Listen to the full chat above via the Wednesday Night Rugby podcast
On Monday we had Ireland defence coach Les Kiss in studio and during the chat, he suggested that defending the Six Nations title would be the most important thing that Ireland can do in 2015 - which also happens to be a Rugby World Cup year.
Keith Wood and Gerry Thornley joined us and gave their take on that assertion.
"He's being a pro and a coach. It's a bit like Steven Gerrard saying that their most important match wasn't against Man City, but the match against Norwich. [Six Nations] is the next tournament and they are the defending champions so they don't want to take their eye off that and it's a huge cash cow for the IRFU," said Gerry who believes retaining the Six Nations will actually boost Ireland's World Cup chances because confidence will skyrocket.
Keith also believes that both tournaments need not be mutually exclusive given the amount of time between both.
"Ireland want to do well in the World Cup and they want to achieve in the World Cup. If they achieve in the World Cup, that would be beyond anything else. But the Six Nations is unbelievably important as we proved again this year," he said.
Meanwhile, the IRFU's new high performance director David Nucifora will be unveiled tomorrow. The Australian has had spells as a head coach at club level and in 2009 he became the General Manager of the ARU High Performance Unit. He also has the distinction of being the only Super Rugby coach to be dismissed after leading his team to the title.
Keith described the appointment as a "long time coming" and Gerry explained the role that Nucifora will have within the IRFU.
David Nucifora ©INPHO/Photosport/Andrew Cornaga
Describing him as a "man with strong will" and "a good bloke", Gerry said: "This will not be a hands on coaching role from what I hear. I don't think he has been earmarked for an U18, U20 coaching job. He'll be trying to streamline things and make things move more smoothly between the provinces and the Irish management. It will take in nutrition as well as coaching and strength and conditioning. It needs that elite professional manager."
Gerry, who reiterated that today's guest Conor Murray will become the "best Irish No 9 of all time", gave his take on the prospect of the Munster man playing at 10 from time to time in the next few weeks.
Keith reckons that the transition from 9 to 10 is difficult, contrasting it with the way both roles are administered over in France.
