Young men, old rivals and a lost rugby soul

It was ironic that the sleepy Norwegian seaside town of Molde was where the career of one of our brightest young footballing prospects had its lift-off moment last week.

Michael Noonan, a 16-year-old Transition Year student from Kildare, scored the only goal as Shamrock Rovers beat Molde 1-0 to secure a precious first leg advantage in their Europa Conference League play-off round tie.

It’s a first-ever win for an Irish club in the knockout stage of one of UEFA’s main competitions and it gives the Hoops a real chance of advancing to the last 16. If they manage to negotiate the second leg this Thursday successfully, then it’ll be worth €800,000 euro to the club.

Noonan’s feat is quite the achievement. In scoring from close range after Dylan Watts’ excellent industry in winning the ball back from a Molde defender, Noonan became one of the youngest-ever goalscorers in European club competition.

His arrival to Shamrock Rovers from St Pat’s was a surprise in some quarters, but he felt ready to take the step and get some first-team football. Behind Mason Melia in the pecking order in Inchicore, Noonan took a punt and it’s already paying off. His manager, Stephen Bradley, says he had no qualms in throwing the youngster in for his debut on one of the biggest occasions in the club’s recent history.

Not only that, but he even made it into school the next day having arrived home in the early hours of Friday morning!

After Thursday night, expect to see plenty of Michael Noonan over the coming season in green and white.

Noonan’s prominence came in a week when another young Irish sportsperson, 22-year-old Sam Prendergast, received plenty of acclaim for his outstanding performance at Murrayfield the week previously, where he helped direct Ireland to a comprehensive win over Scotland in the Six Nations. It’s hard to remember the last time an Irish player of that age came under such scrutiny but, given he occupies the number 10 shirt, Prendergast will have to get used to the attention.

After the game, he spoke eloquently for a player of such a young age. His demeanour and poise on the field was matched by his attitude off it. All the signs are very good as he adjusts to life at test level.

Prendergast’s elevation to the senior side brings with it some risk, of course, but he is fortunate in so far as he is coming into a set-up that is brimming with confidence and laced with experienced players at the top of their game. It contrasts hugely with the environment young Welsh players find themselves in ahead of this weekend’s joust at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, where the two sides square off in the Six Nations.

Welsh rugby is at an all-time low.

The decision to part ways with head coach Warren Gatland midway through a Six Nations campaign is unprecedented and, given Gatland’s standing in the game, reflects the seriousness of the situation from a Welsh point of view.

Gatland helped stimulate a real up-turn in fortunes in Wales during his first stint in charge, winning four Six Nations titles and three Grand Slams, while he has also excelled with the Lions. However, with 14 consecutive losses in Test rugby, Wales are on their worst-ever run in their 144-year involvement in the international game and Gatland has paid the price. His return to the job in early 2023 has failed to ignite things.

Their poor displays thus far in this year’s campaign – a 43-0 walloping by France before an embarrassing reversal to Italy in Rome the weekend before last – point to the need for a root and branch review of rugby in the country.

Their regions are also struggling, big time. The latest evidence of that was Scarlets 29-8 loss to Munster in Limerick last Saturday where even the return of four Welsh internationals failed to spark any sort of upturn in fortunes. In the second-half, Scarlets had just 17 percent possession according to their head coach, Dwayne Peel.

Robyn McBride, the former Welsh international who also played for the Lions, had this to say about the state of rugby in the country when asked last weekend.

“The situation makes me really sad from a Welsh point of view. The biggest concern for me is that rugby has lost its soul in Wales, I don’t think anybody is enjoying themselves.” 

McBryde, who is now part of the Leinster coaching staff, added in the aftermath of their win over Ospreys on Friday: “There’s not a lot of people watching the game and, yeah, it’s just very sad.” 

Such words from a former player should send a shiver down the spine of all of those involved in the game across the Irish Sea.

It won’t always be thus, and Wales will find their way again, but it appears a rethink is needed as to the way the game is run in the country and they need to find a way to prosper again. That goes back to developing their underage structures, how the professional game is run there and, indeed, how they maximise the talent they have at the moment.

Ireland are in a good position now thanks to good management of all of the above over a period of about 20 years, but it’s important the decision-makers don’t take their eye off the ball and focus too much on the senior team. To be fair to those involved, there has been no evidence of that and long may that continue to be the case.

All of that said, the malaise in which the Welsh game finds itself leaves Ireland in a vulnerable position heading into this weekend’s clash in Cardiff.

Wales, on home turf, are bound to have some sort of response in them. Fiercely passionate and proud, they won’t just lie down and roll over for their Celtic cousins.

It’s true that passion will take you so far; Ireland need to make sure it doesn’t take Wales all the way to a shock victory.