many people watching Ireland's match against Wales in the Millennium Stadium at the start of the championship would have seen the Ireland scrumhalf Peter Stringer having problems communicating lineout calls to hooker Rory Best all the way through the match.

At least there is a reason for that one. According to assistant coach Niall O'Donovan, it is Paul O'Connell who calls the Irish lineouts and no throw is called until he sees how the opposition are lining up to defend. Consequently the call comes at the very last moment from O'Connell to Stringer to Best - amid the usual cacophony, of course.

Studies could suffer

Just how high is the Under-19 World Cup on the IRFU's list of priorities? This year's competition will run in Belfast from April 4th to 21st. Given the age group involved and the proximity to the most important school exams - the Leaving Certificate - it seems incredible timing.

While the IRB may well have instructed the host nation what dates it should be staged, those dates and the obviously intensive build-up will cause major disruption to the educational demands of players, some of whom may not wish to become professional rugby players (unlikely though that might be).

We all know Brian O'Driscoll and Donncha O'Callaghan won the competition with the Declan Kidney-coached side of 1998, but we also know that Leinster's Luke Fitzgerald declined to take part last season - in that notable rugby hotbed Dubai - because of examination demands.

Quote of the week

"Basically someone tried to choke him on the ground, had his arm around his neck, cut off his air supply and he went blue."

- Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan on the incident at the end of the Scotland-Ireland match that left Ronan O'Gara unconscious.