Six Nations: Plenty of pointers for British Lions selectors

IT MAY seem strange to be talking about the British and Irish Lions tour in 2013 when the minds of Scotland supporters are still numb at the interminable struggle for a solitary victory, but within a few weeks the new Lions coach will have been anointed and begun the search in earnest for the next group of talent to wear the famous red jersey.

There will inevitably be a number already sporting red in the frame, but this game in Dublin yesterday has the potential also to feature heavily in the thinking.

Despite Scotland’s depressing display, Richie Gray and David Denton undoubtedly enhanced their reputations, whereas the stars of the Irish pack display were the relative newcomers Donnacha Ryan, who was voted RBS Man of the Match and flanker Peter O’Mahony.

Ireland’s top back rows Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip had relatively quiet games by their standards, but were comfortable throughout and can again be expected to be in the mix next year.

But what of the two captains, the hookers Ross Ford and Rory Best, who will vie for Lions jerseys? This game revealed less about their individual skills and more about what their respective teams could produce off their lineouts, and from their decision-making.

Best actually got off to a bad start, when his first throw disappeared over the top and Scotland attacked, leading to Greig Laidlaw’s second penalty after ten minutes.

But it was the Ulsterman who made the first significant mark on the game when he instructed Jonny Sexton to kick the ball to touch when awarded a penalty well within the fly-half’s goal-kicking range. It was a bold move that drew the appreciation of the Irish support, and Best then made it count.

His lineout throw was good to the middle and from a pass from Peter O’Mahony on the loop, Best barrelled over Mike Blair and into the left-hand corner, an opportunity pre-planned and well-executed.

A Best throw to Ferris at the tail on the Scots 22 just on half-time was also the catalyst for Andrew Trimble’s try, a score at a crucial moment in the game as it moved Ireland from a lead of three points into one of eight. The contrast with Ford’s decision at a key period in the first half was marked. Scotland had the Irish under the cosh with Ford’s lineout throwing in the left-hand corner just ten minutes before the interval.

The Scottish lineout, with Jim Hamilton and Gray securing good ball, was a good option especially after the hosts had been warned for illegally stopping good Scots mauls, but instead of turning the screw and going again the Scottish captain asked Laidlaw to kick for goal rather than increase the pressure.

Laidlaw added three points and it may not have seemed such a wasteful decision had Scotland then kept ball from the restart, but Eoin Reddan scored a minute later and what proved to be the best period of Scottish pressure in the game suddenly appeared to have been given up far too easily. Ford was caught full-on by team-mate Graeme Morrison as he contested the restart at the beginning of the second period, which did not look clever, and while Scotland’s hard work produced four lineouts in the Irish half in the third quarter, crucially, they failed to create any try-scoring chances from them.

That ability to create something off lineouts is clearly not down to Best or Ford, but added to the fact that Ireland stole three Scots throws – this was a Scottish pack with the best lineout statistics in the championship against an Ireland one with the worst lineout statistics and missing their top lock Paul O’Connell – and so it pushed the pendulum in favour of the Irish captain.

Best was replaced after 54 minutes, the skipper having been nursing rib pain from the French match the week before, and Sean Cronin came on to add some freshness to the Irish pack.

Both players put themselves about very well up to that point, and Ford continued to be a thorny presence in defence for the Scots and to look for ball and carry well into contact. He was helped by the addition of Al Kellock as another leader in the last half-hour, but still Scotland could not turn their possession into the points necessary to suggest a sniff of victory in this match.

That, more than any individual performances, will weigh heavy when it comes to the Lions selectors analysing performances and debating the strengths and weaknesses of contenders for next year’s tour to Hong Kong and Australia.

Just as the results have nailed Andy Robinson’s fate as a potential Lions coach, failure to win games lessens the claims of most Scottish players when it comes to taking a step up to the top level of British and Irish rugby.