James Ryan built on his performance off the bench in Paris with an excellent hard-nosed display having been entrusted with the start against Italy. The 69 minutes before being replaced by debutant Edwin Edogbo properly represented his talent, his selflessness on behalf of the team coupled with a feisty presence that agitated and irritated the Italian players.
It was specifically Ryan’s carrying game that was so important in getting Ireland over the gainline, a prime example in the build-up to Jamie Osborne’s try. His footwork in contact allowed him to win collisions against multiple tacklers and those precious metres enabled his team to work off front-foot possession at the breakdown. It also served as a reminder of how important it is in winning collisions.
Ryan’s attitude and application is what coaches covet and his positive influence, including calling the lineouts, was reminiscent of his best days in a green jersey.
Scrum a serious concern ahead of trip to Twickenham
Ireland’s scrum survived Paris largely because France picked five backrow forwards in the back five of the pack. The Italians, though, arrived in Dublin with some bona fide grunt in the secondrow, an excellent technique and a commitment from the backrow to be fully engaged as they set about successfully wrecking the Irish scrum.
READ MORE
Ireland head to Twickenham next Saturday where they will face an England scrum that did quite the number on their Scottish counterparts, so it will be a pressing matter for Andy Farrell and scrum coach John Fogarty to come up with a solution. That fix will be vital to their chances in London.
Tom O’Toole’s arrival made a noticeable difference in a couple of scrums late on, so too that of Edogbo, whose maul work at a lineout in tandem with his team-mates in the game’s closing notes denied Italy the earlier purchase they had managed when splintering the Irish defence for hooker Giacomo Nicotera’s try.
Bench press their case for Twickenham spots
Ireland’s bench won them the game, particularly the influence of the replacement halfbacks Jamison Gibson-Park and Jack Crowley. The pair combined to bring tempo and shape to Ireland’s attack, reducing the time that Italy had to realign in defence and therefore exposing gaps.
The simplicity of ensuring that players were running on to the ball, the commitment to challenge the visitors in the wider channels, to move the ball quickly and entrust that team-mates would make good decisions with a little bit of extra time and space were vital components in the victory.
All six forwards that came on added value, energy and produced some big moments individually and in galvanising the team as they chased down a deficit initially. And then in the end game, they were disciplined, co-ordinated and aggressive in denying Italy. The bench made the desired impact and that will be reflected in selection for England.
Italy’s change of mind an interesting take on the laws
There was an interesting kerfuffle regarding the laws in first-half injury time when Italy initially pointed to the posts but revised the decision and instead kicked to the corner. Referee Hollie Davidson awarded the Italians a penalty. Outhalf Paolo Garbisi pointed to the posts, as he indicated a kick at goal, and Davidson did likewise to instruct her assistant referees.
What ensued, though, was a change of mind. Davidson can be heard addressing Garbisi. “You weren’t on the right mark. This is the right mark. Do you want touch or posts?” There follows an inquiry from an Ireland player who challenges the altered decision. Davidson’s response was to point out that “he [Garbisi] was on the wrong mark.”
So, when is an indication to kick for the posts not a commitment to do so? Apparently when a referee adjudicates that you can change your original decision based on a player standing on the wrong mark.
Will Ireland pay price for England’s Murrayfield meltdown?
England will be peppering after their defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield. Steve Borthwick’s side were outthought and outplayed for large tranches of the game, even allowing for Henry Arundell’s 20-minute red card, and pretty one dimensional in their attacking orientation. They didn’t look like a side that had gone into the game with 12 victories in succession.
How much of a part the easy win over Wales had in leaving England undercooked mentally and physically will never be conceded but they won’t be lacking an edge when Ireland hit Twickenham next Saturday afternoon. At the Six Nations launch Borthwick talked up the final weekend duel with France as a Grand Slam decider. It has come back to bite him.
Scotland survived their set-piece issues because of the genius of Finn Russell, Kyle Steyn’s elusiveness, a Trojan work-rate from their pack and the ability to turn England mistakes into points on the scoreboard. That, and the courage, to play, taking England on out wide.
