Ireland Rugby

Ireland's Grand Slam hopes came crashing to a halt in the driving Dublin rain as a powerful England side out-fought and out-thought them in a gritty encounter. It wasn't pretty and there wasn't much in the way of attacking rugby, but this win adds serious weight to the idea that this is an England team on the rise.

Last week we saw what they could do in dry conditions against lesser opposition at home. This week they proved their smarts as they mastered difficult conditions and kept a dangerous Irish side contained to secure a major scalp away from home.

For years Irish fans prayed for rain on game-day to help bring visiting teams down to their level, but when they woke on Sunday morning and looked out their windows the dark, wet day would've left them glum. The wet weather played into England's hand's with their big, powerful pack and intelligent kicking game. 

And while to say the weather was the only reason England won would be an insult to this team, it certainly helped.

Ireland made a mistake with the very first call of the game, deferring the opening kick-off to England which they kicked deep into Irish territory. This immediately put Ireland on the back-foot and soon English forwards were carrying the ball into contact in the Irish half. Instead of looking for the offload, they sought to hit the deck early avoiding knock-ons and the dreaded Irish choke tackle.

Eventually this English pressure combined with Irish indiscipline gave Owen Farrell a kick at goal before Ireland had the chance to knock him around a bit and get under his skin.

Despite the set-back, Ireland seemed the more dangerous side with ball-in-hand and sought to play themselves back into the game. But in a sign of things to come, every time they got in a decent position, handling errors and silly penalties allowed England to clear the danger. Too often they tried to be too elaborate on a day that called for patience. This poor game management would prove to be the difference between the sides on the day.

England played the conditions and the referee more intelligently than an experienced Irish side.

They gave away more penalties, but did so at the right times and rarely in their own half. They gave Ireland space out wide but only in positions from which they offered little threat, and put pressure on the inside backs making it difficult for them to spread the ball wide.

The Irish were further hindered by loss of exciting winger Simon Zebo and influential fly-half Jonny Sexton early in the game, but were given cause for hope when Farrell pushed a kick wide late in the first half, leaving them just six points behind.

This seemed to galvanise the Irish side, who came flying from the blocks in the second half, winning two penalties to draw level and seeing England go down to 14 men after the sin-binning of James Haskell.

Lesser sides would've crumbled under the pressure but this England side is made of sterner stuff. Sensing the shift in momentum, Stuart Lancaster rung the changes. He unleashed some of his heavy hitters off the bench, sending Courtney Lawes, Manu Tuilagi and Dylan Hartley on to re-energise the English effort.

Again they went back to the basics, forcing Ireland to play the game in the their own half and putting huge pressure on them at every opportunity. Up against Ronan O'Gara, the master of such conditions, Farrell gave a masterclass in the territorial game. This huge pressure gave England their only try-scoring chance of the day. Poor Irish play gave them a line-out five metres out and Tuilagi raced onto a perfectly weighted Farrell kick. Only intelligent defence from Keith Earls saved the Irish from further hurt.

Despite failing to cross the whitewash this spell of territorial dominance did award England with two kicks at goal, both of which Farrell took to give them a 12-6 lead. When Haskell returned to the fray England had weathered the Irish storm and outscored them 6-3 in the 10-minute spell.

Ireland continued to try force a score that would get them back into the game but never got close. They met a brick wall in defence and England's kicking game was first-class, constantly sending Ireland deep into their 22 to start all over again.

While it wasn't one for the spectator, this game provided huge insight into where this English side are at. They still have much to prove in an attacking sense but their defence is world-class. They apply pressure in all the right places, and have excellent players covering in behind if their line is broken.

Their kicking game is also superb, with Alex Goode giving a masterclass at full-back. His positioning was excellent and he constantly turned the Irish back-three by forcing the ball in behind them. He was aided by an excellent kick chase which forced Ireland into hurried kicks or mistakes. They won all the kicking duels and Goode's excellence meant Ireland were never in English territory long enough to impose themselves.

Their pack are secure in both the line-out and scrums, and are blessed with great athleticism in the back five. They were making tackles all over the field and secured fast ball for Ben Youngs, while also putting huge pressure on the Irish rucks.

But what stood out for me was the intelligence and maturity of the side. They had a game plan that suited the conditions perfectly and they stuck to it superbly.when the chips were down. They pushed the referee early and adapted once they learned what he would and wouldn't tolerate at the breakdown. Much was made in the buildup of their inexperience at this level but it was they who looked the more experienced side out there on the day.

It wasn't a groundbreaking win and this side are far from the complete article. But the blocks are there to build on and this side is growing in confidence with every game. They now have two weeks to recover and prepare to welcome the embattled French to fortress Twickenham.

