As a metaphor, the Irish squad exchanging Sports Campus Ireland for the generally warmer climes of the Algarve, and finding unusually rainy, windy and bleak weather in Quinta do Lago could hardly be more apt.
It may not be as sopping wet or bitingly cold as back home, but for Andy Farrell and the Irish squad, there is seemingly no escaping the dark clouds.
One taxi driver said this was the second January in a row this had happened, whereas previously it hadn’t rained in the first month of the year for about seven years.
Accordingly, it certainly seems quieter, with less golfers on the courses and tourists on the streets.
At least that has allowed the squad to train and mingle in the High Performance Centre at The Campus, where the temporary gym built for the Lions’ squad is now entirely protected from the weather, in relative anonymity.
They’ve also managed to duck and dive from the wind and rain which has left trees uprooted and the tennis courts flooded. In his own inimitable way, Andy Farrell has embraced the chaos.
Still, those ominous clouds won’t go away. On top of an ever-lengthening injury list came the seismic fallout from the Connacht-Leinster game. Jack Boyle sustained what is feared to be a ruptured Achilles, meaning a call-up for 20-year-old Billy Bohan a week on from his first URC start.
By the following day word was circulating that the book would be thrown at Bundee Aki for his post-match altercations with the match officials. On Wednesday the URC confirmed Aki would be facing a disciplinary charge. Hugo Keenan being added to the injury list on the same day was almost lost in the wash.
This was swiftly followed by an IRFU statement confirming Aki had not travelled with the Ireland squad to Portugal and had been replaced by Jude Postlethwaite.
Even more astonishing, given Aki’s hearing was yet to take place, the statement added: “The IRFU does not tolerate any form of disrespect shown towards match officials and does not condone actions that fall below the standards expected of players representing Irish rugby.
“The IRFU are investigating the matter further internally and no additional comment will be made at this time.”
This made Aki seem like a condemned man before a trial. One accepts the union has to protect their match officials and players, all the more so after the Mack Hansen case last season when his critique of the match officials following Leinster’s win over Connacht led to a three-game ban.
The match referee on that occasion, Chris Busby – who had been left out of the Six Nations panel – retired soon after and one could well imagine some in the IRFU hierarchy may have thought: ‘Enough is enough, we have to protect our officials.’
Cue the union issuing such a high-handed, intemperate and somewhat pre-emptive statement swiftly after the URC had announced that Aki would face a hearing.
It would have been more appropriate to issue such a statement after the disciplinary panel had imposed a four-game ban on Aki, not before.
The URC have not published a written report of the panel’s findings but said the “verbal abuse” of the officials had occurred on “several occasions” after the game.
The IRFU and Ireland management seem to be operating quite apart, and not just geographically. On Thursday, backs coach Andrew Goodman underlined the need for respecting referees, but said Aki would come into consideration for Ireland’s final two games against Wales and Scotland. Whether there will be more caps for the Connacht centre remains to be seen.
The IRFU were caught between a rock and a hard place, all the more so in a sport that has prided itself on respect to officials. But for them to be conducting an internal review would be at odds with the union’s response to the three-game ban imposed on Hansen.
Granted, this is a separate case altogether, also involving IRFU employees on both sides and Aki should not be absolved of blame, nor has he been. But there shouldn’t be a separate judicial process for him.
Justice has run its course and what will be, will be. Aki is contracted until the end of this season with the option for another year, which should not be affected by this episode.
One ventures Aki would like to see out his exceptional career with Connacht and Ireland, and rumours of his demise may again prove premature.
♦ The Counter Ruck is hosting a Six Nations preview event where special guest Conor Murray will join Malachy Clerkin, Irish Times rugby writer John O’Sullivan, and columnist Gordon D’Arcy to share their Six Nations predictions ahead of Ireland’s clash against France.
Date: Wednesday, February 4th
Doors open: 6.30pm
Venue: Lansdowne Rugby Club, 4 Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4
Buy your tickets now at: irishtimes.com/events