Ireland’s improving scrum has its day against Scotland
Ireland’s scrum has been under pressure throughout the Six Nations Championship, conceding 15 penalties and plenty of free kicks. The absence of three frontline loosehead props through injury was a factor. It would have been an area that Scotland targeted ahead of the Triple Crown game.
So, it’s against this backdrop that scrum coach John Fogarty and the players worked hard to eradicate the issues. Successfully. Tom O’Toole has been a revelation in his reincarnation as a loosehead, but it is the work of the collective that engineered a more stable platform. The animation in the faces of Irish players and none more so than Tadhg Furlong spoke volumes about how much it meant.
Ireland denied the title by France's late act
The home side won a penalty at the first scrum, a free-kick at the second – and one free kick aside – provided their team-mates with a rock-solid platform, whether looking to clear lines inside the Irish 22, or a launch pad for tries, specifically the one scored by Robert Baloucoune in the first half.
Ireland’s new and returning players make considerable impact
In the absence of Hugo Keenan and Mack Hansen, and losing James Lowe to injury during the tournament, Ireland coach Andy Farrell turned to four players, Jamie Osborne, Robert Baloucoune, Tommy O’Brien and Jacob Stockdale to fill the sizeable shoes of the absentees, who had previously been key components in terms of attacking game play.
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Osborne started all five matches in the Six Nations, crossed for four tries, one apiece in the games against Italy, England, Wales and Scotland to be Ireland’s leading scorer in that capacity, and was second in the tournament for metres per kick (36.8). Baloucoune won the Six Nations newcomer award and scored three tries in four starts.
O’Brien snapped up three tries, one against England and a brace against the Scots, in three appearances and two starts, was fifth in metres per carry (7.4) and joint top for attacking catches. Stockdale scored a try against Wales, his 19th but first since, 2021.
Andy Farrell’s judgment has been impeccable in squad management
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has played 35 players, the most ever in his tenure, during a Six Nations campaign in which Ireland bounced back from losing to France to win four straight matches. His husbandry of the resources has been remarkable, his judgment impeccable.
Whether it was injury or form Farrell has played his hunches superbly in that he’s changed up personal and elicited a positive response from a player. It hasn’t been perfect and there were times in the Italy and Wales matches where the quality was fitful but overall, it was a largely satisfying batch of performances.
When weighed against a backdrop of injuries to over a third of what was the first-choice team, Farrell has managed to keep Ireland motoring in terms of results. Look at his decision to entrust a position in the matchday 23 to Darragh Murray. A try for the Roscommon man on his first Six Nations start. Farrell’s intuition, his ability to extract the best from players is remarkable.
Ireland’s back five shine in four closing victories
The movable parts in Ireland’s back five in the pack have been a key aspect of Ireland’s run of four matches. Whether at secondrow, six or coming from the bench Tadhg Beirne has got better as the tournament went on, leading the way overall in the “turnovers and jackals” categories.
Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier weren’t always first choice but their response to that status was first-class, doubling down on their work-rate and efficiency for the team; van der Flier’s 23 tackles in 52 minutes against the Scots a reminder of that attitude.
Caelan Doris, as he does so often led by example, both in quantity and quality, and was the only forward to make the top five in the defenders beaten (18) category across the Six Nations. Jack Conan produced man of the match displays, James Ryan was superb while Nick Timoney managed a high-calibre impact no matter what his role. And then there was the try-scoring Darragh Murray?
France beneficiary of soft refereeing against title decider
Refereeing. England coach Steve Borthwick was unhappy with Georgian whistler Nika Amashukeli and with some justification given several contentious decisions in their defeat to France in Paris. Interpretations by third parties can be very subjective but when the referee lacks consistency in presiding over the same or similar offences then it is easy to understand why it becomes a bugbear for players and coaches.
His decision to brandish a yellow card to England prop Ellis Genge and award a penalty try in first half injury time was an example of a questionable decision on the night. The first in a sequence of events in the preamble to that decision was French secondrow Emmanuel Meafou blocking off in the lineout, something which assistant referee Andrew Brace may have tried to point out. To no avail.
France were the beneficiaries of some “soft” penalties, including the match-winning one, awarded for a high tackle and subsequently kicked brilliantly by fullback Thomas Ramos. The French were worthy champions, though.
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