Liam Toland: Impact of those on the bench cannot be overestimated

Last Monday I highlighted the crucial timing of the bench’s entry. This of course is only part of the story. Not long ago being selected on the bench was seen as a failure – for two reasons. Firstly the bench meant that you were not first choice where most elite players would argue till death that this was an error of judgement from the coach; and secondly, as close to the action as you were you still realised it was highly unlikely that you’d be sprung. Or if you were, it would be a token time at the end.

Many Irish players have suffered the above and have gladly taken the opportunities from the bench but although an extra cap was welcomed there was huge frustration especially as other nations were embracing the concept of what a 23-man squad could achieve.

In previous RWCs, Ireland had been slow to embrace this vital tool. Partly I fear that coaches were less sure of its role and erred on the side of 'leave the best players on the pitch' for fear of damaging the rhythm of the game; and partly because the bench was always an emergency, break glass option. This has clearly changed in the Joe Schmidt era into looking for impact.

Unique impact

What then is ‘impact’? Sean Cronin is a superb international hooker and clearly capable of 80 minutes but it’s his unique impact off the bench that makes him invaluable to Ireland. Conversely other Irish players are more suited to starting than impacting off the bench. Hence considering the type of player and when to utilise him are crucial.

To understand the key difference between a subs bench and an impact bench we must look at the selection committees. The five-man selection committee was in vogue for the first number of RWCs. In fact the committee often selected the team without the coach involved.

Yes can you imagine inheriting a team and bench that was built around the needs of the committee (club loyalty etc) and then being told ‘off you go and win’.

Having been a member of a selection team in Leinster I recall the many discussions in selecting the best 15 players. As soon as that was completed the bench would have been selected where typically those who lost out, the next best players, would have been slotted in.

For example, the third best secondrow became the sub secondrow, ditto for all the other replacements. This has changed drastically with over half a team on the bench and the arrival of French 155kg tight head Uini Atonio.

Specific tactic

Heretofore players would do all applicable preparation for their potential selection of 80 minutes in the hope they’d get picked. Now, players such as Atonio are being conditioned to play the last 20-odd minutes only with a specific tactic of impact. There is simply no way he could survive from the beginning.

This luxury has evolved as deeper understanding of impact ties in with greater bench numbers ie, from no subs at all, to subs only used in injury cases to the full eight tactical subs.

With it the physical make-up of the bench has changed which is designed to place huge pressure on the opposition team that doesn’t also grasp the concept. The Irish front row experienced this in the 13 minutes between the arrival of the French replacements and the introduction of their own.

Atonio did make a massive impact so too his fellow prop Vincent Debaty but it was Debaty, a full 43kgs lighter than Atonio, who managed to sustain the effort and ended up impacting on the French try. Atonio's technique around the park soon became abysmal. This raises a key question. What then is Atonio's role and can the laws amend this tactical option.

Surely all 23 players should be capable of a full 80 minutes and if not, their new role then changes the integrity of the game. If starting French tighthead Rabah Slimani was to cry off injured this week I’d be flabbergasted should Atonio make the starting side. Instead he’d be leapfrogged while remaining on the bench.

Defensively Ireland limited France to one line break in 80 minutes but, as I noted last Monday, Mike Ross managed a cracker on 27 minutes and 30 seconds in pulling French left winger Teddy Thomas down. The time is crucial as, too, are the protagonists.

As the clocks ticks on, scrummaging fatigue kicks in and had the same circumstances occurred 30 minutes later Thomas would have not been caught by Ross. That’s reality.

That’s what coaches and team tactics are trying to create; mismatches both in athletic and fatigue terms.

Italian tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni was less fortunate than Ross in becoming badly exposed, opening the door for Tommy O’Donnell’s wonder try off Ian Madigan’s unlocking pass.

Next weekend we take on England in Dublin and where the French were big (and fat) the English are massive but toned. Google images of James Haskell and you will soon realise that these are no ordinary athletes coming to town.

Suffice to say England may not boast the 155kgs Atonio and 121kg Romain Taofifenua but they will offer an infinitely more sustained challenge over the 80 minutes making our use of the bench crucial.

The bench

Stuart Lancaster has been at the forefront of maximising the impact of his international bench where he excels in knowing exactly when to deploy. International norms substitute the front row after 60 minutes but France jumped the gun last weekend and Ireland were 13 minutes behind.

Yes the much-vaunted defences are crucial so, too, tactics around them but the bench is the single most important factor of the coming weeks – especially if Ireland are coming from behind. It’s about value where a brilliant but small openside poacher may be of no use in the opening 60 minutes but could prove of huge value in the closing 20 as teams tire and he makes crucial steals.

liamtoland@yahoo.com