“They will try to bore the s..t out of England.”
John Mitchell, England’s new defence coach, made the rugby quote of the year in his prediction about how Ireland was going to try to defeat his side at Aviva Stadium in the opening round of the 2019 Six Nations tournament.
Ireland were so boring with their predictable tactics based around box kicking and a swarming, fast defensive line that they bored themselves into defeat.
A telling example of this came towards the end of the Test when Ireland needed two converted tries to grab a slim lead. Conor Murray, admittedly under a bit of pressure inside his 22, kicked the ball out, giving England a prime attacking situation.
Ireland were so programmed that they couldn’t break the pattern and try some off-the-cuff rugby the way, say, the All Blacks do when they need to save a Test.
And when, in the dying minutes of the Test, Ireland finally tried to run the ball an errant pass was gleefully intercepted and England scored another try.
Master Japanese potters always put a small flaw in their pots because perfection is boring. Translated into rugby thinking, Joe Schmidt’s pursuit of a perfect game plan, endlessly rehearsed, needs to be adjusted to allow some flaws or improvisations so that Ireland play what is in front of them rather than what the blackboard has demanded.
England’s response was tactically correct, demonstrating that coach Eddie Jones has a gift of preparing his teams for one-off must-win matches, something he pulled off in the 2015 RWC when his Japanese side defeated the Springboks.
England started with a magical set play series that lead to a try. The set play put Ireland on notice that their rushing defensive pattern had to be adjusted to allow for the possibility of England having answers to it.
Aside from some later improvised running at the end of the Test, England’s answer to Ireland’s method of trying to bore oppositions into defeat was to retaliate with the same boring play.
But there was a method in England’s boring play.
So for most of the Test we had England matching Ireland with boring box kick for boring box kick. The point here was that England was making Ireland try and play their patterned sequences well inside their own half.
Rory Best of Ireland. (Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
Generally after a few hit-ups Ireland resorted to box kicks, which England then returned to start the sequence of plays over again.
All the brilliant play belonged to England. And this is why they won the Test and why they deserved to win it.
England’s first try, in the opening 90 seconds, was a textbook thing of beauty involving a long lineout throw caught by their inside centre Manu Tuilagi, a switch of play, a brilliant bullet pass to from Owen Farrell and a tremendous gallop down a tight sideline by Jonny May.
After this, England forced Ireland to play their stereotyped game from deep in their own half.
When England gave away penalties, especially in the torrid opening 20 minutes of the Test, most of them were deep inside Ireland territory.
Ireland’s method of boring for victory relies heavily on virtual perfect execution and, most importantly, on referees being lenient on some of their infringing tactics. The fact is that Ireland have been treated generously by the referees during their golden run of victories.
In the victory against the All Blacks late last year, for example, Ireland conceded only five penalties for the entire Test.
No side, especially under the pressure exerted by the All Blacks (unless we are talking about France in the 2007 RWC quarter-final at Cardiff), in a technical game like rugby with complicated laws and by-laws, can play this error free.
But in the first half against England, Ireland repeated the miracle by conceding only one penalty.
Johnny Sexton runs at Wales duo Justin Tipuric and Wyn Jones during last year’s Six Nations. (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)
There was a small flurry of penalties against Ireland towards the end of the Test. This was, significantly, the period when England piled on several tries.
I thought that Ireland once again were treated more leniently than their opponents, England.
During the Test I spotted an Irish head-high tackle made in front of their posts, Conor Murray standing off-side at rucks when his side was under pressure, Ireland forwards killing the ruck ball repeatedly by either playing the ball with their hands or lying on the wrong side and several scrum infringements.
For the most part the referee, his assistants and the TMO did not bother to punish these infringements.
It will be interesting to see in the next rounds of the Six Nations tournaments whether Ireland starts to receive the same penalty treatment that referees have dealt out to their opponents.
Also, Joe Schmidt’s formidable and well-deserved coaching reputation will be under stress. He needs to find a game plan for Ireland that is not as predictable and therefore easily read now that Eddie Jones has broken the code for all the other coaches.
