Reddan sure of Wales’ Slam success

Mar 10 2008 by Andy Howell, Western Mail

IRELAND star Eoin Reddan was convinced Wales could win the Grand Slam as soon as what he dubs the best coaching team in the Six Nations had been assembled by the WRU.

Wales’ aspirations of emulating their 2005 cleansweep appear far more credible following their convincing 16-12 Croke Park victory.

Suggestions that Wales’ progress through the Championship was something of a fluke were exposed as false as Warren Gatland’s men swept to the brink of the Six Nations title.

It is a magnificent achievement that Reddan insists is rooted in the appointment of new coach Gatland (pictured left) and his assistants Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley.

The trio have played key roles in Wasps’ success – and Reddan, who joined the European champs in 2005, has worked closely with Edwards.

Wales have been transformed since crashing out of the World Cup, and Reddan is not surprised the coaching line-up has produced such rapid results.

“I’ve been impressed with Wales since the start of the Six Nations,” said the Irish No 9.

“I was expecting them to do very well, because of the coaching team they’d lined up.

“I’ve never been coached by Warren, but I’ve heard very good things from the people at Wasps about him.

“They rate him highly, and he’s obviously had a massive effect on Wales in the short time he has been there.

“Of course, I know Shaun well. I work closely with him at Wasps, and he seems to have made Wales more aggressive and has tightened them up in defence.

“I was expecting to meet a very well-organised group of players in offence and defence yesterday, and that’s exactly what Wales are.

“When a team has coaches of their calibre it’s not difficult to understand why the side is doing so well.”

While Gatland is busy enhancing his reputation yet further, his opposite number with Ireland is once again in an awkward spot.

It was a poor display in a thoroughly one-sided match, whatever the scoreline suggests, and coach Eddie O’Sullivan is facing fresh calls for his removal.

Ireland’s Six Nations finale against England next Saturday has become a battle for third place, and a “face-off” between two underfire coaches.

The task facing O’Sullivan is to rally his troops as their championship limps to a deflating conclusion, but Reddan insists the Irish do not need picking up as they target a third successive victory at Twickenham.

“We’re professional rugby players. This defeat is hard to take, but we have to move on and think about England. It’s a big game,” he said.

“We need to move on, and that’s a fact – or else next week we will not be good enough.

“It’s hard to take any ‘positives’ from this and it’s a challenge because you need to be in the right frame of thought for England.

“But we’re internationals playing in an Ireland shirt, so it won’t be hard to pick ourselves up.”

Other than Rob Kearney’s debut at full-back and Ronan O’Gara’s composure at fly-half, Ireland could take little comfort from their afternoon’s work.

Leinster winger Shane Horgan created their best chance but failed to finish it, while a poor tackle from Andrew Trimble led to Shane Williams’ decisive try.

To compound a miserable day, Brian O’Driscoll sustained a hamstring tear and faces a spell on the sidelines – although his patchy form raises doubt over how much he will be missed.

As Ireland lurch onwards under a coach who is struggling to inspire his team, Wales continue their march to a Grand Slam.

Only France can stop them and – while Welsh momentum may seem unstoppable – Reddan believes Les Bleus are very capable of ambushing their celebrations in Cardiff next Saturday.

“Wales were in good form before they faced us, and they produced the goods once again,” he said.

“Wales were the better team on the day. It’s about finishing their chances, and that’s what they did against us.

“France are a different side every week at the moment, so it’s hard to predict what will happen next Saturday.

“Each week they pick six or seven new players, and it’s hard to know which team they will take to Cardiff.

“But they have some very good finishers, and Wales will have to be on their guard.

“Wales kick to keep the ball in play and you have to do that very well against France or else they’ll punish you.”

Welsh skipper Ryan Jones struggled to put the emotion of lifting the Triple Crown trophy into words after leading his team to victory.

“You can’t put moments like that into words. It was fantastic. Very few people get to do it. I am proud and privileged,” said Jones.

“The most important thing was doing it on behalf of the other players. Individual performances and memories don’t mean anything – it is the fact I got to represent those players.

“I wish we could have each gone up because it was impressive to look out over 73,000 people and hear the cheer go up.”

Wales’ achievement is in stark contrast to their disappointing World Cup campaign last autumn.

“No one came back from the World Cup more disappointed than the players,” said Jones.

“But that has gone. It is in past. We made a conscious effort to wipe the slate clean and start again.

“We have worked hard and moved on. It was bitterly disappointing not to be involved in the World Cup through injury. This is my World Cup.

“If someone had asked me before the tournament if I thought I would be sat here with the Triple Crown and going for the Grand Slam I would have probably said, ‘I hope so.’

“We came into this competition with huge belief. The players were confident, and certainly no one has worked harder than us in the last five weeks – and we have earned the rewards we have got.

“This championship is not over. We have one game to go, and we have our eyes on the big prize.”