Stringer was only emerging as well and had Tom Tierney in front of him with both Province and Country. Harsh to blame that on Gatland who was doing his best to right an absolute shitshow heâd be landed with.
Incorrect. Gatland was sacked at the end of 2001 following a missed opportunity against the All-Blacks in November of that year. Gatland was in charge for the entire 2001 campaign where Stringer was a regular.
Yes and Gatland was in charge for all of it. He was removed from his position at the end of 2001. The 6 Nations had been completed by then. Eddie Oâ Sullivan took over for the 2002 campaign then.
I didnât say Oâ Gara was a regular. I said he was battling for a position at 10 with a prime David Humphreyâs. Stringer was starting against Wales, England and New Zealand that year. Gatland gave Stringer his big break with Ireland. Gatland was in charge when Stringer completed his first tap tackle against England in 2001.
It was, and it was decided to go with Easterby for his physical presence against the then formidable Scottish back row of Simpson Poutney and Taylor. It wasnât lost at scrum half thats for sure.
Hard be a regular when youâd only just made your debut, had an Ireland International ahead of you at provincial level, and there was a global foot and mouth crisis going on.
Garlands record is very sketchy without Shaun Edwards and it was gatlands messing with the lions which caused him to fall out with edwards and edwards to move to France.
If Gatland didnât leave Ireland he doesnât come across edwards and likely ends up having no career.
Stringer absolutely was a regular. He started against Italy, France, Wales and England in the 6 Nations. The one game he didnât start we were hockeyed by Scotland. David Humphreyâs was a superb player in his own right which is often forgotten. No shame in Oâ Gara being behind a player whoâd just scored 37 points against Wasps in a Heineken Cup game at the time. Oâ Gara came on and kicked a decisive penalty against England in 2001.
You were telling us that Gatland didnât preside over the second half of the 2001 campaign which was incorrect. Iâm no major Gatland fan but it mustnât be forgotten that he capped 5 debutants against Scotland in 2000. Showing great faith in Oâ Gara, Stringer, John Hayes, Shane Horgan and Simon Easterby.
He started 80% of Irelands 6 Nations games and the big plumb game of the year v New Zealand. For context Jonathan Sexton started 80% of Irelands 6 Nations games this season. I donât think anyone would be questioning if he was a regular in that campaign.