RUGBY:THOSE CLAMOURING for change will be disappointed and will assuredly grumble, but the predictable decision to make just one alteration in the team to play France in Paris tomorrow makes sense in the context of a six-day turnaround. Besides, of more importance than selection issues is the performance.
In recalling Keith Earls at outside centre for Fergus McFadden, who returns to the bench to the exclusion of Dave Kearney, and thereby reverting to the original selection to face Wales, there is method to Declan Kidney treating these two games as a block of one and running with the team that has been running in training for three weeks with as little disruption as possible.
However, if it all goes tails up in Paris yet again and thus with a shot at the title realistically out of reach, then Italy a fortnight away and the remainder of the championship is a different matter.
This is not quite last chance saloon – Ireland don’t have the reserves for that – but it could mark a significant benchmark nonetheless.
While there would have been relief that Stephen Ferris was not suspended, there must also be a residual anger at the way he was put through the ringer from Sunday through to Wednesday, not to mention the disruption caused by his unnecessary trek to London on Wednesday, as well as the disciplinary panel’s verdict that the decisive penalty was erroneous.
Kidney spoke of losing the last three meetings with the Welsh “and everybody knows what happened in two of them”, also in reference to the illegal quick throw which enabled Mike Phillips to score the winning try in Cardiff last year. When asked if that grated he smiled at length and borrowed a phrase from his predecessor. “It is what it is,” he said, adding: “You can’t do anything about it. You just need to move on. That’s the only answer I can give to that, and we’ve a responsibility to the game too.”
A residual sense of bitterness, all the more so with David Pearson as referee, may be no harm.
For all the talking of “moving on”, yesterday’s mantra from Kidney and Paul O’Connell alike, there were continual questions and unsolicited references to last week’s game against Wales.
Interestingly, O’Connell confirmed that the passivity of the defence against Wales was not policy. “We were just a bit soft when we didn’t need to be at times. I’m sure there were times when Wales had numbers on us and we had to wait for the inside before we could chase it down but at times we were a bit soft in defence and hopefully that’s something that we’ve addressed.
“It’s something you need to spend a whole lot of time on. Guys were frustrated with our defence because defence is a big part of our game and for two games in a row now it hasn’t been up to the standard that is required and the Irish standard of the last few years.”
Indeed Ireland conceded the same number of tries (three) against Wales last Sunday that they leaked in Wellington against the same opponents, which also matches the tally they coughed up in the entire Grand Slam-winning campaign of 2009.
That seemed a particularly pertinent issue with Stade de France in mind.
By contrast, France have an additional day’s rest for back-to-back home games and the momentum of an opening-day four-tries-to-nil win over the Azzurri. Kidney was particularly taken by the “nil” part.
“I thought the French defence very solid. Italy threw a lot at them but France just looked comfortable in defensive situations, and then hit them on the break quite a bit to get tries. If you are in any way loose or inaccurate they can pick up on that.” It was ever thus.
That being their third different game in three competitions, Les Bleus are liable to come up a notch. “They had a short period of time together because of league matches, and with a second week now you can be sure they can add to that with a new coach. When you have cornerstones such as an impressively strong defence, I’m sure they can add to that.”
Imanol Harinordoquy looks like a key selection to attack Ireland’s lineout and while “similar” to the demoted Julien Bonnaire, O’Connell admitted the athletic Biarritz veteran could “add a massive part to their lineout. It really adds to set-piece, to think they can leave someone like Bonnarie out and bring in Harinordoquy, it shows the strength they have”.
Nor was head coach or captain of a mind to interpret the replacement of an unwell Dimitri Yacvhilli with Morgan Parra as likely to weaken their hand; one strutting, cocky, left-footed, goal-kicking petit generale replacing another.
Ireland’s record in Paris, one win in their last 20 visits dating back to 1972, doesn’t make for pretty reading but Kidney denied there was a mental issue there for Irish teams.
“A couple of years ago Ireland were down about 30 points and said to hell with this ended up 33-30 or something [43-31]. French games have atmospheres all of their own. The provinces in the Heineken Cup matches are more used to it, but we need to be ready from the off on Saturday night. If France come out of the blocks, and we step off at all, it’ll be ‘allez allez’.”
Ireland have endured many lessons in Paris, and again, in a way, at home to Wales last Sunday, which they simply have to learn from.
As O’Connell observed yesterday: “You can’t give them anything easy over there. That’s what we did last weekend with regard to yards made [by Wales] and turnovers.
“It’s really a blueprint for not winning in Paris and we really need to learn those lessons from last weekend and put them into practice this weekend.”
Ain’t that the truth.
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