David Corkery on Ireland v England: Any win will do when the pressure is on

IN life everyone has a few little quirks that really provoke them and for me, two particular ones induce my red mist.

The first is a sense of entitlement by those who do very little other than sit on their arses and just expect society to bring them to the promised land.

The second is greed, especially the kind of self-indulgence that is born from a lack of knowledge or understanding.

Okay, great news Corkery hates lazy people and people who think they know everything just because they’ve watched a documentary or read a book, so what has this to do with Irish rugby and its current elevated status?

First of all, let me try to explain the link between entitlement and modern-day professional rugby.

When people attend an international rugby match what they are looking at is the finished product that is derived from a lifetime of fear, sacrifice, physical anguish and mental torment.

To get to where the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Andrew Porter, Jamison Gibson Park or any Irish or English player that you will see in Twickenham have got to, they will have put their bodies through a level of pain and suffering that most people couldn’t even imagine. So, when I hear of people talking about how unfair life has been on them, it triggers something in me that is best locked up in some kind of fortified structure.

EASY OPTIONS

Normally, the folk who complain about everything are the ones who have done very little to improve their prospects in life. And in a rugby context, they are the ones who normally have a natural-born talent and think that will be enough to bring them to the summit.

They are the ones who skip training because it is cold, they are the ones who choose to go on the beer after a game rather than heading home and icing an injury, they are the ones who will look for the easy option every time and complain about everyone else rather than looking in the mirror.

Long gone are the days of players living on the reputation they’ve acquired as a school boy because when they are in bed suffering from a hangover on a rainy day someone else is out in that rain and pushing themselves through all kinds of new torture.

Ever since Irish rugby has turned the corner from winning the odd game here and there to becoming one of the best teams in the world, folk have been looking for more and more.

For example, two weeks ago we beat Wales with a four-try bonus point and the following day people were still not happy. 

It wasn’t that long ago that if we played well for 60minutes and lost by a single score we would be delighted and if we did the unimaginable and actually won a game away from home, people would be backing us to win the World Cup.

So, in essence, what all this means is that the players you will see tomorrow have suffered immeasurably and each and every one have fully earned the right to wear the Irish jersey.

For those who are looking for perfection and flawless performance, I’m afraid that will never happen because the day it does is the day that sport will become dull and monotonous.

PRESSURE

Trust me when I tell you that when you travel to any away venue and are earmarked as favourites to win, you are already on the back foot.

The very thought of travelling to Twickenham and having the favourites tag dangling from your dressing room door sends shivers down my spine.

Okay, English rugby might well be in a mess at the moment, however, beneath all the red tape and disarray that the blazers have made of the club game lies a layer of players that on their day could easily teach Ireland a lesson or two.

Like the majority of other nations who find themselves in an ever-deepening hole, England’s decline derived from not having full control of the players who represent their country.

Unlike Andy Farrell, Steve Borthwick does not have the luxury of telling his players how many games they must play or how long they should rest after a major tournament. For sure he can suggest it, but when your club is paying your wage, it's they who will have the last say.

Proper preparation is one of the fundamental keys to being successful in any walk of life, but if you don’t have control of the raw materials that go into making your business a success you will always struggle.

On paper, Ireland should win tomorrow’s game by a margin of 12 to 16 points, but English rugby doesn’t think this way and it’s this kind of arrogance that Ireland must stamp out before it gains any kind of momentum.

Just before the English players will leave their dressing room tomorrow they will be reminded of where they are and who they are playing against. They will feel two inches taller, some will even shed a tear and their level of belief will only be topped by their wearing supporters.

Everything that has happened up to now can be put firmly in the bin because this game will be won on the day by the side who are most willing to go to very dark places.

A one-point win will do very nicely.