The top two teams in the world lock horns in Dublin on Saturday and a heavyweight clash such as this in any sport is cause to celebrate. What I love about this match-up is that Ireland and France are ultimately trying to achieve the same thing but go about it in very different ways.
Ireland made a breathtaking start against Wales and given their domestic structures and how similar they are in style and in personnel to Leinster, they tend to hit the ground running in the Six Nations. At times against Wales, you just had to sit back and applaud the skill and accuracy.
When Ireland are at their best they dominate possession; they are a brilliant tactical attacking team, dynamic and extremely efficient with the ball. It looks free and fluid but there is a real understanding of when to play and when not to play. Last weekend there was an avalanche of shape, options, efficiency, ruck speed and execution and Wales could not live with it. As a result they infringed, which created entries for Ireland and they were converted into points.
There is such a clear understanding of where the players need to be and what they need to do. It is not dependent on position: if you’re first to the ruck you play scrum-half regardless of the number on your back. The same goes if you are first round the corner – Johnny Sexton aside – and because everyone is so comfortable fulfilling different roles, the opposition are put under huge pressure.
I worried for them when Jamison Gibson-Park pulled out just before the Wales match because he generates so much tempo. I wondered if we would see more set piece to set piece but they were totally unaffected, Conor Murray filled the void seamlessly and that is a huge compliment to the framework Ireland have built.
France’s USP is their physicality and you can measure that on the scales. When we talk about physicality we mean it as a way for France’s players to break a tackle or to get quick ruck ball. They initially use their blunt weapons and then let their lovely footballers take over. Ireland have highly intelligent players and a shape that allows them to generate quick ruck ball. Whether it is through their physicality or their shape, that is what I mean when I say France and Ireland are effectively trying to achieve the same thing. Ireland’s ability to create a fluency, rucks for quick ball’s sake, which in turn gives them options, is probably where they have the edge.
That said, last year France won the contest because Ireland could not live with their physicality and it has been the one question mark over Andy Farrell’s side in this World Cup cycle. The same can be said for Leinster, as La Rochelle so brutally demonstrated in last season’s Champions Cup final. They have not been able to compete when there is a bigger dog in the fight.
More significant on Saturday though, will be work rate. France’s huge penalty count against Italy was an anomaly but work rate is where Ireland may be able to get the upper hand. I do not see Ireland’s players on the deck for long. The way they regenerate themselves and get themselves back into the game, back on their feet in the line is remarkable. Uini Atonio is a huge player for France, he is a man mountain but spends too long on the floor. It is hard to defend against Ireland with 15 men but if you have someone on the floor taking a breather, even for two or three seconds, at this level it is the difference between being No 1 and No 2 in the world. We are talking about want and desire and work rate, and I saw on a number of occasions against Italy he stayed on the floor for too long.
Italy had been a team where you could experiment or try things – they are not any more. France’s result against Italy has done England a massive favour. If France had won by 30 the pressure would have been on England to win by 30. But Italy lost to the grand slam champions by five points. If England win by five to 10 points, Steve Borthwick is well within his rights to put that result into the context of last week. The expectation on England used to be to get the result and produce a performance against Italy. Now, against an Italian side who have the respect of the rugby world, you just take the result.
England will be disappointed to get their new era off to a losing start but even had they won against Scotland, there would be things to work on, just as there are things to give cause for optimism. I like the selection of Jack Willis because Italy will always give you opportunities in their half and if England have the same territory and possession stats they should feel in control for large parts of the game and that is all you can ask for.
Scotland cannot expect to beat Wales with the same territory and possession as against England. Yes, they were fantastic on the day, fully deserved winners but they will be aware that Wales will be much better after a first hit-out under Warren Gatland and they will be upping the ante. Scotland have made all the right noises about backing up their win against England but they have a dismal record against Wales. They have won only four times in the past 20 years and Gatland has an 11 and 0 record against Scotland. It is a fascinating match because defeat for either side will leave scars that will take a while to heal.
