Is it possible for a selection to be both proactive and reactive? Or at any rate, one that is designed to both best suit Ireland’s approach and needs as well as trying to counter much of what France are expected to bring to Saturday’s mother of all collisions at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 2.15pm).
Simon Easterby’s latest team announcement as interim head coach appears to fill both criteria. The starting team has been refreshed by the returns of Caelan Doris and Hugo Keenan and the reinstatement from the bench of Finlay Bealham and Bundee Aki after their endgame contributions to the 27-18 win over Wales a fortnight ago.
Given Doris has overcome his knee injury and Garry Ringrose is suspended, these selections were relatively inevitable.
The most eye-catching choice is moving Jamie Osborne from fullback to wing in the absence of Mack Hansen due to his quad issue and opting for a 6-2 bench, which includes recalls for the experienced duo of Cian Healy and Rob Herring.
At first glance this looks especially tough on Calvin Nash given he was an ever present in last season’s Six Nations during Hansen’s enforced absence, as well as both Tests in South Africa, and has book ended his eight starts for Ireland with tries against France in last season’s opener in Marseilles and in Murrayfield two weeks ago.
Curiously, all four of Osborne’s starts for Ireland to date have been at fullback. Furthermore, of his 48 starts for Leinster, four of them have been on the left win, and 19 apiece at inside or outside centre, with the remaining six at fullback. Including 11 games as a replacement, the left-footed Osborne will thus wear 14 on his back for first time in his 64 professional games.
Some will no doubt fear for him when matched against the blinding pace of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, but then that would apply to any mortal when confronted by the same.
“He’s done pretty well so far across the short international career he’s had,” said Easterby. “He’s a fabulous footballer, first and foremost. He’s got a physical presence and he’s also got a really smart rugby brain. He understands the game and the feel of the game.”
Besides, Osborne ticks several boxes and affording the talented 23-year-old a start in Cardiff at fullback looks even smarter in hindsight.
Excellent in the air, Osborne’s selection offers an additional counter to a side which uses crosskicks as part of its attacking weaponry more than anyone else. Yet he can act as a focal point for Ireland’s kicking game, as Bielle-Biarrey is not noted for his ability under the high ball.
Osborne also adds another big left-footed option to Ireland’s kicking game, Easterby hinting that he and Keenan may interchange positions in the backfield.
“We’ve got a bit of flexibility to move him around a little bit in certain parts of the field so we can utilise his left, but he’s also got a right foot as well. There’s a bit of flexibility within the system that would allow us to utilise him and Hugo in different positions.”
What’s more, with no third member of the Irish midfield triumvirate to fill the role of impact replacement, Osborne’s versatility in the starting team also affords Easterby more scope for a 6-2 bench split, not least as the interim head coach suggested Doris may not be able to complete 80 minutes.
“There’s a number of reasons why we’ve sone it,” said Easterby. “One is that we have a bit of flexibility in Jamie’s position, him covering the majority of positions in the backline.
“We felt with Caelan, who’s done incredibly well to get back to full fitness and done a brilliant job with the medical staff, has been able to get himself right from an injury which other players might not have been able to do that in a short space of time.
“We needed to make sure we had good coverage in the backrow. In Wales, Jack Conan was very good. He’s come off the bench well before and obviously Ryan Baird came off the bench in Cardiff and James Ryan did as well.
“We felt the dynamics of that pack and how France might play the game meant that it was a nice chunky back five of our scrum to come on and make an impact, as well as having someone like Jamie from the start and can cover a number of positions.”
So the 6-2 split is not just designed to counter the French 7-1 configuration, although it certainly does help to meet firepower with firepower. But the 6-2 split also makes best use of the resources at Ireland’s disposal for this game. It’s not always the case that Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony and Caelan Doris, as well as James Ryan, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan, are all fit simultaneously.
It makes good sense to have them all part of this match-day 23, in addition to Josh van der Flier, the only authentic openside amid this game’s battalion of bruisers. By contrast, van der Flier and Ireland were confronted by three English opensides on the opening weekend in the Aviva. Go figure.
Somewhat similarly, there were no surprises in Fabien Galthié recalling Romain Ntamack, reuniting him with his Toulouse halfback partner Antoine Dupont, shifting their club mate Thomas Ramos to fullback. Nor is there a surprise in the reinstatement of Damian Penaud after his omission against Italy following a slack display in Twickenham.
This is tough on Leo Barre, who looked classy in the 73-24 thrashing of Italy, and Theo Attissogbe. But with Ntamack keen to atone for his red card against Wales in what was his first Test for France since before the World Cup, and Penaud being within one try of Serge Blanco’s all-time French try-scoring record, neither will lack for motivation.
The 7-1 bench trialled in Rome is retained, but with the fit-again Emmanuel Meafou restored in place of Romain Taofifenua and fellow lock Hugo Auradou replacing the skilful Toulouse back-five player Alexandre Roumat in a further nod toward brute strength.
“The choice of a 7-1 bench is linked to the profiles of the most competitive players we currently have in the French team,” explained Galthié. In applying Ireland’s 6-2 split for this game, Easterby could have said the same.
“I guess you always want to feel like you’re going to go out and perform, to inspire the people and the nation as this team has done for a number of years,” said Easterby.
“There’s a number of factors in us wanting this game to be really special,” he added, alluding to Ireland’s three centurions playing their last home Test as well as the trio making their 50th appearances.
“There’s also something else on the line which is bigger than all of that,” he added in reference to a tilt at a Grand Slam and a unique third title in succession.
“We hope that will be reflected in the performance on Saturday.”
