What a shame it had to end that way for Ireland, once again bundled out of the Rugby World Cup at the quarter-final stage. Across the history of the tournament – eight attempts to advance and eight loses.

But even more cruelly, this time around it had nothing whatsoever to do with mental or physical or technical fragility – it was just “bad luck of the draw” – encountering the All Blacks so early in tournament, on account of the Kiwis’ pool match loss to France.

If, in the 70th-something minute, Jordie Barrett didn’t manage to miraculously get his fingernail under the ball to prevent a certain try, in all likelihood, it was the Irish who advanced, and the Kiwis were on the plane home.

Forget the four point margin – that’s how close it was. There was a fingernail in it.

Going into the Cup, Ireland were No 1 ranked rugby team in the world – 18 Test wins on the trot. So many knowledgable pundits had them pinned as RWC champions.

The local relevance in the rise of Irish rugby of course is that it’s been largely mastered minded by David Nucifora, the former Queensland and (briefly) Wallaby hooker who for the past eight seasons, has been the country’s director of high performance, based in Dublin.

Casting aside some pockets of early resistance, Nucifora has been successful in implementing a centralised HP model, with all elite players, coaches, support staff, even high level administrators contracted to the one main governing body.

Never mind what’s best for Munster or Leinster or Connacht, decisions are made on the strength of what best serves the national team.

In Australia, there’s been instances of the provincial coaches not allowing the Wallaby coach to watch their team train.

The irony is that Nucifora was within the same fingernail distance of implementing the identical model in Australia, but in late 2012, he was swept out of the ARU headquarters with the same broom that removed the (resurgent) CEO John O’Neill. For logical reasons, the provincial unions hated it.

Again, less than two years ago, Andy Marinos, the CEO of Rugby Australia at the time, sat in Nucifora’s lounge room in Dublin and tried to coax him back to Australia.

To do a job I was sacked for trying to do nine years ago? Thanks but no thanks Andy.

We were that close. A few more open minds, a little less parochialism – let’s call it self interest – and who knows where the game in Australia would be right now. Certainly not where it is.

If-a-could-a-would-a-should-a. We’ll never know.

If all of those sliding doors moments aren’t painful enough to relive, this weekend, we have to watch England play in the semi-finals.

England.

Yawn.

***

On a brighter rugby note, did you notice the performance of performance of English referee Wayne Barnes, adjudicating the quarter-final between Ireland and New Zealand?

No? That’s just it – you didn’t. Barnes was invisible – watching on TV, you heard him more than saw him, constantly communicating with the players, calmly, constructively, decisively.

What was most impressive was the way he chose to ignore the pedantic chatter of the touch judges in his ear, his “inaction” contributing to stunning spectacle.  “Thank you – but we’re all good – no need to stop for that” – he mightn’t have said it, but that’s clearly what he thought.

They’re a much maligned breed, rugby refs. WIth 10,000 “reasons” to blow a penalty, it’s easy for them to overplay their hand. Barnes never does. He’s excellent.

The silver medal goes to Brisbane’s Nic Berry, who as a former elite player himself, also had a wonderful feel for the game.

***

The paralympic athlete sense of humour never ceases to amaze, nor disappoint.

At a recent women’s sport function in Brisbane, vision impaired swimmer Katia Dedekind was being interviewed on stage, when the conversation turned to the recent women’s World Cup soccer.

“Did you get to see many of the Matildas matches,” the host asked innocently.

Dedekind paused respectably.

“Not as many as a would have liked,” she said with a wry grin, as the MC, realising her faux pas, hoped and prayed the stage would swallow her up.

The self effacing nature of the para athletes knows no bounds – they are simply impossible to offend.
One of Australia’s long-serving team officials tells his favourite para story – double amputee swimmer Rod Bonsack, boarding the plane in preparation for the 20 hour flight to Atlanta in 1996.

“Gee I reckon leg room is over-rated,” he said, nestling into his 68C seat. A few rows further back, one legged swimming star and future team captain Brendan Burkett was his going through his team kit, relishing the generous allocation. “How about that! – 12 pairs of socks!” he marvelled, counting the six Nike sock packets in his kit bag.

Interesting isn’t it? – it’s so easy for people with serious disabilities not to be offended – by anything – yet those with nothing serious to complain about…yowza…

Watch your Ps and Qs, people. Or you could finish up in court.

***

Some interesting stuff going on in the world of grass roots golf.

Next week members at McLeod Golf Club at Mt Ommaney vote on a deal to secure the the club’s future by leasing a small part of their course to retirement living operator, Aura.

The opportunity for a cash injection and long term lease payments is a lifeline that comes just a few years since the club almost went to the wall – saved only by a handful hefty donations by generous members.

Indooroopilly Golf Club snapped up a similar offer from Aura a few years back and with their injection of cash, have kicked on in leaps and bounds. They’ll shortly unveil a newly renovated clubhouse, as well as a revamped nine hole loop.

Common sense would suggest the McLeod member vote will be over take a matter of minutes.

A partnership that provides desperately needed accommodation for our ageing citizens and a cash injection for struggling sports clubs shapes up as a no brainer.

***

Here’s one that might appeal to the well-heeled types – one of Brisbane’s grandest properties, the heritage-listed “Kinauld” on Dornoch Terrace at Highgate Hill is up for sale.

An acre of land, with a four level, seven bedroom home, city views, pool and tennis court, walking distance from Southbank – I’m guessing that combination doesn’t hit the Brisbane real estate market terribly often.

Kinauld has been lovingly restored over the past 30 years by Brisbane business heavyweight Steve Wilson and his Australian Rugby Director wife Jane Wilson.

When the Wilsons moved in back in 1989, they thought they would never leave. But then another heritage listed house by the same architect, A.B. Wilson (no relation), just happened to become available.

The Wilsons are packing up the china after spending 18 months and pile of cash painstakingly restoring “Home”, formerly known as Lamb House, high on the cliffs at Kangaroo Point.

Home was falling apart, the roof was caving in, and looked destined to fall into the hands of an apartment block developer, until the Wilsons stepped in and rescued the ‘grand old dame”.

The restoration effort has been documented on the Instagram page “Home_Kangaroo Point”, which has almost 8000 followers – testimony to the local interest and intrigue surrounding the property.