Ireland kicked the ball 44 times. Forty four to England’s 27. This statistic was offered to the gallery by visiting coach Stuart Lancaster. Repeated by Andy Farrell and James Haskell. England knew what was coming and still the game was decided within 54 minutes.
“It was just as we expected - Ireland play a smart game,” said Lancaster. “The damage was done when they scored the try.”
They knew that Tommy Bowe, Rob Kearney and Simon Zebo would be rocketed into the air after Jonathan Sexton garryowens and Conor Murray box kicks.
It was signalled from way out. The English media even wrote about Kerry football last week. A picture of the soaring Kieran Donaghy made it into the Times of London (along with a grounded Mayo defender). The prearranged plan, as defence coach Andy Farrell had simply stated, was to catch the ball when it dropped to earth.
“I must pay Ireland a lot of credit for the way they played the game,” said Farrell. “Their kicking game in the first half was exceptional, on the money. Accuracy from Johnny and the nine was outstanding and the pressure they put on was backed up by our ill discipline.”
To label Ireland predictable would be naive in the extreme. Murray’s dinking kick into England’s in goal area for Robbie Henshaw’s try, while prompted by the advantage law, wasn’t speculative. Murray, whose play-maker status has surpassed any French or Springbok nine on the planet, knew Henshaw could out leap Alex Goode. England know all about the Athlone man now. But they knew what was coming.
“Well, there was a lot of it,” Lancaster remarked. “Forty four kicks in open play. We didn’t nail everyone but, then again, when you got the likes of Tommy Bowe and Zebo and Rob Kearney if it’s put on the money, as Andy is saying, it is always going to be a 60-40 contest.”
“Obviously the crucial one in the corner, which we missed out on, but otherwise I thought we dealt with it pretty well,” Lancaster strangely added.
Maybe Ireland are just a more street wise team?
“Interesting question,” said Haskell. “I don’ think it is about being street wise, it’s about playing right on the edge and seeing what you can get away with. I think Ireland got away with a lot today.”
Being forewarned doesn’t always mean a team is forearmed.
Ruthlessness
“In international rugby the size of the players, the physicality, it is all pretty equal,” the hulkish flanker continued. “So, it is down to ruthlessness, the finesse at the end of it.
“Like, I think you boys kicked 44 times. That’s a clever tactic. You can’t play rugby if you don’t have the ball . . .
“Credit to Ireland, I know you boys are looking for a special quote but, look, they did well today and that’s the end of the story. We know we got a lot of work to do. We weren’t on the money today, simple as that.”
Journalism rule #746: When an interviewee says he is not going to give you a special quote or “end of story” he is one decent question away from a special quote.
Can a team kick themselves to a Grand Slam?
“I think you can,” Haskell answered. “I think you can do what you like to get to a Grand Slam, if it works, if your players are performing like they performed today and make the right decisions . . .”
So, Ireland’s success is all down to high fielding (a motion to congress banning rugby from using the GAA as a promotional tool is due in 2016).
“Fundamentals are good, the hand eye co-ordination but there are a lot of things that are different,” explained Tommy O’Donnell, Ireland flanker yet Tipperary born hurler. “The way you approach the ball; the way you are catching the ball into your chest not over your head. A lot of it is practice makes perfect.
“The backs do a hell of a lot of drills in training and are getting incredibly good at it.”
So are Wales.