For Ireland it's another lost opportunity and it's back to the drawing board for Declan Kidney. He will have to gauge how he stands with the IRFU regarding his contract as they may travel to Scotland minus a few key players. Zebo is already ruled out, Sexton is a major doubt and Cian Healy may have seen his last action in this Six Nations.

If Kidney's job is on the line he may have to go with the tried and tested. If not it may be time to give some of the next generation a go, helping speed up the rebuilding process before the 2015 World Cup.

The 2013 Six Nations Championship opened with an absolute cracker at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff earlier this afternoon.

If this is a taste of things to come, then buckle up because this is going to be a great Six Nations.

The talk in the buildup was that any one of the top four sides had a chance to win, and today showed that is very much the case.

Ireland came flying out of the blocks, besting their Welsh opponents in all phases of the game. They tested the Welsh blitz defence early, looking to spread the ball wide to their flying wingers. A clean lineout was turned into a driving maul, and Ireland drove deep into Welsh territory. Mike Ross then got one over Gethin Jenkins in a scrum, and the ball was spread wide.

Rob Kearney came as a decoy, drawing Jonathan Davies for a split second, and gave Brian O'Driscoll a yard of space. Give O'Driscoll an inch and he will punish you, and punish he did. He drew in three defenders, took the tackle and gave a beautiful no-look pass for the flying Simon Zebo to race over the line.

With Ireland on top, the Welsh made repeated unforced errors when they did manage to get the ball in their hands.

Ireland's big ball carriers were crashing over the gain-line, giving Conor Murray quick balls at the base of the ruck. They came close to doubling their lead as Murray, Craig Gilroy and Cian Healy all got tackled short of the line before Andrew Coombs killed the ball, gifting Jonny Sexton an easy three points.

Again Wales tried to gain a foothold, but, again, a series of errors saw them on the back-foot. Dan Biggar took too much time with a clearing kick, giving Rory Best an easy block-down, and he raced into the Welsh half.

Best had the vision to spread the ball wide to Jamie Heaslip, who gave a bad pass to Zebo on the outside. Zebo, in a move reminiscent of Zinedine Zidane, flicked the ball into his hands with his heel at full speed. Never in my time have I seen anything like it, and pundits everywhere were purring at his brilliance.

Ireland recycled the ball and Cian Healy crashed over to give Ireland a 17-0 lead.

Once the clock struck 30, Wales began to find their feet, kicking a penalty to get on the scoreboard, but O'Driscoll was busy teaching his Welsh rival for the Lion's shirt a lesson. Twice Wales attacked and twice O'Driscoll forced turnovers, first on the deck and second with pressure in defence.

Wales enjoyed a great period of pressure in the closing 10 minutes of the half, but Rory Best got over the ball at a ruck for a timely steal. Instead of seeing out the half, Ireland marched down the field and kicked what would prove to be a very important three points.

At the half, Irish fans were talking massacre, Welsh fans were calling for Rob Howley's head and fans everywhere were catching their breath.

As soon as the game restarted, Ireland picked up where they left off, instigating a choke tackle in the Welsh 22 and from the resulting scrum, O'Driscoll almost put Kearney over in the corner. A few phases later, O'Driscoll joined the pack and crashed over from less than a yard.

The game would then turn on the two changes made by the respective coaches. Gordan D'Arcy, a defensive linchpin, limped off for Ireland and Justin Tipuric came on the speed up the Welsh ball.

Tipuric made a mockery of Howley's selection and immediately changed the game.

Wales were suddenly getting quick ball at the breakdown with Tipuric acting as the link between forwards and backs. Ireland were suddenly the team under pressure, and the referee pulled Jamie Heaslip aside to warn his team about the breakdown.

Wales tried to attack in close but met an Irish wall, a wall they would run into repeatedly as the game went on. Eventually the ball went wide and Alex Cuthbert raced into the line at an angle, targeting the cold Keith Earls, and crossed for a try.

Wales were firing and Ireland looked out on their feet.

Time after time, Welsh runners came flying into Irish territory and found space. But another moment of magic from O'Driscoll, slapping the ball out of Mike Phillips' hands, led to an Irish breakaway and a chance to catch their breath.

The last 25 minutes were some of the most intense I have ever seen.

Wales threw everything at the Irish defence, but time after time, they ran into a brick wall. Ireland simply wanted it more and were throwing themselves into contact, thwarting Welsh attacks. Twice Gilroy raced out of the line, smashing attackers and spoiling Welsh overlaps.

A weaker team would've folded, but Ireland showed real resilience in meeting the Welsh Goliaths. 

Ireland played 20 minutes of the second half with 14 men, as both Best and Murray were sent to the bin for killing ball, and Wales would eventually cross for two tries. But by then, stout Irish defence had eaten into the remaining time. The Irish defensive stats were incredible, with O'Brien alone having 20 and four other players well into double figures.

