Matt Williams: Rediscovering physicality and aggression must be Ireland’s priority

Dear reader, I am going to give you some tough love. I know you don’t want to hear this, but you need to hear it.

You should not have been shocked that England have, once again, smacked Irelands collective rugby bums. There is a very strong chance our Welsh cousins will also “redden” our lily white cheeks again in Cardiff this week.

The Irish national team has been in a poor state since Joe Schmidt announced in December 2018 that he was leaving after the 2019 RWC. Joe is the cultural architect of this Irish team. Just as Alex Ferguson built Manchester United according to his vision, Joe built Ireland in his.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, as we have all witnessed Ireland’s great success under Joe.

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When a team has its culture built around one person, as the Irish rugby team does, when that person’s departure begins, the teams performance drops. Group dynamics drive the subconscious change in team habits.

Last week the official number of Irish missed tackles was 38. I suspect the real number was in the forties. The way a teams defends is a barometer of the passion, aggression and burning desire for physical confrontation in the team’s culture.

At international level, individuals missing tackles is mostly an aggression issue and not technical. The way a team takes pride in its own defence is down to its culture.

In the last eight months we have witnessed the evaporation of extreme physicality and aggression from the most successful Irish rugby team in history.

The rushing defensive system opponents have implemented against Ireland has eroded the players’ confidence in all areas of the game.

It is well documented that Ireland’s “go forward” is based around a powerful set piece. The tactic all international coaches are implementing against Ireland is to deny them quality lineout ball.

So do not lay all the blame for last week’s poor lineouts a the feet of Rory Best because, embarrassingly, England bullied every Irish player in the lineout.

Ireland are adding to their problems with poor tactical lineout calling when Devon Toner does not play.

Body language

Calling the lineout is difficult. It requires knowledge, experience and “real time” assessment of the opposition tactics.

It also requires self belief and a total commitment to the plan.

Without Dev Toner, Ireland’s lineout lacks leadership, intellect and aggression. Last week Maro Itoje disrupted the Irish lineout with illegal but smart tactics. Not one Irish forward attempted to put him in his place. There was no aggressive leadership.

The Irish forwards’ body language was timid. I understand they were tired after the training camp in Portugal, but that is no excuse for being timid.

This World Cup is going to be exceptionally hard for Ireland. Key players are ageing, most players are out of form and their quarter-final will be the toughest in the competition.

That’s why Irelands performance in London last week should not have come as a shock to you because the signs were there for all to see. It’s time to remove the “Green goggles” and take a real look.

Now, dry your eyes, boil the kettle and have a sit down. There is some good news.

There is still time for an Irish resurgence if Ireland can rediscover their “whoskabomy”. Yes, the glorious term first defined by the Randwick rugby legend Jeffery Sale is back and very much needed. It’s a nonsense word designed to make you smile and rediscover the fun factor of rugby.

When your team does not win, your confidence, joy and “whoskabomy” takes a pounding. So Ireland have to get it back. Rule 1-0-1 of rugby states that “with or without the ball, go forward with aggression”.

It all starts with physicality and aggression. Two qualities we saw in abundance when Ireland beat New Zealand and sadly both were absent at Twickenham.

As an old coach of mine put it: “It’s much more fun to be the basher than the bashee”. In rugby it is much better to give physicality and aggression than to receive it.

In Cardiff the Irish players have the perfect opportunity to display aggression, enthusiasm, positive body language and get back some good old-fashioned “whoshkabomy”.

This week’s players have everything to gain form an energetic performance and nothing to lose.

Massive opportunity

Joe Schmidt is as good as any coach I have every seen, but since the opening defeat of this year’s Six Nations, Joe has appeared exceptionally tense and stressed. It is as if every day in a green tracksuit is a burden.

Joe must get back his own “whoskabomy” and lead his team like he did in November 2018. Confidence, joy, laughter and some joking is as infectious as frustration, stress and disappointment.

When the team you coach is playing poorly and your staff are working exceptionally hard every day to turn it around it is tough to be outwardly positive.

Joe’s coaching gig is to get Ireland back into their zone of performance.

Over the next few months, Ireland have a massive opportunity because everyone has written them off. That is exactly why we love to be part of a rugby team. To overcome huge odds and prove yourself to the world are some of the deepest of human motivations.

So let’s cut to the chase. Ireland must go out and use extreme physicality on anything wearing scarlet. That is the mission and the factor that has been missing.

The joy of rediscovering Irish “whoskabomy” awaits.