Ireland should try to mimic Australian game

With eighth place in the world secured there's a sense of relief but problems persist, writes LIAM TOLAND

SO WE'RE eighth in the world! My God, what must the next eight be like? Last Tuesday I watched the Munster-All Blacks game three times but for a second weekend in a row I struggled through to Croke Park's final whistle.

It has been three weeks of rugby and suitable qualification for RWC 2011 is ensured so there's a definite sense of relief all round. Regardless of simple relief there are good points in abundance to be gleaned. The feedback from players is one of an open, approachable management who are searching hard for improvements. The quality of coaching in the set-up is world class, so expect massive improvements for the Six Nations.

Furthermore, between the Irish fixtures and the famous Thomond Park match last Tuesday several players have forced their way into the fray - Stephen Ferris, Niall Ronan, Keith Earls, Donnacha Ryan and many others.

I don't buy into the concept that the Irish players cannot bond as a group to the level of what we saw last Tuesday. The idea that Irish people drawn from a little island can't bond in green is preposterous. The South Africans, Australians and All Blacks, with five World Cups between them, have a melting pot of cultures in each and every jersey. How did Jack Charlton do it? Or Mick Doyle for that matter?

There are key questions still remaining from Declan Kidney's three weeks of work. But for Munster's Tony McGahan these questions are far more pressing. Based on the rugby we've seen in both Thomond Park and Croke Park then McGahan has some very difficult decisions ahead. Especially with the obvious challenges of the Scarlets and Clermont Auvergne around the corner. There is strong evidence to suggest Peter Stringer and Paul Warwick are the pair to lead to the next level. Stringer last Tuesday was simply perfect. In Warwick's case, his ability to vary the game and carry the ball causes the opposition real heartache.

Stretching the point then, Ryan looks ready to upset the O'Cs in the secondrow and Ronan could certainly change the look of the backrow. For some time David Wallace has been the star player in Green and Red but Ronan can add that number seven edge to Munster and in time for Ireland, freeing Wallace to maximise his many skills.

Last Friday I highlighted the need for value to be added to the ball or, put simply, penetration. Paul O'Connell started brightly with three carries in the opening 24 minutes. Ferris and David Wallace (my men of the match which includes John Hayes) once again provided that penetration. But alas as a group we still don't go forward down channels. Once a player punches a hole in the defence he should have the confidence to offload blindfolded in the knowledge there'll be green shirts all over the dropping ball. Can you imagine Richie McCaw having to lie on his back as Wallace did, within spitting distance of the try line and waiting and waiting?

Ireland's lineouts and low penalty count gave them a huge advantage over the Pumas who struggled in so many areas. Their lineout was desperate, they had a high penalty count and they had a back line that would put the fear of God into any coach, for all the wrong reasons. And still they managed to force Ireland into a poor performance. For this they deserve huge credit, considering they're thousands of miles from home and scattered all over Europe. The Pumas don't have the coaching structures we have, and that's why our performance is so worrying. On paper we should have endured an opening 20 minutes and then cranked it up. But we couldn't. We couldn't penetrate and we simply drifted across field, looping around one another.

Conversely, for all their deficiencies in their back line, the Argentinians were capable of "going forward". Rodrigo Roncero, the loosehead prop, and doctor, while under severe pressure from Hayes, managed lineout lifting, open-field tackling, (in hammering Geordan Murphy and O'Connell) and still had the energy to carry ball.

The match turned on two major errors by the Pumas; both from those dumb/daft chip kicks. Why do players insist on the sandwedge chip over a defending player and into the lottery of traffic? Does it ever work? Ireland forced a penalty from Rafael Carballo's attempt which was punished by a Brian O'Driscoll counter kick. Then Ronan O'Gara's drop goal followed, after Federico Martin Aramburu's outrageous effort that barely left his foot. Six points ensued, which in a tight game gave Ireland vital breathing space.

The game, even with the ELVs, hasn't changed that much. The principle of gaining field position in the opposition's 22 followed by simple hard running rugby will result in scores. The Irish team lacked the ability to penetrate the Pumas, which contributed to costly errors from the back line through wayward passing. There's certainly room for more creative play but in which direction?

Boston or Berlin, or more accurately France or Australia? The French last Saturday under Marc Lievremont were clueless, attempting to force a Fijian game on themselves that has never worked, not even for the Fijians! But on Saturday Australia, led by Robbie Deans, played a game that Ireland can mimic. It's built on managing field position combined with simple powerful play. If Ireland can adopt the hard, direct running of the Australians then the Six Nations is a real target.

Now if Ireland are to create space for the Six Nations then the breakdown is still key. The Argentinians and certainly the All Blacks consistently competed in the ruck with only one or two players. McCaw et al, through excellent technique and a symbiotic understanding of the referee's intentions, caused untold damage to the speed of the ball. We've resorted to four or five players arm-wrestling the likes of McCaw. Hence we face a stronger defensive line, less space with fewer team-mates. But, critically it prevents the release of Wallace and others to continue a more consistent ball-carrying rhythm.

To this end the best continuity man in Ireland is Willie Anderson.