The best Irish athletes are of Saxon stock?

Seldom has a newspaper article written in praise of a rugby team gained such a diverse response.
In the wake of Ireland’s victory over Italy The Guardian recently carried a piece entitled the ‘Long wait could be over for resurgent Ireland’, which was also posted on the newspaper website.
Comment on the piece was encouraged and a deluge of it followed.
Contributors had a field day and while there were many who wrote agreeing with the contents of the piece one contributor ‘FrederickChicester’ took grave exception.
Part of his contribution read: “The Irish have no chance whatever of winning the Grand Slam. I expect them to lose to England and lose to Wales.
“The optimism about their chances is risible.
“To read the Irish press, one would think it was they, and not Wales, who had won two Grand Slams in the previous three years. . .
“I expect England to be faster and stronger than the Irish.
“The days of Ireland taking advantage of England teams battered by a Premiership game the week before (as they did two years ago) are gone. . .”
In a second contribution ‘Frederick’ wrote: “It is disappointing that the board’s resident Irish posters cannot engage in reasoned debate rather than respond vituperatively in a fit of pique.
“Emotion does not aid the search for truth. . .
“Let us consider a few facts pertinent to any analysis of the Irish team: [1] They have never, in their entire history, beaten the All Blacks. [2] The best team in Irish rugby history (apparently) failed abjectly at the World Cup, and was beaten up in contact not just by the French and Argentines, but even by the Georgians and Namibians.
“[3] Every time an Irish player is asked to make the step up to true world class, he fails abjectly. [4] The Irish, genetically, are not large men, as any Irish under-age or forwards coach would be happy to inform you. It is interesting that the best Irish athletes are of Saxon stock.
“[5] There are certain individuals in the Irish team who, contrary to myth, would not get anywhere near the English or French or Welsh teams.
“It is my contention that the Irish are simply not that good. They over-achieve to a startling extent with Munster because of their superb team spirit and family atmosphere.”
I wonder if ‘Frederick’ will make the trip across to Dublin this weekend for the big Six Nations clash at Croke Park on Saturday.
His contribution to the Guardian website next week are awaited with interest.

Colm Kinsella