The team needs wholesale changes for Fiji – there are eight players who shouldn’t be next nor near the team sheet and eight who should
Ireland’s victory over Argentina was a roller-coaster ride, with a first half of attacking dash and a second half of dogged perseverance. However, there were some parts that drew comparisons to the previous week’s match against the All Blacks. We analyze some of these talking points and provide our thoughts on their significance.
1. CAELAN DORIS
Caelan Doris reassured anyone who was unsure that the moment had come for him to take over as captain, assuaging any fears of a repeat of his underwhelming performance against New Zealand.
Because, make no mistake, Andy Farrell’s vision is committed to having the Leinster leader make decisions until the next Rugby World Cup, and beyond if the Man of Steel is appointed Ireland manager for the following term.
Doris has a subtle presence; he is an unlikely candidate to start kicking chairs about the room and bashing his head against walls, but, as Paul O’Connell points out, that is not the modern way.
Rugby players, to take from Brian O’Driscoll/Gordon D’Arcy’s perspective, are not soccer players, but they are not as far away as they formerly were.
2. DEFENCE
There is a nice component to the concept that Ireland’s defence, particularly the forwards, isn’t so much causing the traffic that Dublin city centre frequently encounters, but rather resembling New York city gridlock, which can be just as suffocating.
Friday night’s back-row tackle stats were as impressive as expected against a top-tier nation, with Josh van der Flier (24 tackles) serving as the poster boy. As the game strives to create more time with the ball in play, the no. 7’s tackle count grows to meet the challenge.
Doris (18 tackles) and Tadhg Beirne (15 tackles) contributed, as did Peter O’Mahony, who came on from the bench, albeit his most crucial statistic may have been a lineout steal, Ireland’s only one of the game.
Aside from the JVDF, the gold medal in defence goes to James Ryan (14 tackles in 61 minutes), who was great today for the second week in a row and appears to have returned to form after a dip. Joe McCarthy (14 tackles) maintained a similar defensive profile throughout his 70 minutes.
The front row, as is customary for a Farrell team, was also marked present and correct, with Andrew Porter (14 tackles), Ronan Kelleher (18 tackles), and Finlay Bealham posting a ‘high’ figure for a tighthead (12 tackles).
3. Initiating Change
Andy Farrell has become a creature of habit, particularly after returning from the Rugby World Cup in France, and is hesitant to give out starting jerseys cheaply.
Ireland started Keenan, Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe, Sexton, Gibson-Park, Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Henderson, O’Mahony, JVDF, and Doris in the quarter-final against New Zealand at the Stade de France; it was hardly the end of the road for those players, as all but Johnny Sexton are still playing.
Nine games have been played since the RWC 2023, with the Six Nations campaign, South Africa twice, New Zealand, and Argentina serving as the opposition.
James Lowe, Jack Crowley, Andrew Porter, and Joe McCarthy have started all nine, while Caelan Doris, JVDF, Tadhg Beirne, and Robbie Henshaw have started eight, making it difficult to determine who is in line for succession.
Fiji are in town this Saturday, and instead of dropping those we know so well, is it time to give Jacob Stockdale, Ciaran Frawley/Sam Prendergast, Michael Milne, Ryan Baird, Cian Prendergast, Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timony (please call in Alex Kendellen), and Jamie Osborne a chance?
4. Jack Crowley
Jack Crowley’s performance provided more than just a touch of bounceback; we saw a touch of strong-willed resolve that we had begun to doubt existed.
Perhaps that’s a touch excessive, but it’s been painful to watch Munster struggle through a slew of issues while a relatively inexperienced out-half tries to find his own path.
Ireland/Munster are still suffering for pampering Joey Carbery for so long; hopefully, Friday’s performance may put this one to rest – it was a concern that Alex Nankivell, when playing for the Reds, was giving all the bottle in the 10/12 channel.
Crowley’s try against the Pumas was fantastic; he identified a prop in the defensive line, took the pass, and sliced in. All top-tier no. 10s can drop their shoulders to cover small distances, and Crowley did so.
5. ARGENTINA.
It is not unreasonable for Irish fans to want Argentina to succeed; Michael Cheika was responsible for significant change in Irish rugby by turning Leinster around, and Felipe Contepomi is one of our favourite adopted sons.
Regardless of Cheika’s contentious relationship with authority, his alleged having favourites at every club, which makes others upset and excluded, his leading the Pumas to the RWC 2023 semi-final and revitalizing the Leicester Tigers have demonstrated that he has not lost much of his magic sprinkle.
Contepomi has had two bites of the Cheika apple, first as a player at Leinster and then as an assistant in Argentina, and while his techniques look to be different, he is receiving similar praise.
But Contepomi, as well-dressed, well-spoken, and well-versed as he is, may not be that different from the Australian, as it was told to me over the weekend that his ‘secret’ is to hold individual players accountable. He believes in individual high standards and can be quite the tough guy around them.
Is Contepomi a possible future Leinster coach? Certainly, he would be an excellent contender for the next position.
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