WHILE MANY OF the Lions squad are now in Jersey for a period of quarantine due to South Africa still being on the UK government’s red list, the Irish contingent landed back into Dublin this morning after several long weeks away from home.
The Irish Lions head into a well-earned break after an elongated season that started all the way back in August 2020.
However, most of their provincial colleagues have already returned to pre-season training ahead of the 2021/22 season, with friendly games set to get underway in just four weekends’ time and the new United Rugby Championship [URC] starting on 24/25 September.
The new season is literally around the corner and what a campaign it promises to be for Irish rugby.
Andy Farrell’s national team have autumn Tests against the US in Las Vegas, and Japan, the All Blacks, and Argentina in Dublin this year. Then there’s the 2022 Six Nations and a three-Test tour of New Zealand to cap it all off next summer.
It will be a huge season for Ireland in terms of building towards the 2023 World Cup, with that trip to New Zealand sure to be at the forefront of most players’ minds as they set goals ahead of the new season.
Before that, the Irish provinces have a massive campaign on their hands. The URC is set to be intriguing with the inclusion of the four new South African sides – the Bulls, Stormers, Sharks, and Lions.
While there are still nagging concerns about the long-distance travel amidst the ongoing Covid-19 situation in South Africa, these fixtures promise to be a welcome new feature of the season.
The Sharks, Lions, and Stormers were unable to give the British and Irish Lions any sort of contest in recent weeks in South Africa but they were missing all of their Springboks for those warm-up games.
It’s exciting to imagine the Irish provinces facing a Sharks side including Siya Kolisi, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Ox Nché, Sbu Nkosi, and Aphelele Fassi.
And what about the Stormers arriving in Ireland with Steven Kitshoff, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Frans Malherbe, Herschel Jantjies, and Damian Willemse in tow?
The hope is that the South African quartet can make the URC more competitive than was the case with the Pro14, which Leinster dominated. The new arrivals will also surely prompt more consistent performances from the Welsh and Scottish sides, while everyone has their fingers crossed that Benetton can kick on and Zebre can improve.
The Champions Cup campaign doesn’t get underway until December and will once again feature just four pool stage games in a format that hasn’t been welcomed with any warmth by supporters since being introduced amidst last season’s Covid challenges.
There hasn’t been an Irish winner since Leinster in 2018 – the only Irish victor over the past nine seasons – so there is little doubt that the provinces have ground to make up in this competition.
All the while, Ireland boss Farrell will be watching closely as he begins to narrow down the group he wants to bring forward into the 2023 World Cup in France.
Robbie Henshaw returns from the Lions tour as one of the best backs in the game, while Jack Conan is now a three-Test Lion and will be part of a tussle for places in the Irish back row against the likes of Caelan Doris and Gavin Coombes.
Farrell has given Test debuts to 22 players since the start of his reign in 2020 and will now hone in on the handful of those fresh faces who he believes can make a real difference for Ireland.
Gavin Coombes is surely one, Robert Baloucoune looks like another, while Harry Byrne and Tom O’Toole were in the Ireland set-up a few times before getting their first caps last month.
Doris and Rónan Kelleher have already established themselves and Hugo Keenan is now a key man. Farrell is clearly a big fan of Jamison Gibson-Park at scrum-half, where Craig Casey also has further potential.
Ryan Baird’s sheer athleticism is unique, Will Connors has a skillset that Farrell likes, and there are other young players emerging too.
All of that said, elder statesmen like Johnny Sexton, Cian Healy, and Keith Earls will be out to lay down markers next season after being rested for last month’s July Tests.
Whatever about the personnel on the pitch, it will be a thrill to see bigger crowds at rugby matches next season. The sport has been so much poorer for the absence of fans in the flesh and everyone will take delight from their return.
Beneath the professional level, it will also be hugely welcome to see the All-Ireland League back in action along with amateur and underage rugby across the country. All of it has been badly missed.
The off-season lull won’t last too long this year with so much to look forward to in Irish rugby in 2021/22.
