O’Sullivan - Ireland’s Most Successful Coach
Eddie O’Sullivan stepped down from his post as head coach of Ireland late last night - and several names are already in the frame for his job - but can they live up to Eddie’s record of winning 50 of his 78 games in charge?
Many people were confused when pre-World Cup O’Sullivan was handed a new four year contract worth £1m. It would appear the small print covered the backs of the IRFU though and upon O’Sullivan’s resignation (which came sooner than the expected review into the Six Nations) he’s likely to receive a performance-linked pay-out of nearly £500k.
O’Sullivan was born in 1958 a played as a winger for Munster, before beginning coaching with clubs such as Blackrock and Buccaneers, eventually take Connacht up a gear.
Stepping up a gear to Internationals himself in 1995 he guided the Ireland U21 squad to their first-ever Grand Slam.
Things looked a little unstable at the Connacht in 1998, so O’Sullivan moved to the US and coached the US Eagles during the1999 World Cup.
Soon after the 1999 World Cup, O’Sullivan became assistant to then Ireland coach (and now Wales coach) Warren Gatland, taking over the squad himself in 2001 and immediately establishing himself with a record 54-10 win over Wales at Landsdowne.
Ireland have won three Triple Crowns in four years under O’Sullivan but the Grand Slam has eluded them - especially last season. In Six Nations terms O’Sullivan is a great winning 24 of his 35 games, finishing second three times and third twice. This season fourth was his worst result and allowed Ireland to slip to eighth in the IRB rankings (along way from second at the start of the 2003 World Cup!).
O’Sullivan remains one of the most respected coaches in world rugby, and wins against Australia, South Africa and four in a row against England have highlighted that. The real clincher was a record 43-13 win over England at Croke Park last season.
It was not to be the great World Cup that so many predicted though, struggling past Namibia and Georgia, before being beaten by Argentina and France meant Ireland were on the plane home before the group stages - something that has never happened!
It wasn’t all O’Sullivan’s fault - the team failed to gel somewhat as well.
O’Sullivan was dedicated to the Irish cause, and will be missed by those of us that think he did a sound job - maybe it’s time for a shake up at the IRFU. O’Sullivan won’t be out of rugby for long, after a well earned break he’ll pop up again somewhere - he’s too good for that not to happen!