Reddan looks to erase memories
Eoin Reddan returns to Paris determined to erase the bitter-sweet memories of Ireland’s World Cup mauling by France.
Wasps scrum-half Reddan won only his fourth cap and second Test start in the pool game against Les Bleus, finally wrestling the number nine shirt from veteran Peter Stringer.
However, his joy quickly turned to despair as Ireland crashed to a 25-3 defeat that effectively ended their participation in the tournament.
Reddan was wounded deeply by what should have been a highlight of his Test career, but insists beating France tomorrow would ease the pain.
“Paris is where things went wrong for us so it’s a good place to try to start putting things right,” he said.
“It wasn’t good for me personally. I went out in an Irish shirt and came back in on the losing side. That’s not good for anybody.
“It hurts. I don’t look back on that game with any kind of joy. It was just bitterly disappointing for me and the rest of the 30-man squad.
“We went out there together and lost together so I don’t take any kind of personal satisfaction at all from the fact that I started that game.”
A poor start to the RBS 6 Nations – Ireland struggled to dispatch Italy 16-11 in Saturday’s opener – ensures the World Cup debacle continues to haunt the camp.
They raced out of the blocks with Girvan Dempsey crossing in the first quarter but then proceeded to squander a number of fine chances, allowing Italy back into the match.
Openings will be rarer against France, who are chasing a hat-trick of Six Nations titles, and Reddan has warned his side they must be ruthless.
“Sometimes I’ve been involved in teams that are winning games but not really creating anything. That can be dangerous,” he said.
“But we are creating chances. We broke the line a number of times last week but did play the killer ball, something I was guilty of myself.
“So we have to be more patient when we do break the line and the chance is on.”
While his team-mates were floundering around him at Croke Park, Reddan was busy making the sniping runs that earned him the man-of-the-match award.
The 27-year-old has improved markedly since leaving Munster for Wasps and has become one of Irish rugby’s hottest properties.
Leinster approached him over a possible move at the end of the season but on Tuesday he revealed he would be staying with the Heineken Cup champions, agreeing a new two-year contract.
“I’ve learned a lot in the last two-and-a-half years at Wasps and I do feel there is more to come, both in what I can learn and in what the team can achieve,” he said.
