Often in Sport you learn more about yourself and your team from a defeat than you do from a win. I hope that is the net result of our loss away to Wales last weekend. I feel that the close wins over Italy and Scotland covered up some of the obvious flaws in our game and we must eradicate them this weekend if we want to finish the season with a win. England have been going about their business in an impressive manner and will be the strongest team that we have faced this season so far.
Although we were on the receiving end of a horrendous call by the Touch judge Peter Allen against Wales we were the Masters of our own downfall through poor tactics and our inability to catch and kick as effectively as the Welsh. We started the game very well and took play through nine phases in Wales's 22 before Tommy Bowe created space for O'Driscoll to equal Ian Smith's championship record of 24 tries, and we finished it attacking in the same way. We had a chance to score a try in the last minute when slick hands from Sexton and Darcy gave us a clear 2 on 1 and Paddy Wallace will regret not releasing Keith Earls outside him for what looked like a certain try.Its what happened in the 70 minutes in between that gives cause for concern.
James Hook had been picked at outside-half for his running skills, but it was the length of his line kicking and that of Lee Byrnes that was the key difference in the teams. We have gone from a team that refused to kick the ball against Italy to only kicking as a last resort against France to putting boot to ball 43 times against Wales. We finally got our penalties conceded figure down to a respectable 8 and we won all our lineouts and the scrum wasn’t a factor with only 3 in the whole match yet we were limited in our attacking shape for most of the match. The team had obviously decided that it was better to kick than run against Wales but having scored so easily in the opening period and when it became obvious that we weren’t going to win that kicking battle we should have adapted quicker and started to keep the ball in hand more.
This team has brilliant strike runners out wide in Earls and Bowe and Brian O’Drisscoll is still a huge threat despite some pundits declaration otherwise. We need to get the ball in these guys hands as much as possible but particularly when they are attacking against the opposition front five forwards. There is a simple philosophy of getting your forwards running against backs and the backs against forwards and you have a good recipe for breaking the gain line consistently. Healy, O Brien and Wallace are very powerful ball carriers and the game plan must be tailored to suit expose their strength.
England are coming to Dublin assured of a Championship after Italy shocked France in Rome but they will be motivated by a Grand Slam. They will share a bonus of £500,000 between them if they can beat Ireland and Ireland will take confidence from the way Scotland exposed weaknesses in their defence.
Saturday is our last competitive fixture before the World Cup in October. Muhammed Ali said “Its not about counting the days but making the days count”. This week we need to use each days training and meetings to clarify exactly how we want to play and then go into Saturdays match with a unified approach. Man for man we can match England but its what happens collectively that will decide the result. Saturday will be a huge game for Martin Johnson and England but I feel that its even more important for Declan Kidney and Ireland.
Given how both teams have played so far I unfortunately have to tip the English to cover the minus 4 handicap at Even money with Betpack. Italy will still be celebrating like they won the World cup after their first ever win over France in Rome last weekend and I fear that they may be happy with their performances over the course of the tournament and may take the foot of the pedal against Scotland in Murrayfield. Scotland were dangerous at Twickenham and I fancy them to cover the 8 points at 10-11 with Betpack. In Paris the French Squad will be reeling from the Italian Job and the reaction of their Manager Marc Lievremont who called them Cowards at the post match press conference and will beat the Welsh by more than 9 points again at 10-11.
I am 6 from 6 so far on this Blog and although I expect this weekend matches to be tight I am confident we can keep up our good form.
For the latest rugby odds Click Here
