Michael Moynihan, Limerick
IT’S difficult to sit in a hotel lobby with a dictaphone in your pocket, letting some of the big targets walk past unmolested.

Paul O’Connell and Jerry Flannery poring over some papers at the front desk. Tommy Bowe sauntering past with flip-flops on his feet (can it really be that warm in Wales?). Rob Kearney looking for someone.
It’s like a nature documentary: the herd has split up, and a single predator can feast at will, he need only let his own nature take over . . .
Ahem. Sorry.
The above scene was the Irish rugby team hotel in Limerick yesterday. It was back to business for the team, though obviously the players haven’t been idle since last March. Leaving aside the autumn internationals, the Grand Slam and Six Nations champions came back into camp after a largely fruitful winter with their provinces, and the success of the provincial sides was one of the main talking points around the lobby and adjacent points.
Munster and Leinster through to the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, and with home draws; Connacht still the only unbeaten team in Europe; and Ulster dying with their boots on, at least, away to Bath over the weekend. The green Osprey wasn’t forgotten, either, with Tommy Bowe fielding questions about his Welsh teammates having one man too many on the field against Leicester last week (see Wednesday's Irish Examiner for that interview in full).
It’s been a long time, of course, since Ireland faced into a Six Nations – or even a Five Nations – campaign with an unbeaten season under their belt, and it’s reasonable to assume the media focus on the Irish Grand Slam Champions of 1948 wasn’t quite as intense when they set out to defend their title the following season.
Various members of the backroom team nodded when reminded of the fact that there’s a different dynamic to 2010, though forwards coach Gert Smal made a formidable statement of intent.
“That’s gone,” rumbled the big South African. “2009 is over. History. Now we have to win it all over again.”
True enough. Yesterday had a whiff of first day back in school, with the new clobber gathered over the holidays on show (only that could explain the bould Tommy’s day-glo orange footwear). If Mr Smal and the rest of the staff have anything to do with it, though, there’ll be plenty of homework from here until the Italian test, and afterwards.