Last Saturday’s story centres on lineout management and spatial awareness feeding into the question – where are Ireland on their World Cup preparation cycle?
Two weeks ago I urged calm after Twickenham’s perfect storm. England’s power and continuity, matched by their accuracy and lineout, ran amok.
Fix the lineout, fix the corridor of power, fix the use of the ball and plenty will be solved. So the answer to Ireland's energy cycle lay in the last 30 minutes in the Aviva on Saturday as they motored along with relative ease as Wales floundered. With energy, determination and a bench that added real oomph, Ireland looked more like themselves.
But a word of caution – the Welsh bench did not, and we don’t know their cycle for they don’t play Australia until Sunday, September 29th.
Firstly, the Irish lineout management.
Not unlike the English game, Ireland faced two quality lineout defenders in Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric. As the Irish lineout formed, Tipuric picked up a variety of defensive positions forcing real-time management from James Ryan. Jones was at the tail defending just three metres, with Tipuric taking the remaining seven metres.
Tipuric is especially athletic, quick over the ground and easy to get high into the air where he was Wales’ biggest lineout source on their ball.
On our ball Ryan’s challenge was to negate Jones at the tail and avoid Tipuric. Ryan won man of the match for an all round superb performance, but taking complete responsibility as the main lineout target was key.
There are few who get into the air quicker than Tipuric but Ryan managed it, and Rory Best hit him beautifully
Lineouts are complicated, with scores of options reduced down to a handful for specific games. But key to Ireland's challenge on Saturday (ditto in Twickenham) was the pace of execution of the lineout. When we slow things down the likes of Tipuric and Maro Itoje win. What improved as the game progressed was that the Irish set up quicker, got the ball in quicker and even with Tipuric flying high he simply couldn't quite get there.
Elusive mismatch
For Rob Kearney's opening try Ireland created the elusive mismatch when CJ Stander bounced over Rhys Patchell before Kearney worked hard for his touchdown. But Ireland's lineout had been very vulnerable to that point, so Ryan took total control and total responsibility.
He selflessly and selfishly called the ball on himself. There are few who get into the air quicker than Tipuric but Ryan managed it, and Rory Best hit him beautifully. The subsequent lineout maul wasn't beautiful, but a major lineout leak had been plugged as Ireland figured out how to beat Jones, Tipuric and score.
They failed to do this in Twickenham, and it is a massive emotional and execution progression for the players selected for Japan, and for Joe Schmidt who selected them.
One big lesson on spatial awareness from that opening try was the role of Stander. When he arrived into Munster he was at his barnstorming best, knocking all and sundry backwards. But watch his first carry in the fifth minute into a heavy Welsh fringe defence. Understandably he was under huge pressure from Aaron Wainwright, who subsequently ripped the ball. Stander is at his best when running at vulnerable backs like Patchell, where his new backrow position may allow him more freedom to find these mismatches.
The Irish scrum is a work in progress where winning the ball is one thing but successfully in another. Jack Conan had to dig deep on several occasions until the Welsh tighthead Tomas Francis succumbed. In those opening salvos Ireland won their own ball but Bundee Aki had serious work to threaten the gain line recreating space – which he did where the winning foundation was laid in the first half in the combination of Aki and Robbie Henshaw.
Even off poor platforms their symbiotic relationship added value by running hard lines off each other and finding holes in the Welsh defence. However, I wonder can this centre combination open holes for others through a passing game?
I couldn't help notice Welsh hooker Ken Owens embrace Best before whispering in his ear 'congratulations big mawwwn'
Defences won the day on Saturday with a combined metres gained of just 502 from both sides. Can Ireland unlock more space through spatial awareness and get the ball into those areas in an accurate and speedy passing game?
Fine game
A word on Tipuric and Josh van der Flier. The Irish openside had a fine game and consistently beat Tipuric to the bobbling ball, the breakdown seal off and added real options while on the ball.
Many of those carries were in heavy traffic, but he showed real open-field understanding just before half time as he weaved inside out while on the tram tracks to gain huge yardage. Tipuric is a super player, so it was a big day for Van der Flier.
The 31-man squad selected has the ability to tackle both South Africa or New Zealand. For instance the inclusion of Rhys Ruddock is a nod towards the Springboks from the quality of his 67th-minute dominating defensive hit on Jones.
And what a cameo from Sean Cronin, who hit his lineout targets in a heavy and narrow lineout channel. Kilcoyne added hugely, ditto Iain Henderson, but I did feel Ireland's use of their 63 per cent of possession understandably lacked the accuracy required in the coming weeks.
Finally to Rory Best. The post-match hugs came in thick and fast but I couldn't help notice Welsh hooker Ken Owens embrace Best before whispering in his ear "congratulations big mawwwn".
Well, congratulations big man for so many special moments, my favourite being the figure of eight in Chicago because of where you stood. Not at the front, allowing the Munster players that privilege, but at the epicentre where all intersects. Not in the limelight but at the heart of this proud and great rugby community. Pure class.
PS A huge thanks to Gordan D'Arcy for his chamois cream and Paul Wallace Cross Cancer Research Cycle in Westport this weekend, but especially for the warm welcome from Bridget Holmes in the beautiful Leenane.
liamtoland@yahoo.com
