Jonathan Sexton's absence invariably casts a long shadow for those who must deputise in the green 10 jersey but Joey Carbery stepped out into the Parisian sunlight on a cold, crisp evening at the Stade de France and offered an encouraging performance in adverse circumstances.
It wasn’t simply that France made it a very challenging afternoon for the visitors with their bristling aggression at the breakdown and in the collisions, ensuring that for large tranches of the afternoon that Ireland had to play with slower ball than they were accustomed to, or craved.
No, it was more, that the 26-year old has been trying to rediscover his rugby mojo largely in a succession of high-profile matches with plenty at stake for province and country, having had 18 months of his career stolen by injuries. Carbery needs a break in a good way, or, more accurately an uninterrupted run of games.
Comparisons with Sexton are invidious. All the wishing and remodelling in the world isn’t going to make Carbery a clone of the Ireland captain. The Munster outhalf brings his own skill-set of which there were several examples in Paris at the weekend, the first as early as the fourth minute of the match.
It was like rewinding to a visual image to the early days of his professional career. As Ireland attacked the threshold of the French 22, Carbery took unpromising ball and with a familiar bounce of old ghosted two defenders while cutting back against the grain, running on instinct. There was a similar incident in the second half when he embarrassed a couple of French players with his footwork.
It was nice to see little slivers of confidence in the way he ran; a throwback. It wasn’t perfect by any means, there were one or two moments of hesitation, a couple of decisions that he’d like to revise but he coped well in trying circumstances.
Prior to Saturday’s game Carbery had mustered just 266 minutes of international rugby since last summer, his three starts in Tests against Japan, the USA and Argentina. In all of those matches Ireland were in the ascendancy, dominant in all facets and all it required from the outhalf was a light touch.
Saturday at the Stade de France was completely different, the pressure on both sides of the ball claustrophobic in comparison. There wasn't a nanosecond to spare. Against that backdrop he demonstrated some lovely touches; the pinpoint accuracy of his re-start for Mack Hansen's try, a cross-kick for Andrew Conway, a booming clearance.
He made all bar a couple of tackles too. And then there was the place-kicking, including two beautifully struck touchline conversions in a flawless display from the tee. The impetus that those kicks generated at a time when Ireland were trying to reel in a 22-7 deficit cannot be overstated. They energised the team.
Those two tries in quick succession for the visitors represented a high point not only in outcome but in the way Ireland played to get the field position and then strike. Carbery was an important part of that attacking shape, just as Sexton is when he’s controlling the tempo and direction.
There were moments he’d like to have over again, perhaps not kicking after Hugo Keenan’s midfield break and on 68 minutes dithering as he took the ball to the line and then tried to force a grubber kick through when there was no latitude to do so; the odd garryowen too that drifted too far or came up a little shy. Overall though his contribution is one of which he can be proud.
The manner in which head coach Andy Farrell and backs' coach Mike Catt want Ireland to attack is in many respects tailor-made for Carbery, if he can reproduce the razzmatazz of his pre-injury days.
He has the range of passing, the place-kicking, the punting, the broken field running and the temperament for the big occasion, some of which were in evidence in Paris. When you consider the backdrop in how the game played out, it was heartening to watch his performance.
There can be no requirement for Carbery to be Sexton-like, the best version of himself will suffice quite nicely. The Italian game in a fortnight might offer him a chance to back-up in every sense of the word.
