IF Ireland took one step back against World Champions South Africa, they doubled that to two in the doublescores defeat of Manu Samoa. <

When Ireland coach Declan Kidney first came to this job in May 2008, he admitted to being surprised at finding a group of players parched of confidence, despite the Munster Heineken Cups and the Ireland Triple Crowns.

He found winners feeling the weight of losers. In no time at all, the Corkman manufactured a first Grand Slam in 61 years and Leinster joined Munster as European Champions in 2009.

It must seem like so long ago to Kidney. He could be forgiven for thinking he is back where he started. He would be naive to think that he isn’t. His players are low and he has to somehow turn them back towards the light. Is the confidence as low as the day you started this job?

“I don’t think it is that bad. I don’t think it is that bad at all,” said Kidney, in a most unconvincing manner.

“Anxiety will always be there when you’ve lost a few matches. I think we were anxious going into today’s game. “If you’re winning, you can take it for granted it’s there.

“If you’re losing, it is bound to bite into it. “It wasn’t exactly an attractive game. But, we managed to get a win out of it. After the last six matches, that is a plus.

CONFIDENCE

The more matches you win, the higher the confidence is going to be. The confidence is going to be a bit better going into next week than it was today.

“You would always like to go out and have every pass stick and every half-gap taken, every set-piece and ruck to be solid and to get quick ball.

“You want that to happen, but it’s never going to. So, you have to work out what needs improvement.”

What can Declan Kidney learn about John Hayes that he doesn’t already know? Nothing. Hayes has been a magnificent servant to Irish rugby. But time waits for no man.

Hayes has been operating on memory for well over a season. Hayes has taken to falling into tacklers rather than bursting through them.

He is no longer able to anchor a scrum and his presence around the field is marked by anonymity. It serves no purpose to prolong an international career that is in terminal decline.

How can Tom Court and Mike Ross prove themselves at the cornerstone when they are not trusted to hold up that end of the argument?

Two matches into a four-Test series, neither man has been given the time to bed in at tight-head. On a world view, you could be forgiven for believing that the International Rugby Board is kow-towing to the demands of New Zealand rugby.

Referee chief Paddy O’Brien, a Kiwi, is on a one-man mission to depower and destroy the psychological beauty of the scrum. A streak of paranoia might lead one to suspect this is all part of the plan to take away the greatest weapon of Europe’s current finest France and a fast-developing England.

The tightening of the laws that allow a contest at the breakdown in favour of relaxing those that benefit a quicker process there are also designed to be kind to the All Blacks.

Is it right to be so suspicious or very wrong to be so paranoid? Either way, it seems Kidney is already worried about New Zealand, even though Graham Henry’s squad are renowned for their lack of knowledge on European players and their absence of homework.

They only worry about what they can do. A quick glance in the mirror and at the All Blacks’ ruthless 49-3 seven-try demolition of an apparently rehabilitated Scotland, bursting with confidence from their show in last season’s Six Nations and a rock solid swiping of Argentina in the summer, will send a shiver of fear right through the spine of this Ireland side.

“You will always spend five to 10 percent looking at the opposition. There is enough out there for us to improve on. If we spend 50 percent of our time looking at the opposition, we’re going to go out worried. “If we go out worried, it won’t do us any good. We know what we need to work on.”

WORRY

Forget the semantics at the scrum. Forget the inconsistency at the breakdown. Forget the different interpretations of referees around the world. Ireland have more than enough to worry about in the All Blacks.

Despite insisting on looking more to his players than the opposition, Kidney is delaying naming Ireland’s team until Thursday, like New Zealand, because of the perceived advantage of knowing what is in front of you by Tuesday lunchtime. Make no mistake, he has got the All Blacks on his mind.