Hayes closes in on international record

FLANKER David Wallace believes John Hayes will be thoroughly deserving of becoming Ireland’s most-capped ever player if, as expected, he is selected to face Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday week.
Hayes is in line to win his 93rd cap in Edinburgh on Saturday week as Declan Kidney’s Ireland bid to move a step closer towards achieving a first Grand Slam since 1948.
Ireland moved to top spot in this season’s RBS Six Nations championship following a nail-biting 14-13 victory over England at Croke Park on Saturday.
Not only was Saturday’s clash with England Hayes’ record-breaking 47th successive appearance in the RBS 6 Nations, but the cap also brought him level again with Irish caps record holder Malcolm O’Kelly
Afterwards David Wallace said the Cappamore man had never played better.
“John Hayes is playing the best rugby of his life. He seems to be all over the park, running, passing, tackling,” flanker Wallace said.
“And he is so professional. He will thoroughly deserve to break the record for Irish caps should he achieve that against Scotland in two weeks’ time.”
Ireland’s victory over England was achieved in spite of a below average display of place-kicking from Ronan O’Gara, who finished with just six points after failing with four shots at goal.
However, Irish coach Kidney praised O’Gara’s resolve in the wake of missing those kicks at goal.
“I’ve got an awful lot to say for Ronan. He missed those penalties, but never retreated into his shell,” former Munster coach Kidney said.
“When we needed that last penalty he never shirked it. We needed him and he stepped up. That says much to me.
“How much courage did it take to stand up and hit that last one?
“It’s when things are not going your way that you have to show the courage to keep playing. Ronan dug in and was the deciding factor.’
Kidney was quick to distance Ireland from any talk of the Grand Slam despite moving within two wins of the clean sweep.
“There’s a lot of experience in our team. They’ve been down different roads in the past, but we know there’s no-one like Scotland to disturb a party,” Kidney pointed out.
“The view we’d beat England heavily never came from us. There’s never a bad England team, especially when their backs are against the wall like they were when they played us.
“They were extremely difficult to break down and we had to put our all into it. We’re an okay team. We have four professional teams, England have 12 and they have a semi-professional league below that.
“We came away with a one-point win in a venue that is very important to us. It was important to win both games against them here.”

Colm Kinsella