Turning up on our doorstep too often

Just when it was nicely coming to the boil, they go and turn off the heat, instead putting on something else. The Heineken European Cup takes us to rugby heartlands and new lands that we would otherwise never reach, in the process giving us more variety and entertainment than even the international itinerary. In part, this is because internationals are too numerous. They have lost their novelty value, their lustre.

The forthcoming Northern v Southern hemisphere round of early winter Tests is now annual. Perhaps there's some truth in the adage about what familiarity breeds. After all, Ireland only played a two-Test series in South Africa in the summer of 1998, and this time two years ago played host to an identical short tour comprising an "A" game and a Test. Coming after the rich tapestry of weekends filled with pan-European games, as one English colleague noted last Saturday in advance of yet another Australian sortie to Britain: "Oh no, not John Eales again. Go away John."

Time was when Eales and co from the big three down in the south had a certain rarity value. Now, if you're so inclined, you can even see them in their domestic fare during the summer months, as well as the tours they in turn host from Europe. No doubt they'll catch on as usual, and the prospect of Ireland locking horns with South Africa will invariably get the juices flowing once match day nears, but it is going to take some readjusting to get our batteries going for this latest round of internationals.

All the more reason therefore, to give the players a break this weekend after an intense three-month kickoff to the season. In effect, to play the last round of Guinness Interprovincials next Friday would be a waste. They will serve no purpose to the provincial managements or players concerned, other than to try out fringe players. Players involved in the ensuing games against Japan four and eight days later will be mindful of picking up injuries. The interpros will not enable the provinces to prepare for their last two rounds of pool games in Europe, whereas if moved to early January they would be of benefit.

So all in all then, everybody's a winner, including the interpro sponsors and the branch coffers, as fuller strength provincial sides meeting at the end of the Christmas break would also carry more public appeal. The exception being, of course, the clubs. Aren't they always? It seems that no matter what forward steps are taken generally, the clubs are squeezed, and with a rescheduling of the full AIB League programme for January 6th, that would again be the case.

However, every step taken in the last three years towards enhancing the provinces (be it six-series interpros, more professional contracts, more time to the provinces overall) has proved to be generally beneficial to Irish rugby and that will undoubtedly continue to be the case. The proof is in the results and the performances on the pitch.

Three seasons ago, the three Irish provinces in the European Cup lost 13 of their 18 pool games, and of the six nationalities represented in the competition, finished in joint fourth with a winning ratio of 28 per cent. That jumped to 62.5 per cent two seasons ago, admittedly when the English clubs along with Cardiff and Swansea boycotted the competition. Last season, the Irish provinces were back in fourth place overall, albeit with a healthy enough return of 50 per cent.

Granted, this season's pool stages are not complete yet, but as things stand the three Irish provinces are second in a table based on cumulative results by each nationality, with seven wins, one draw and four defeats earning a ratio of 63.3 per cent.

The Welsh lead the way with a new high of 14 wins from 20 matches, and are rightly delirious over three of their clubs topping their pools, with the other two still in contention. It's worth noting how relatively numerous their foreign legion is though, and the fact that two of their teams have Italian opposition in their pools, whereas the Irish and Scots don't have any.

The French, despite early traumas, have regrouped a little but the English have slipped alarmingly, losing nine of their 13 matches on the road and only winning six of their 11 home matches. So much for the over-hyped, best club league in the world.

The Scots are possibly more competitive than their return of two wins from eight suggests, but it reinforces this observer's view that their super districts, with their nomadic homes, are devoid of identity and that the Scottish Union's decision was the worst by any union in the age of professionalism. And that takes some doing.

Ulster's defeat in Friday night's thriller constituted Ireland's first at home in the competition, and denies them a shot at qualification from a brutally tough draw. But Leinster and Munster are still well placed to make it, and if the Union make the right decision today that will only enhance their chances.

Considering all of that then, any wonder that one of the most significant sights of the weekend, at Bath on Saturday, occurred on the full-time whistle, when a delirious home bench jumped and celebrated along with their delighted fans over beating an Irish side at home. This despite being outscored by five tries to nil in the two matches, a statistic that seems to have escaped them as it looks certain to ensure their elimination unless Munster lose their last two games.

Three seasons ago, they would have just shrugged their shoulders, and dutifully patted their vanquished visitors on the heads. Now that's progress.