It is fair to say that over the last season or so the performances of the Irish team have been underwhelming. There were some highlights (with nice victories over England and Australia), but plenty of disappointing results as well.
During the same period, the Irish provinces have been performing very well. The 2010-11 season finished with Munster winning the Magners League, Leinster winning the Heineken Cup and reaching the final of the Magners League, Ulster reaching the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup, and Connacht qualifying for the 2011-12 Heineken Cup (for the first time in their history). Half-way through the 2011-12 season, Leinster have a nine-point lead at the top of the League (now known as the RaboDirect PRO12), Munster is third, and these two are joined by Ulster in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup, (the first time three Irish provinces simultaneously reach the last eight in the flagship competition of European rugby).
The gap between results at the provincial and national levels is likely to put increasing pressure on head coach Declan Kidney, so I thought it might be worth looking at the results since his first game in charge of Ireland.
2008-09
Win over Canada (55-0) at home
Defeat to New Zealand (3-22) at home
Win over Argentina (17-3) at home
Win over France (30-21) at home
Win over Italy (9-38) away
Win over England (14-13) at home
Win over Scotland (15-22) away
Win over Wales (15-17) away
Win over Canada (6-25) away
Win over USA (10-27) away
Nine wins and one loss.
Grand Slam, Triple Crown, Six Nations champions.
Ranked 8th in the world at the start of the season, and 4th at the end.
2009-10
Draw with Australia (20-20) at home
Win over Fiji (41-6) at home
Win over South Africa (15-10) at home
Win over Italy (29-11) at home
Defeat to France (33-10) away
Win over England (16-20) away
Win over Wales (27-12) at home
Defeat to Scotland (20-23) at home
Defeat to New Zealand (66-28) away
Defeat to Australia (22-15) away
Five wins, one draw and four losses.
Second in the Six Nations.
Ranked 4th in the world at the start of the season, and 5th at the end.
2010-11
Defeat against South Africa (21-23) at home
Win over Samoa (20-10) at home
Defeat against New Zealand (18-38) at home
Win over Argentina (29-9) at home
Win over Italy (11-13) away
Defeat against France (22-25) at home
Win over Scotland (18-21) away
Defeat against Wales (19-13) away
Win over England (24-8) at home
Five wins and four losses.
Third in the Six Nations.
Ranked 5th in the world at the start of the season, and 4th at the end.
2011-12
Defeat against Scotland (10-6) away
Defeat against France (19-12) away
Defeat against France (22-26) at home
Defeat against England (9-20) at home
Win over USA (22-10) during the World Cup
Win over Australia (15-6) during the World Cup
Win over Russia (62-12) during the World Cup
Win over Italy (36-6) during the World Cup
Defeat to Wales (10-22) during the World Cup
Defeat to Wales (21-23) at home
Four wins and six losses so far.
Ranked 4th in the world at the start of the season, and currently 8th.
Still to play before the season ends: France away, Italy at home, Scotland at home and England away in the Six Nations, followed by three games away to New Zealand away this summer.
Realistically, the best outcome would probably be three wins and four losses.
The total for the season would therefore be seven wins and ten losses. Under such circumstances, Declan Kidney may have trouble saving his position as Ireland's coach.
During the same period, the Irish provinces have been performing very well. The 2010-11 season finished with Munster winning the Magners League, Leinster winning the Heineken Cup and reaching the final of the Magners League, Ulster reaching the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup, and Connacht qualifying for the 2011-12 Heineken Cup (for the first time in their history). Half-way through the 2011-12 season, Leinster have a nine-point lead at the top of the League (now known as the RaboDirect PRO12), Munster is third, and these two are joined by Ulster in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup, (the first time three Irish provinces simultaneously reach the last eight in the flagship competition of European rugby).
The gap between results at the provincial and national levels is likely to put increasing pressure on head coach Declan Kidney, so I thought it might be worth looking at the results since his first game in charge of Ireland.
2008-09
Win over Canada (55-0) at home
Defeat to New Zealand (3-22) at home
Win over Argentina (17-3) at home
Win over France (30-21) at home
Win over Italy (9-38) away
Win over England (14-13) at home
Win over Scotland (15-22) away
Win over Wales (15-17) away
Win over Canada (6-25) away
Win over USA (10-27) away
Nine wins and one loss.
Grand Slam, Triple Crown, Six Nations champions.
Ranked 8th in the world at the start of the season, and 4th at the end.
2009-10
Draw with Australia (20-20) at home
Win over Fiji (41-6) at home
Win over South Africa (15-10) at home
Win over Italy (29-11) at home
Defeat to France (33-10) away
Win over England (16-20) away
Win over Wales (27-12) at home
Defeat to Scotland (20-23) at home
Defeat to New Zealand (66-28) away
Defeat to Australia (22-15) away
Five wins, one draw and four losses.
Second in the Six Nations.
Ranked 4th in the world at the start of the season, and 5th at the end.
2010-11
Defeat against South Africa (21-23) at home
Win over Samoa (20-10) at home
Defeat against New Zealand (18-38) at home
Win over Argentina (29-9) at home
Win over Italy (11-13) away
Defeat against France (22-25) at home
Win over Scotland (18-21) away
Defeat against Wales (19-13) away
Win over England (24-8) at home
Five wins and four losses.
Third in the Six Nations.
Ranked 5th in the world at the start of the season, and 4th at the end.
2011-12
Defeat against Scotland (10-6) away
Defeat against France (19-12) away
Defeat against France (22-26) at home
Defeat against England (9-20) at home
Win over USA (22-10) during the World Cup
Win over Australia (15-6) during the World Cup
Win over Russia (62-12) during the World Cup
Win over Italy (36-6) during the World Cup
Defeat to Wales (10-22) during the World Cup
Defeat to Wales (21-23) at home
Four wins and six losses so far.
Ranked 4th in the world at the start of the season, and currently 8th.
Still to play before the season ends: France away, Italy at home, Scotland at home and England away in the Six Nations, followed by three games away to New Zealand away this summer.
Realistically, the best outcome would probably be three wins and four losses.
The total for the season would therefore be seven wins and ten losses. Under such circumstances, Declan Kidney may have trouble saving his position as Ireland's coach.
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