Henry Slade of England celebrates with teammates. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
There is a saying in sports that losses are sometimes more valuable than wins.
Schmidt and his fellow coaches in the Ireland camp now know that the code has been broken. They need adjustments to the code and game plan to restore its degree of difficulty for opponents to read.
It will be fascinating to see how Schmidt and his coaching staff rise or fail on this necessary task.
And one further comment on this matter that brings it close to home.
I hope Michael Cheika, who apparently is in Europe watching some of the Six Nations Tests (I guess someone has to do it) takes note of the need to continually tweak game plans so that some of the predictability is taken out of them.
Cheika, it seems to me, hasn’t changed the game plan of the Wallabies since the 2015 RWC tournament.
If significant changes are not made to the patterns played for four years by the Wallabies, then the general lack of success over those years is certain to be repeated this year.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes and Ibelieve that its the true strength of the ABs on that in these situations they ARE able to overcome the more hungrier sides. You dont have better records in every other country against the host to not be able to do that. I remember when henry was trying to find motivation to keep his streak going, when for the next side it meant everything, for the ABs a non trophy match. He struggled, but the team somehow found a way. Its that mental fortitude that sets them apart.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
I think you nailed the hunger but pretty well TM. It’s often the team that is hungrier, or wants it more. That’s the part that gets you off the ground after a tackle quickly to reset for next phase. That’s the part that makes you sprint as hard as you can for that ball that will likely roll out anyway. That’s the part that’s keeps your mind ticking over on ‘what can I do next to move forward or create something?’. I think it’s lart of the reason we see so many teams get up and play ‘above’ themselves when they are ‘underdogs’.
CUW
Roar Rookie
@ Fionn i guess it depends on interpretations the frenchie first of all balanced out the yelow - co z he made a mistake with Curry - by not giving one to Itoje. both defences tended to get off side but neither the ref nor the touchies penalised them given the new TMO protocol - which has me calling for the whole thing to be scrapped - does not allow tv guy to get in the refs ear. i have always had an issue with the way this particular ref keeps on shouting at guys to get the hand off the ball at a breakdown. perhaps he does not want o stop - start the game , but he is helping to slow it down. one time he shouted 3 times. that was rubbish - shud have penalized at the ssecond shout :) the bigger issue i have with refs is that despite alll the hot air and LAW and pronounciations - player safety remains far from their mind. the ref did not even have a look at the itoje challenge , and there were a few head high shots that escaped all . i bet SBW feels very aggrieved .
CUW
Roar Rookie
not only off side but head high tackles is also very lax. funny how tackles that got some players red carded went not even seen / punished. perhaps the new TMO protocol has something to do with it
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Thanks for replying Neil. The first piont I was making. Was in reference to your arguement that NZ should have been able to beat Ireland as they are the ‘bastions of inventive and adaptive’ rugby. Just because they tend to innovate ahead of the rest of the rugby nations - although not as true now as in the past - does not mean they beat everyone all the time. You asked why NZ couldn’t beat Ireland? - because they weren’t good enough on the day. It’s not that difficult. To put it simply, even though we know what’s kreland bring to the table, you still need the plan and ability to execute, and actually execute that plan after you have been punched in the face. The ABs couldn’t do it. England managed to. It’s great to see that all teams are beatable on a given day. Secondly, if you took offence I apologise. I simply dislike when threads deteriorate into rubbish arguments and insults back and forth. One reason I took a break from the Roar for the SH off season to be honest.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Thanks for chipping in Paulo. Your first observation is really just a truism. I'm not sure what point it is making. Your second is a doozy. First of all, you might care to look back in this exchange and where I entered. TM characterised the whole of NH rugby as boring, a constant theme of years - and you're looking to my perceived negative intent!? Second, you might think it's OK for people on threads to consistently make the same unsubstantiated claims, as he has, and not have them challenged. I happen not to. I think you're looking in the wrong place buddy.
taylorman
Roar Guru
I see Carberys dream as a kid was to be an All black. Gotta watch out for this one in terms of his playing style.????
taylorman
Roar Guru
Cookie nonce is invalid. Can this message be removed please. Shouldnt be displayed in the GUI to users. Ta.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Whereaes i thought they got pummelled into submission if your saying chicago was similar.
taylorman
Roar Guru
The only ‘beat up’ was when the ABs responded after Chicago. They pummelled Ireland into submission, using your words. The other two could not be described in the same manner, not while NZ was trying to play rugby, move the ball. Chicago Ireland outskilled NZ, didnt pummell them. I think youre taking an adjective the wrong way to meet some inner need. Winning and pummelling into submission as a manner of winning are two different things.
