Sam Prendergast is both enraging and enthralling in the polarising outhalf position
Sam Prendergast is always going to be a polarising figure. The young Irish outhalf is learning on the job. While Munster fans are tearing their hair out with Jack Crowley sitting on the bench, the Irish management obviously see in Prendergast aspects of his play that they like. He is both enraging and enthralling, kicking a long penalty one moment and missing an important tackle the next, before throwing an exquisite, delayed pass. Prendergast kicked five penalties, missed two, scored a conversion and missed a conversion for 17 points. On another occasion he missed his defensive tackle and as the Welsh player surged forward the camera lingered long enough to see him slapping the ground in utter frustration at the error. For fans, the number 10 tends to be a polarising position at the best of times. Now as he learns his trade under the microscope it is more so than ever.
Ireland maintain ability to grind out a win
An important quality Ireland has and which is maybe overlooked is an ability to get the job done. As people pick through the embers of the win against Wales the ability to pull through shines. A process-driven team, Ireland keep faith in their systems which might get knocked about, but the mindset of the Irish players is to keep the faith. That, so far has repaid them in spades. Winning doesn’t always need to be compelling and while people will rightly say the performance against Wales will not be good enough to beat France in the next match, playing Wales simply isn’t applicable to playing France. Is there such a thing as an “unconvincing win”? For the next game in Aviva Stadium, Ireland will have a different team, a different mindset, different tactics and a different set of players lining out. That will in itself ensure a different performance.
Shut-in Principality Stadium makes for intimidating atmosphere
At Wimbledon they open and close the roof according to the weather. If an English player is involved in a match, the All England Club do not ask them what their roof preference is. To do that would impart an advantage with greater noise from the fans, different air conditions etc. In the past, the Principality Stadium has come to a mutual agreement with the visiting team on whether the roof remains open or closed. This year there was a change to roof protocol which has been agreed with Six Nations and closed will now become the “default” position. Being able to close the retractable roof, they say, guarantees conditions, maintains consistency for fans and players and also improves the fan experience in the ground. “When the roof is shut, the noise is intimidating. It’s fantastic for both the fans and players,” said stadium manager Mark Williams. A built-in Welsh advantage then.
Quick scrum decisions are better for the spectacle
Ireland gave away four scrum penalties in the first half of the match against Wales on Saturday, while England won three scrum penalties in their first half against Scotland. What appeared to be in play was the referee and his assistants calling the play and instead of endless reset scrums, they decided on who they going to penalise. It was instructive in the Irish game that all three officials – referee Christophe Ridley, Georgian assistant Nika Amashukeli and Italy’s Gianluca Gnecchi – each called one of the Irish penalties. The effect of that was to keep the game moving and not have dead television time. It is probably a crowd pleaser as the decision immediately changes momentum. A defending team one moment can become an attacking team the next. It hurt Ireland in the first half but the fans are probably happy the officials made the calls and kept the game moving along.
France cross for 11 tries in scintillating demolition of Italy
Ireland show strength in depth as replacements come to the rescue in Wales
Sam Prendergast is both enthralling and enraging and everything else we learned from Ireland’s win over Wales
Welsh media reaction: New laws questioned after ‘rampaging force of nature’ Bundee Aki turns game
Dogged Josh van der Flier leads the tackle stats in the Six Nations
Even with his red scrum cap flashing around the pitch it is sometimes difficult to see what Josh van der Flier is doing throughout the match. So much of his energy is expended among bodies and making short fast tackles to keep players behind the gain line. A lot of the plays are also shielded by other players as it takes place within the network of the breakdown area. That is not to say his dogged work goes unnoticed as the Irish openside flanker has made 49 tackles over the opening three matches and leads the tackle count table in the Six Nations. He is one ahead of Wales’ talented flanker Jac Morgan who, scored a try against Ireland at the weekend. Morgan is in second place with 48 tackles with Irish prop Andrew Porter and Irish secondrow Tadhg Beirne in joint third place with 39 tackles each. A notable 10th place is Caelan Doris with 31 tackles but he’s played in just two matches.
