The Dublin origins of British author Iris Murdoch may have given her a window to the Irish soul. “I think being a woman is like being Irish,” she once said. “Everyone says you are important and nice. But you take second place all the time.”
Cutting, but on weekends like these when the wave of middle England sweeps through Richmond and Twickenham, there is an unshakable declaration of culture and place. Whatever strengths Ireland bring to London, England expect to win.
Killian Keane’s one cap in 1998 was as a replacement in Twickenham. Two years before that Maurice Field also made his debut there a few days short of his 30th birthday, while today’s starting Irish scrumhalf Conor Murray has never set foot on the turf.
Murray is not alone on the Irish squad. Up to nine players including replacements could play in Twickenham for the first time.
New experience
Devin Toner, Dave Kearney, Chris Henry, Jack McGrath, Martin Moore, Iain Henderson, Paddy Jackson and Jordi Murphy have never played for Ireland in a Six Nations match in Twickenham, while Seán Cronin came on for two minutes in 2012 and Peter O'Mahony for the last 10 minutes in the same match.
For many fans in Ireland but especially ex-pats living in the UK the match against England in London carries the greatest emotional freight of all. In recent years there have been few debuts at HQ but as well as Keane and Field, others such as Willie John McBride in 1962, Mike Gibson two years later and Tom Kiernan also began their international careers there. Those who play there for the first time today will therefore follow in the footsteps of giants and doubtlessly a win will prompt the writing of a new chapter in the story of Irish rugby under Joe Schmidt.
The match every two years is a storyline that has run for over a century with the scores suggesting some truth to Murdoch’s waspish line. Ireland have won 17, lost 41 and drew four from 62 games played on English soil, not all at Twickenham. The Oval, Whalley Range, Rectory Field, Welford Road and Meanwood Road in Leeds have all hosted matches.
Irish visits are challenges to an establishment, at least one that exists in our heads . In that, today's team is at one to the side that took the boat to The Oval in 1875, when England won what was called the Home Nations Rugby Union game by two goals to nil.