Paulo
Roar Rookie
A couple points, NZ almost got up in the last game against Ireland, it was 50/50 in the end. Another game and it could go either way. Ireland being predictable doesn’t mean they are beatable. NZ is predictable, everyone knows what they are going to do, and what to do to counter it. Being good enough on the day to execute your plan is key. In the games against Ireland, the ABs were not good enough, but they had an idea of what to do, just couldnt do it. England on the other hand could on the day. As to how he TM could speak on behalf of millions. He was giving an option that he thought the other fans would think. It is very common and done consistently through every thread. The fact you have pointed it out and continue to ask it clearly shows your negative intent. Try to be more constructive instead of bringing the thread down with that rubbish.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Yeah you are right Bob. It was funny in the papers here in Ireland before the game, they rated each player against the opposite number. Most went in Irelands favour.....i remember reading down the list and being far less confident of an Irish victory. England really have a quality team, unfortunately....
Jacko
Guest
oh also....No NH coach is coaching at Mitre 10, NRC, or SR level so where are these NH coaches that are good? An assistant at the Crusaders is all I can come up with for an NH coach in Aus or NZ,
Jacko
Guest
Oh you meant club rugby? England have A SH coach...Ireland does...Wales does...Scotland has recently changed to a NH coach and quite a few assistants are from the SH...You mention those club coaches from the lower end of the ladder but you fail to mention who coached them to the bottom before SH coaches were employed to sort out the mess.....You can argue NH rugby all you like but the Sh is by far the most successful Hemisphere in coaches and players and that cannot be argued.....7 out of 8 WC wins to the SH.....yeah 7 out of 8....crazy imbalance...
bob
Guest
Not just the V bros and Tuilagi, both flankers, especially Curry, who is only 20 (!!!) dominated the breakdown meaning slow ball for Murray. Sinkler also did his part, getting into the head of their Talisman O'Mahony. May negated the aerial tactic with superb kicking and having Slade as a second kicking option really meant the Irish midfield didn't know how to defend. I thought Slade bossed the vaunted Ringrose and showed a much more rounded game. I couldn't think of a single Irish player who would get into the England team after that performance. Expect Ireland to bounce back though,they've too much class on and off the field.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Sure. That's exactly what it was.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Ive got no idea at the moment. News to be schools are taking it up less. Not that Ive checked.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Aah, maybe the problems is theyll need new tactics. I dont think ‘sometimes they work sometimes they dont’ is cutting edge world cup winning thinking somehow.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
These are the Irish tactics. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. On the weekend, the poms were better. If these tactics won the Irish the Six nations last year and two wins against the ABs what is the problem.
Gumboot
Roar Rookie
I think it's safe to say that the beginning of the 6 Nations comp for a national team of the NH will be rusty. Similar to our SH season regarding selections, EOYT/AI etc without the over bloated 'excuse' of tiredness' Bottom line is, no one knows but I'm pretty sure that Eddie Jones needed that win compared to Schmidt on a nationl scale. Shag on the other hand couldn't give a rats, afterall, Ireland were the best team in the world only a few days ago. Good cop, bad cop. I think it's also safe to say that the 6 Nations comp except for bragging rights wont have much bearing on the RWC in Japan similar to S15/RC. Who cares about the super rugby or RC in a RWC year? Number one ranked team from World Rugby isn't the most important but it's always nice to see where teams are at esp playing styles, hype, pressure and depth when all is said and done. England have just shown their hand with their best team regarding attack, defence and most importantly line up.