The incoming Wallabies orchestrated a stunning try in Paris late Saturday night. Will Genia was on, Quade Cooper too, and seeing the French stumbling around their cavernous home like stool-less drunks, finally, the Israel Folau rocket was launched.
The ridiculously athletic former Rugby League – via Aussie Rules – superhero had been cloaked by blue tacklers for the previous 75 minutes but, with Australia trailing 29-19, he ploughed into Thierry Dusautoir on his own terms before magically offloading to Cooper. Teddy Thomas, the French winger, immediately wrapped him up but a pass to make Mark Ella purr sent Rob Simmons clear.
"I did think the French targeted Israel Folau, closed his space very quickly," said Joe Schmidt. "That didn't allow him to get up and running but the one time he did, he didn't look too bad, he got that offload away and it was a walk in at the end of it."
France survived the thrilling finale because Dusautoir can still perform like a god when others flounder.
"We got things wrong last year in defending Folau," said Ian Madigan. "He ran the ball back a few times pretty devastatingly. He is certainly a player we need to close down on Saturday if we are to have a chance of beating them. Aerially he is one of the best in the world, he's got great feet, a big fend and a good offloading game."
‘Difficult to assess’
Kurtley Beale joins Michael Cheika’s other ninjas in Dublin this morning.
“It’s a little bit difficult to assess them at the moment,” Schmidt admitted. “It will be interesting to see their team, what with Kurtley Beale arriving. [Bernard] Foley and [Nick] Phipps having played right through, it is a tough place to go, Stade de France, and then back it up again the next week. I’ve no doubt they can do it but Cheiks might be looking at how best he balances that.”
The halfback alternatives are Genia and Cooper.
Schmidt is expected to retain Mike Ross, Simon Zebo and Gordon D’Arcy from yesterday’s starting XV despite Madigan’s eight from 10 kicking return, while also shredding the Georgian line on two occasions. But it’s unlikely he will dislodge D’Arcy, impossible he will remove Jonathan Sexton.
“I thought Ian managed the game very well today,” came the only words Madigan wanted Schmidt to utter.
Ireland players, particularly those on the fringe of this team, are using the same phrases in their media dealings. Talk of the “unseen work that only Joe sees” or “the guy who hits a ruck and gets a deep clean, not the guy who runs around the corner and gets the try”.
That was Madigan last night and Dominic Ryan the previous Friday. Same words. Same long-term goals from these 25- and 24-year-old Leinster men. Tommy O'Donnell lost his Ireland jersey to Jordi Murphy last season; it's now under threat from Ryan.
“I know from my brief time under Cheiks at Leinster that he always gets the best from his players,” Madigan continued. “He is a great motivator and a brilliant coach. You could see the Australians were really playing for him at the end of that game.” Hope to feature against them, start even?
“Yeah. I’ll review this game first. You always hope that you’ll be selected. For me it is just about getting my body right and putting my hand up for selection.”
D’Arcy’s early withdrawal indicates the number 22 jersey will be Madigan’s. The game ended with Ian Keatley running at 12 and Madigan seeing it out at 10. Jared Payne is not ruled out yet.
“It’s great to get 80 minutes in my favourite position but, like I have said before, I am a rugby player, I am employed to play the game. I’ll play wherever I’m selected.”
Needed
Chances are he’ll be needed at some stage.
“Look, you don’t arrive into Carton House on Monday and write your name into the team sheet. If you could do that I’d arrive in early and put it at 10.
“I’m just looking to work as closely as I can with Joe and Matt [O’Connor] to improve my game, to keep managing the areas of our game close to our line that we are getting the exits right. I feel if we keep doing that the selection will follow.”
