England's Jonathan Joseph was named man of the match for the game against Scotland in Twickenham on Saturday, but he's not my main worry. It is is Maro Itoje who was wearing number six. In Itoje England have a man in the blindside jersey who comes with a massive difference.
Yes, he “argues” like a six and, yes, he runs and carries as a six. He also defends like a six and his incredible breakdown work is also like a six. However, his lineout work is like a 5½ and most impressively he does all this whilst scrummaging behind his tighthead prop as a number five.
Secondrow Courtney Lawes slipped on to the blindside flank at scrum time as his young number six took over the toughest of scrummaging positions bar tighthead prop. Itoje is, in fact, like some sort of hybrid player that comes along but once a century. His power and energy are clearly off the charts and all allied to a footballing, abrasive and leader's brain. Come Saturday in the Aviva Stadium, where Joseph is box office, Itoje is raw value.
For Ireland, again looking at their performance in isolation, a dangerous viewpoint I accept, there is cause to re-examine selection and tactics
After a weekend of big wins and a big loss, one could be forgiven for admiring the pace and power of England and view Ireland in the isolation of their performance in Cardiff. As the clock ticked by in their game against Scotland, England grew in confidence, energy and ambition. On the other hand, Ireland created their chance to beat Wales in that penalised lineout maul but ultimately couldn’t impose their game over a very simple Welsh one.
In the confident mood England had created for themselves (aided by big Scottish match-day injuries) they would probably have kept powering along to reach a century, with all their players (including those on the bench) vying for Eddie Jones’s selection. For Ireland, again looking at their performance in isolation, a dangerous viewpoint I accept, there is cause to re-examine selection and tactics.
Dangerous view
This is a dangerous viewpoint because no team should be examined through the narrow eyes of one match, but I had felt Ireland would beat Wales by five points and that England would hammer Scotland.
So in wondering why not an Irish win, an examination must occur. The lineout: England’s lineout was the entire source of Scotland’s woes. From their lineout they launched a myriad of midfield maestros where Joseph was the benefactor.
I had also noted on Friday that if you neutralise Alun Wyn Jones, you neutralise Wales. Jones was magnificent in play but more so in leadership and brains. Wales, as predicted, shortened their lineout and made Justin Tipuric their target. Disappointingly Ireland didn't lay a finger on this obvious target.
Like England in Twickenham, Wales launched exit and try-scoring strategies off Tipuric. Ireland’s current configuration will be an easy target for the English athletes and will make the tail of the lineout almost impossible to hit. Personnel change is required; so big ball-carrying names, through no fault of their own, must hit the bench.
As for tactics, well a certain play comes to mind and it was clearly a key part of Ireland’s overall approach to the Wales game. There were one or two passes comprising a pop ball back inside to the blindside winger coming from “nowhere” with the aim of exposing the Welsh defensive structures. This happened regularly early on where Dan Biggar’s channel was a target in order to get him making physical challenges, which is a good idea.
Very late on Ireland completed this when Garry Ringrose popped back into Keith Earls. The ball was spilled but either way the monster that is Jamie Roberts would have smashed him. The point is that Roberts and Wales knew what Ireland were at. We were predictable.
Violent physicality
Now Joe Schmidt et al can argue that we don't over-rely on the one-out pass that has been mentioned here so often. It is a moot point if the tactic works or not. Wales played their usual ferocious one-way rugby with a violent physicality; they dominated when Ireland tried their usual one-out rugby and we were simply out-muscled and out-thought.
When Ireland did go wide, the Welsh defensive system closed down intricate Irish moves but far too often Ireland simply ran out of numbers. England are more patient, more physical, more fit, more organised and more ambitious in their play than Wales so we need to at least match same through our tactics and firstly our personnel.
It would be unfair on a group of players to be jettisoned because their effort never ebbed in Cardiff but they didn’t – or couldn’t – impose their tactics. So what do you do? England’s tactics dictate that change is needed in the backrow, in the back three, in the centre and on the bench.
Peter O'Mahony must start in the backrow to aid Ireland's lineout options but also to provide valuable leadership and brains to Rory Best. I've long been banging on about tearaway opensides but I fancy this is not the day to start. Donnacha Ryan must also start and the midfield may be adjusted to accommodate Jared Payne. Schmidt may even make changes in his halfbacks,
Finally, Ireland have a massive match this Saturday but before we get to the Aviva there's a bigger one on in the RDS on St Patrick's Day as the Ireland Rugby Legends "entertain" the England Rugby Legends. So many people in the media, in rugby and in hospitality have come together for this very special one as it is in memory of the special one. So join us on Friday in #PlayingForAxel at 6pm in the RDS.
liamtoland@yahoo.com
