With eight days to go to the Six Nations I wonder about Ireland. Is it style first, then player selection? Or is it the other way around? Why is this an issue? We know that the Six Nations is not exactly fit for purpose when it comes to the World Cup – only one Six Nations team has won it in all this time.
Is that the Six Nations’ fault or our inability to adapt to the ever-changing environment that the All Blacks in particular continue to create?
Or is it that we culturally elect to adapt instead of innovate. The answer may be found in Eddie Jones, veteran of Australia’s 2003 RWC campaign (and Japan). Will England begin to innovate in the coming years?
Clearly Irish rugby has led the way in so many aspects of Six Nations rugby; winning it obviously; the choke tackle; the box kick etc, etc. Can we now embrace other aspects of the game that will lead us confidently to RWC 2019?
Many facets of New Zealand intrigue. The top down nature of their structures is impressive. But it’s their embracing of the ‘think tank’ where ideas within their ‘provinces’ are shared firstly to improve the collective and secondly, or more importantly, to spark or even spawn a new concept from the sharing. The result is sustained innovation.
Immediate pressure
In the meantime, the reality: Wales at home with Paris and London to follow puts immediate pressure on Ireland’s momentum all within 20 days. Irish rugby needs the Six Nations but maybe post RWC ’15 in a different way or style?
Ulster's opening tries against Oyonnax were most instructive. An off the top lineout to monster number eight Nick Williams in midfield created the line break gaining quick yards. Post punch many teams follow a formulaic system; David Kilcoyne's forced pass to CJ Stander. But where was/is the space? Too often the next receiver, especially in Irish rugby is a large, slow forward taking deep or static.
This has been the death knell of many opportunities Munster have created over recent weeks.
Ulster knew each time what to do on their tries. Along with many impressive aspects, Paddy Jackson has really impacted on Ulster's ability to exploit these opportunities.
Six Nations rugby provides precious few opportunities and we need players way beyond our outhalf to recognise them and ruthlessly exploit.
The try that most illustrates this point is Jared Payne’s on 61 minutes. His scrumhalf Paul Marshall tapped a quick penalty on 60:10 inside his half (word of caution – Oyonnax were dead and buried at this stage). His offload to Rob Herring created the first ruck.
Slow inspiration
Style: Marshall cleared out but secondrow Alan O’Connor was next to arrive. He didn’t clear out, bridge or delay in any way such as tortoise his head up for painfully slow inspiration. Instead, he mimicked his absent scrumhalf with no loss of valuable time and fired open to wing forward
Robbie Diack
.
As first receiver Diack could have trucked it up. But where was the space; where was the opportunity? Instead, he skipped his outhalf Ian Humphreys and threw a flat ball, finding Roger Wilson wider in midfield. How many Irish forwards would confidently skip Johnny Sexton for a better placed player? Not many.
From the resultant breakdown Marshall had now returned to scrumhalf and found Humphreys running flat going the same way. In his absence his ‘fatties’ added huge value and exploited time and space to keep the move going. Style?
Breakdowns were avoided but the three that occurred lasted under two seconds. Beyond that, regardless of shirt number, each player clearly understood an opportunity had occurred and was prime for exploitation. Each time the arriving player added value; O’Connor’s scrumhalf pass followed by Diack’s skip pass to midfield.
Importantly, the breakdowns occurred on Ulster’s terms and in locations that best suited their needs to ultimately score tries rather than maintain possession.
Darren Cave received the final ball and popped back inside for Payne, who had stayed hunting, to score.
Yes, Oyonnax were rubbish but the Ulster players displayed an understanding of space that Ireland struggled with in RWC ’15.
This is no accident. So how do they do it? Or maybe a better question is; how do they do it against better opposition? How do Ireland do it this Six Nations?
Ulster do something else that can be explored in this Six Nations. They get their wingers into the game all the time. In Ulster (and Connacht – watch Matt Healy’s 85 metre try against Scarlets) the winger is not a necessary evil, a finisher. Ulster bring the winger in through set piece plays especially their blindside winger coming into the back line.
But the Ulster winger is especially active off multiphase play where they are hungry for action; as a powerful decoy or receiver. Although ultimately failing in their quest for play-off rugby Ulster are displaying a shift in style that’ll prove very useful. But they’ll miss Nick Williams big time.
Swivel pass
Motivation is where you start. Look at Stade Francais’ bonus point fourth try. Blindside wing forward Jonathan Ross takes it 12 metres off an attacking ruck. His ambition to dominate the tackle(s) put him into offloading territory. He won the contact and unleashed an audacious swivel pass to his openside Raphael Lakafia. Maybe the bonus point or playoff culture encourages this. The good news is we know Ireland can do it when motivated. Look at them against Scotland when chasing the championship last March! Do we want a third Championship; yes and/or a better style; yes!
liamtoland@yahoo.com