For their commitment in both attack and defence, Ireland were probably good for the win. but there are lingering worries.

This was a hugely physical game, and the defensive stand will have taken its toll on the Irish players. With England to come, one must wonder how much is left in the tank and who is carrying injuries.

The plus points are the manner O'Driscoll reacted to his demotion, the play of the rookies Zebo and Earls and the fortitude the team showed with their backs to wall. You can't win the Six Nations on the opening day but you can lose it, and Ireland are still in the mix.

Questions have been circling in Ireland for months now about the future of Declan Kidney.  A huge win against Australia in the World Cup was followed by a letdown of epic proportions against Wales, when the final beckoned for an Irish side that should have easily been the best Northern Hemisphere team in the tournament.

This disappointment was followed by a terrible Six Nations campaign and three losses to New Zealand over the summer, including a 60-0 humbling.

This dissonance between the misfiring Irish 15 and the successful Irish club sides—most notably Leinster who have now won three Heineken Cups in four years—have led many commentators to question whether Kidney is really the man to get the best out of a golden generation of young Irish players.

These questions were, at least for the short term, answered emphatically by the Irish team on Saturday night in a ruthless garroting of Argentina.

It was one of those nights where the team fired on all cylinders. Despite the absence of world class players like Paul O'Connell, Stephen Ferris, Sean O'Brien, Brian O'Driscoll and Rob Kearney, the Irish team was in a completely different class to the Argentines, and ran in seven tries in a ruthless display of free running from an Irish back line that has long held the potential to punch with the heavyweights of the game, but has rarely translated it into a product on the pitch.

It would be premature of course to look at this result in a vacuum and assume that Ireland are now back on track. We have not played consistently, at all, and there is still no guaranteeing that the team will be able to replicate the performance.

Attention also has to be given to the fact that Argentina—for reasons passing understanding—neglected to blitz against the Irish backs. Very few teams in the world have been stupid enough to make this mistake, and following Ireland's firework display, it would be reasonable to assume it is not an error likely to be repeated by anybody in a hurry. 

Selection issues still linger. Conor Murray has played decently in his last two games, but this is on the back of a sequence of average club form and downright awful international form. The speed of his ball distribution is well below par, and his box-kicking is frustrating both in its frequency and its unpredictability. Arguments surely can be made that Eoin Reddan is a better option at 9.

Similarly, despite the fact that he has played rather well recently, Gordon D'Arcy has long had the look of a man wearing a jersey based on reputation alone.

With O'Driscoll back fit the six nations, will Kidney insist in sticking with two over-30 centers, neither of whom will be around for the next World Cup? My hope would be that he would give the 12 jersey to BOD and allow Keith Earls continue at 13, as he is clearly the long-term heir to the throne of Bod almighty. He can then phase in a younger 12—McFadden, Cave or Marshall—over the course of the next few seasons so our new midfield partnership is established and experienced for a run at the next World Cup.

The depth that Kidney has introduced to the team recently is very encouraging. Breaking it down, we now have in or around the squad:

Loose Head - Healy, Court, Kilcoyne

Hooker - Strauss, Best, Cronin

Tight Head - Ross, Bent, Fitzpatrick

Lock - O'Connell, Ryan, McCarthy, O'Callaghan, Tuohy 

Back Row - Ferris, O'Brien, Heaslip, Henry, Henderson, O'Mahoney

Scrum Half - Murray, Reddan, Boss, Marshall, O'Leary

Fly Half - Sexton, O'Gara, Jackson, Madigan

Centers - O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Cave, Earls, Marshall, McFadden

Wings - Bowe, Trimble, Zebo, Gilroy, David Kearney, Fitzgerald

Full Backs - Rob Kearney, Jones.

This is as deep an Irish set-up as there has ever been. There is a core of world class talent. There are some older players we rely on, but there are players of high quality waiting in the wings to supplant them. There is competition for every place—especially in the backs where the fight for jerseys ought to be fierce. 

This is a grand slam caliber outfit. This is a team that should be building for a serious run at the World Cup. There are no personnel issues. There are no major weaknesses. There is no position (with the possible exception of fly half) where one—or even two—injuries will kill us. There are no more real excuses.

This team has everything it needs to be a winner. All that has held us back to this point is tactical and performance inconsistencies brought on by bad coaching. And that can no longer be acceptable.

In my opinion the only way that Declan Kidney should keep his job past the end of the upcoming RBS 6 Nations is if Ireland walks away with a grand slam. Anything short of that would be a failure. We have the best squad in the tournament, in my opinion, and there is no reason why we can't win every game.

Ireland has to think long-term. Six Nations competitiveness should not be enough for this generation of players because they are far better than that. This is a team that should be proper contenders at the next World Cup. It is the coaches' job to get the level of play out of the team consistently that would allow us to challenge, and unless Kidney shows he can do it in this Six Nations, its time we looked in a different direction.

