In many respects the end justifies the means so there won’t be too much quibbling about the manner of the result, just an inclination to bask in the achievement for many Irish supporters. Ireland coach Joe Schmidt set out to win a Six Nations championship and he’s three fifths of the way to achieving that goal.
The aesthetics of Ireland’s win - a 10-match winning streak that equals the best ever in their history - might not have been the prettiest but they were hugely effective and that’s more important in the short term. There were a number of crucial areas in the Irish victory.
Scrum
The official statistics said that Ireland won seven and lost two of their nine put-ins. The latter figure came from conceding a free-kick for an early engagement and because replacement Marty Moore was deemed to have been the guilty party in a collapsed scrum.
There was a suggestion that England might dominate this facet of the game but all the work that the pack, along with scrum coach Greg Feek and forwards’ coach Simon Easterby, did in several gruelling, live scrum sessions last week paid dividends.
Mike Ross may have struggled against Joe Marler in Europe last December but he earned the bragging rights at the Aviva stadium. In two scrums in particular he got his side ‘up’ giving his number eight, scrumhalf and backs an angle close to the English line but the home side could not capitalise. Jack McGrath and Rory Best deserve huge credit too as does the rest of the Irish pack.
Ireland also won a scrum penalty that allowed them to engineer field position that would ultimately culminate, two minutes later, in Robbie Henshaw’s try. England had only one scrum in the entire match, a stunning statistic. England dominated the Welsh scrum. Ireland go to Cardiff in a fortnight knowing it’s an area they can optimistically target.
Lineout
A seminal moment was when England captain Chris Robshaw asked George Ford to thump the ball into the corner from an eminently kickable penalty with Ireland leading 6-3 in the first half. England hooker Dylan Hartley went to the back and was picked off by Devin Toner.
It was a massive shift in energy and momentum. Ireland nicked three English lineouts - they lost one as they threw a fumble - but it was the variety of the throws and recipients that ensured England couldn’t get near them.
One aspect they’ll be a little disappointed with is the maul because on several occasions an England player managed to inveigle his way through the centre and get his hands on the Irish ball carrier to either sack him or the ball. This is an area in which Ireland are normally very effective but were less so on Sunday.
Breakdown
The absence of Jamie Heaslip and losing Sean O’Brien after 24 minutes placed the spotlight on Jordi Murphy and Tommy O’Donnell in this facet of the game and both came through the test with flying colours.
Ireland’s clearing out was very precise and effective, requiring fewer numbers than was the case against France. This guaranteed continuity and allowed them to go through phases and protect the ball. The home side worked smarter with the exception of those two early try scoring opportunities close to the England line.
Ireland tried to rumble their way over around the fringes when on both occasions they had a numerical advantage out wide. To nitpick a little, Ireland might look to trust their hands on those occasions.
Rory Best was brilliant over the England ball at ruck time, slowing their possession, an area in which the backrow also excelled, as did Jack McGrath. This ensured England had to commit numbers and therefore limited by extension in how they could attack. Ireland won 116 out of 117 rucks and won eight turnovers on English ball.
It was only when tired minds and limbs for the green clad players began to kick in, in the last 20 minutes that the home side struggled to slow down English ball; the visitors showed that on the front foot and getting over the gain-line they were a huge threat and might had a couple of try scoring chances.
Aerial Battle
Generally speaking Conor Murray’s box-kicking was wonderfully accurate and it was an area of the game in which Ireland generated huge currency in possession terms. England lost the ball on six occasions in aerial contests with a variety of outcomes from penalties to turnovers of possession.
One cavil is that Ireland occasionally kicked too long and gave England some soft possession while the home side’s kick/chase during those instants was a little ragged too. England made seven clean breaks to Ireland’s one and the majority of those came from a dogleg line chase. For the most part though Ireland’s punting was on the money.
Tackling
Ireland missed 28 of 117 tackles and as the game broke up in the final quarter the evasive footwork of England’s three quarter line was more prominent. The home side contained Billy Vunipola reasonably well, albeit that he attracted multiple tacklers. English fullback Alex Goode should never have been allowed to escape his in-goal area from a hack through. Ireland won a couple of penalties when individuals made good decisions in charging out of the line; an example of which was Jonathan Sexton’s tackles on George Ford and Luther Burrell in the one phase.
Attack
Ireland did create opportunities early on in the match to score tries but a failure to convert those chances was as much down to the option taken as flawed execution. Some of the approach work, lines of running, offloads (four in match) and direct carrying was excellent. The home side were pragmatic in approach, looking to contest high ball and play in England’s half.
Discipline
Ireland won this battle conceding eight to England’s 13 but Joe Schmidt won’t be happy with that figure. For the visitors it was quite simply they’re undoing. They gave Jonathan Sexton five penalty opportunities in the ‘strike-zone’ and he kicked four but transgressions allowed Ireland to release pressure at crucial times.
Closing out match
Ireland lost momentum and direction in the final quarter. There were a number of factors ranging from Jonathan Sexton and Jared Payne’s departure through injury and the resultant reshuffle in the backline, through individual errors, to a diminution in intensity. England’s bench had a greater impact for the most part and they began to keep the ball in hand and use the full expanse of the pitch. They might have had a couple of tries but for a forward pass and some blocking by Billy Twelvetrees. Ireland must examine how their shortcomings contributed to the home side’s travails from a tactical and technical standpoint, both with and without the ball. The video session is likely to reveal that if systems are to be effective then personal enthusiasm can’t be allowed to override the collective no matter how well meaning and the value of playing right through the 80 minutes with the same intensity and high levels of precision.
A fine victory with just enough ‘work-ons’ to occupy Joe Schmidt and his management team over the next fortnight.
