Undoubtedly the favourite tag does not favour Irish rugby teams as recent history is littered with matches where the unexpected came into being and bug win opportunities went amiss. Such days are oft forgotten amidst the marvellous memories of a Pocock-less Australia that Ireland defeated in the 2011 Rugby World round robin stage – against all prognoses – last September. Such a feat though was all wasted when Ireland failed to inspire against Russia and Italy days later, before finally losing to Wales in the quarter final in Wellington.
At the AVIVA Stadium on Sunday, in a match billed as the chance to get revenge, it seemed returning the favour over the full 80 minutes was going to be tough given the way Ireland took time to get going. The lack of that killer instinct saw the Irish team pay the price with a defeat on home soil on the opening day of the 2012 RBS 6 Nations Championship and asset back for all the carefully made plans.
Somehow the defeat thought by the solitary point left a sense of injustice amongst the cognoscenti and a sense that perhaps the game was stolen from us in the dying minutes. Not sure that stands up to scrutiny.
The match was won in Welsh minds early on when they took a line out short just passed five minutes on the half way line which saw Bradley Davies collect the ball at the front of the line and break down the blind side. A series of decoy moves in the middle of the line-out seemed to leave Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan wrong footed with George North rampaging down the line and delivering to Ryan Jones to scramble over. Fortunately for Ireland the TMO found the TV evidence inconclusive and Wales had to settle for a five metre scrum – and trailing by three points after a Sexton penalty.
Not unlike the Wellington world cup encounter Coaches Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards had shown their card and true to from were the sharper tacticians yet again on the day – catching the Ireland forwards napping. At one stage there was an overwhelming feeling of Mark Lievremont’s France team. In fact after the opening ambit there was an increasing worry that Ireland seemed to have arrived to play Wales once more with only plan A in their pocket.
Indeed, as the game progressed it seemed even more stilted and restrained with the Welsh back row dominating the breakdown up until the departure of Sam Warburton at half time. For a rugby nation that has delivered three quarter-finalists in the Heineken Cup playing expansive rugby with the loose flankers all over the pitch. On Sunday Messrs Sean O’Brien, Stephen Ferris, Jamie Heaslip were for the early part of the game. Unremarkable to say the least.
It seemed that the tactics so fruitful at provincial level with Munster, Leinster and Ulster were being bagged yet again at national level and Ireland would to try to beat Wales by repeating the format of the game on October 8th 2011 in Wellington. Which in effect is what the team did on Sunday for the most part and the result was the same, even if the points margin was less. It belies the fact that Wales broke the try zone seven minutes later – with the TMO deciding on this occasion that Jonathan Davies was clean over.
The most worrying thing being the drive that followed a long line-out that allowed George North take the ball at speed and pop it up with a reverse pass to Davies who then broke through an Irish midfield of Fergus McFadden, Gordon Darcy, leaving full back Rob Kearney out of position to then tackle Davies.
Of more crucial concern was the ease with which the big runners of North, Davies, Roberts and Phillips battered through the Irish midfield throughout the game, gaining each yard one by one. A very worrying thought given next weekend in Paris as these same players may face the height and power of Aurelien Rougerie, Wesley Fofana, Julien Malzieu and Maxine Medard. Like New Zealand, England, Scotland and others, the inside and outside centre in the modern game are no longer just offering the delicate finesse of the likes of Jackie Kyle, Mike Gibson and Brendan Mullin. But the brawn power of wing forwards – oozing height, strength and power in order to recycle the ball on every possible occasion and take the hits at the breakdown.
The latest member to that club is 24 year old Wesley Fofana.
Although nervous early on and leaning on his team-mate Rougerie on every occasion, after the break he looked more the part, scoring France's fourth try. In getting over the line he had more than a bit of work to do to ensure notched up his debut try. At the same venue next weekend he will pose another headache for the Irish back line that will still be without O'Driscoll. Given that scenario the argument to try Tommy Bowe at number 13 gains currency and would force Rougerie to consider some of his defensive duties more carefully.
It is a part of Ireland's game that is a weakness and something that was highlighted with Keith Earls in that position previously. Indeed, it is these games that the world class talent of Brian O’Driscoll becomes ever more apparent given his penchant, skill and sheer desire for the defensive duties on the big occasions.
With a flight to Paris now due in a few days Ireland coach Declan Kidney enters a phase not dissimilar to his predecessor, Eddie O’Sullivan, with the next world cup so far way sticking with the tried and tested panel is not the long term answer – it would seem. It may even now be a tired squad given the increasing demands of the Heineken Cup and the improved profile of the tournament. With no outright triple crown to play for now , or world cup squad to be picked in a few weeks, it should liberate the former Munster coach – one would imagine – to find Plans b and c.
Except of course that for the IRFU winning the Championship is of huge commercial importance – which brings it’s own added pressures for the visit to Stade de France fro Kidney and Co.
Sacre Bleu!
