A Final Trial - Should it be brought back?
The Final Trial was exactly that, held just before or just after Christmas in front of a judging panel of seven. Each of the seven with their own political self-interest, we were told it was a democracy, but in reality it just reflect the problems we know existed in the game already!
Can you imagine poor old Eddie, being handed a squad by seven representatives of the four provinces and exiles and being told to get the to play as a team!?
The amateur game was routinely snubbed widening the class division, fortunately in the professional era the main nuts and bolts of the Ireland side are on show week in, week out in either the Magners or the Premier League.
O’Sullivan has already told us there will be “little change” going into the Six Nations, but what if a Final Trial were to be held again - would the same team be picked?
Injuries in the squad have made way for sime bright new names to the Ireland squad, finally showing some strength in depth - Jackman, Heaslip, and Jennings ready to step up. Jonathan Sexton and Andy Dunne would probably have justified a Final Trial in the advent of the World Cup performance by our current squad.
- Are there a host of other bright young sparks that could justify a Final Trial?
- Are we really an O’Gara or Horan injury away from Six Nations implosion?