We can beat the French if we attack at pace

RUGBY:Two years after the Grand Slam, we badly need a performance against the French, writes LIAM TOLAND

WHEN THE ball bounces on the manicured Aviva ground this Sunday time will momentarily stop and even the piano player will stop playing in anticipation for what is to come. The ball lying lonely on the ground is full of potential and possibility. It can also put the fear of God into players. We know from many horrible experiences and last weekend’s performance over the Scots that the French come into their own when all time stands still. From that moment the real is suspended as any one of 15 French men bend down to pick up the ball.

Slow, slow, slow, turnover and inside the third minute last Saturday they were at it again. This time Scotland were playing rugby, good rugby, but centre Nick De Luca dropped the ball in midfield. Thierry Dusautoir bends down picks the ball and offloads immediately to Aurélien Rougerie, of all people. Fifteen metres later he grubbers the ball and Maxime Médard pounces. Three minutes and two seconds; 7-0. Then it was back to slow, slow rugby for France. However, be worried, very worried as all three outrageous French tries were scored from inside their own half. Two from a Scottish turnover, the third from a counter-attack; from a Scottish kick (turnover).

Their reaction to the turnover is not unlike Leinster’s. All the players get into a support position. Crucially, the French players don’t expand laterally, Barbarians style, expecting a flashy back-line move and a try in the corner. Instead, they funnel down a narrow channel, offering the ball carrier options. The options when taken continue the pincer movement through the hole that was created. The defending team are sucked back and away from the line of defence, which puts them out of sync with their defensive patterns and exposes them to hard lines and pop passes. It’s pretty simple when watched in slow motion but horrible to defend in real time.

This brings our expected tactics into the spotlight. If we play rugby as we did in Rome I expect multiple phases. In the world of multiple phases the source of the ball is not crucial. We can continue with negative lineouts to the front before slipping into the phase. However, multiple phases bring mistakes. Mistakes end with the ball hitting the deck. And we all know what happens when the ball hits the deck.

It’s hard to know which of the French tries was prettiest but as enjoyable as they are to watch we don’t want them. Does that then mean, especially with Jamie Heaslip’s return, we can return to precision first-phase plays (off lineouts), low error count and field-position rugby?

With the players we have, there is room for both. Leinster have proven that French teams can be tamed with real fire up front and ambition throughout. Ireland have not played 80 minutes of rugby in some time and if we don’t win on Sunday or lose by over seven points it will unfortunately confirm we’ve lost the connection to the top rugby nations. Sunday is that important. But there is hope.

Apart from the opening salvo the French looked decidedly uninterested in rugby. Outhalf François Trinh-Duc does vary his game, particularly in his 22. For example he looks for the traditional defensive clearing kick but cross field and then they’re off. But three tries were conceded by France! How do we turn this to our advantage?

Ireland created plenty of chances against Italy but failed on the final pass. The chances will be fewer come Sunday but the passes must stick. The pitch seems much tighter when playing against the French defence. Ireland will need to suck in the very mobile middle five before seeking space out wide. Pace is the only combat against the French. They looked tired after eight to 10 phases. Run at them as the Scots did for secondrow Alastair Kellock’s 19th-minute try.

Over the weeks I’ve benchmarked Irish players to other internationals. Scotland’s lesser known secondrow Richie Gray was extraordinary in Paris. Our two need to tackle, ruck and carry the ball in open space at pace and offload as Gray did. That’ll suck in the French and give Brian O’Driscoll some chance on Rougerie. The French outside centre attacks very wide, with no role for Damien Traille at fullback, but man can he kick!

Traille is a real opportunity for Ireland, even more so now he’s in the centre. We have many dancers on our team and they must plant Traille on both feet. He lacks the dexterity to cope with open space and Luke Fitzgerald running at him. Ireland’s front five need to be very creative with space.

Over the weeks I’ve received many comments concerning the scrum. Lots of creative ideas to enhance the battle, such as a looser jersey for props to improve the bind or a “scrum” referee rolled on, fit for purpose.

Referees themselves are keen to drop the “pause” phase of the routine. Romaine Poite received a far share of criticism last week. But the one suggestion that really caught my attention was the mimicking of our cousins in Rugby League. With Sunday, Mike Ross and Thomas Domingo in mind, I’m aghast that the public would wish to sanitise the scrum and lose what will surely be worth the entry fee alone. I’m very excited at the prospect of watching Ross’s expression, concentration and technique before, during and after each scrum. What a treat awaits us.

Check out the 28th-minute penalty try conceded by Scotland on Youtube. There’s an aerial shot of the scrum that’s very telling. Scotland, a heavier pack, were defending their own line on a French put-in. Look how loose the Scots were with massive gaps in the frontrow and almost disconnected from the secondrow. In contrast look at how tight the French were. Their body height combined with their togetherness provided a real unity of effort, dominated the hit and Scotland simply couldn’t recover. French scrum hits, huge drop in height then a lift at loosehead and massive wheel. We simply can’t expect the referee to protect us.

As always the eternal optimist comes out in me. Ireland can win, but two years after the Grand Slam we need a performance. It’s quite simple really, play at pace with loads of variety and under no circumstances drop the ball!