We have been blessed to find ourselves in this position with a young and vastly talented team. The IRFU owes it to the fans and the players to make sure that the right coach is in place to make the most of what could be a real opportunity for Ireland to compete at the highest level.

Declan Kidney has named an unchanged starting 15 and bench to face the French in the Stade de France this Sunday.

Obviously, this is no surprise as Ireland dominated last Saturday's match against the Italians from start to finish.

As usual, there were some doubts over the fitness of players who had picked up knocks, with Rob Kearney (groin), Gordon D'Arcy (shoulder), Sean O'Brien (ankle) and Cian Healy (Jaw) all injury doubts. But luckily enough for Kidney, all are fit play and be included in Sunday's encounter.

Although before the team was announced there were question marks over whether Conor Murray, Sean O'Brien and Donncha O'Callaghan would all start, due to other players who seemed to perform better when they came on for them.

When Eoin Reddan came on for Murray last Saturday he showed urgency in the Irish attack, a trait which the Munster man lacked in the match.

But the physicality and defense that Murray brings is something that just can't be dismissed when facing France; Reddan is not as physical as him and also lacks the strength and creativity that Murray brings.

Eyebrows have also been raised regrding whether Donncha O'Callaghan should start over Donnacha Ryan, who at the minute is looking far more influential than his Munster team mate. Ryan has already taken O'Callaghan's position at club level for Munster.

It is common knowledge that Sean O'Brien is not a natural openside flanker, and that is showing in his performances.

O'Brien is a brute, and is a born and bred ball carrier, doing so to devastating effect, but his opportunities in recent matches to do so are minimal due to playing out of position.

He should be playing on the blindside or at eight, where the opportunities to carry more ball are available. Since he is not a natural seven he doesn't have the mind of one which has a direct negative impact on the whole teams performance.

That is the reason why questions have been asked as to why Peter O'Mahony, who is a natural seven, is not starting.

This Sunday, captain Paul O'Connell will earn his 85th Cap for his country and Ronan O'Gara, who became the most capped Irish player after overtaking Brian O'Driscoll last weekend, will be looking to add to his 118 Caps.

In the French camp, there have been two changes to the side that beat Scotland on Sunday, with Julien Bonnaire replacing Louis Picamoles at eight and Clement Poitrenaud taking over at fullback for the injured Maxime Medard.

15 - Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
14 - Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 - Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
12 - Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
11 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
10 - Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
9 - Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
1 - Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)
2 - Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster)
3 - Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster)
4 - Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster)
5 - Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) (capt)
6 - Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)
7 - Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster)
8 - Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster)

Replacements:

16 - Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)
18 - Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
19 - Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)
20 - Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
21 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster)
22 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

Italy had to feel good.

Inching close to the halftime break, a feisty Italian side had just finished off a resilient try that leveled the score at 10-10. After disrupting the Irish attack for most of the first half, the Italians were looking to move on from a difficult defeat two weeks ago to England. Controlling the majority of the contest, Italy let a victory slip away as Owen Farrell broke hearts from Rome to Pisa.

A tie score after a gritty first half would let the Italians regroup and rest as they tried to knock off Ireland. The Irish had other intentions.

With Italy seemingly still celebrating Captain Sergio Parisse's try, Tommy Bowe scored a try of his own from a Stephen Ferris pass that began an onslaught that included three more tries once the second half commenced. The Italians did not score again and the Irish did not look back.

The 42-10 win should put to rest any questions about a letdown after the postponement of the Ireland-France contest a fortnight ago due to an unplayable field. 

After a missed penalty from Italy's No. 10, Tobias Botes, as the game resumed, his Irish counterpart Jonathan Sexton struck a perfect penalty of his own that sailed through the posts to put his side up 20-10. Another Sexton penalty was quickly followed by a second try by Bowe.

Although 20 minutes were left on the clock, the match's outcome was already decided. Despite a consistent effort from the Italian side throughout the match, they simply could not find the spark to ignite a serious comeback and the final result was never in doubt.

Tom Court bulled his way to another try in the 77th minute from about one yard outside of the white line and Andrew Trimble capped an impressive offensive performance with a galloping try just before the final whistle. 

Although Italy was not helped by several key penalty misses by Botes, this game was never in doubt after halftime. After a rocky start to the match, Ireland rebounded after Bowe's first try and showed no mercy.

The Irish also welcomed back Keith Earls, who was absent from the the Wales match as he cared for his ill daughter. Earls was superb throughout the match and fullback Rob Kearney showed blazing speed and creativity.

The Irish hope this win will power them through a difficult stretch of four games in four weeks after the postponed game against France was rescheduled to March 4th.