AFTER A DAY of rugby that defied all pre-written logic, Ireland have another Championship to celebrate and, perhaps, their most impressive to date.
There have been eras of more attractive rugby, there have been Grand Slams and times when greater mettle was required to make one last stretch for the finish line. These past seven weeks have been something else entirely.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Before we even arrive to today’s expert dismissal of a Scottish team – who, though pointless at the end, proved sticky opposition for France and Wales – look back to the very beginning of this run to title glory. Joe Schmidt took his side to Rome without his playmaker in chief Jonathan Sexton and without his talismanic back row Jamie Heaslip. The gameplan was further disrupted by the loss of Sean O’Brien to injury in the very last play of the warm-up.
Never mind. Because under Schmidt there is no such thing as a back-up player. Jack McGrath never put a foot wrong, and only defeat prompted Schmidt to put Cian Healy back in as his number today. On day one, Ian Keatley, Jordi Murphy and (belatedly) Tommy O’Donnell slotted in almost seamlessly to chisel out a hard-fought win.
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Fast forward seven days and the eyes of the world were on how Sexton could cope with just a week’s worth of contact training under his belt after a three-month concussion lay-off. The Racing Metro man emphatically put doubts aside, taking the full brunt of Mathieu Bastareaud in an early tackle and coming out on top of the choke tackle. These are challenges that should not be taken lightly, but Schmidt’s Ireland will never want for preparation.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The big question before the tournament, and this season, was how Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne would cope under the microscope of replacing the near-telepathic partnership of Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll. Payne was rarely given credit and will always lose out when compared to the magic created by Ireland’s record try-scorer. However, he put in five solid displays in green this year and freed up his 12 to focus on the more visible physical aspects of the game as Henshaw tackled and carried his way up the stats charts.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The Athlone man’s finest moment of the title run came with a wonderful try against England. Not wonderful in the sense that today’s end-to-end rugby was wonderful. But beautiful because, by taking a high ball and grounding it, he effectively became the physical embodiment of Schmidt’s gameplan – for critics and admirers alike.
Under another set of circumstances, the post-BOD era could easily have been coloured as a transition period. Schmidt managed to ride roughshod over that with a plan of attack that was unplayable for long enough to put his side within reach of a second title in two attempts.
And that is probably the finest tribute we can pay to this team made in the mould of O’Connell and Schmidt. Title defences are not easily come by, Ireland have not managed to complete a back-to-back since Jack Kyle controlled the team in 1948-49. This year, the team never found themselves having to insist that they weren’t feeling the pressure of being holders and favourites. Under Schmidt, those lucky to be involved in camp are usually too busy with processes to worry about pressure.
So when they were finally derailed after a 10-game winning streak, O’Connell, Sexton, O’Brien and Best had a squad around them that was able to quickly pick up the pieces and start again.
Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Start over they did. Wales had piled on the pressure with 61 points in Rome, yet Ireland stormed out of the gates, taking a 7 – 0 lead thanks to O’Connell – typically, leading from the front – and from there managed to sustain an attacking rhythm with a blend of patience and power taking points from any source they could.
There were massive strokes of luck along the way, of course: Leonardo Sarto’s late score, Jamie Heaslip’s tackle on Stuart Hogg and France… oh France, keeping hearts in mouths until the final second.
In sport, however, you make your own luck. On a day of endless attacking rugby there won’t be a rabbit’s foot or new-found penny in sight. The tournament’s best defence celebrate another hard-won crown.
The greatest 6 Nations day ends with the sweetest of all Ireland's titles
AFTER A DAY of rugby that defied all pre-written logic, Ireland have another Championship to celebrate and, perhaps, their most impressive to date.
There have been eras of more attractive rugby, there have been Grand Slams and times when greater mettle was required to make one last stretch for the finish line. These past seven weeks have been something else entirely.
Before we even arrive to today’s expert dismissal of a Scottish team – who, though pointless at the end, proved sticky opposition for France and Wales – look back to the very beginning of this run to title glory. Joe Schmidt took his side to Rome without his playmaker in chief Jonathan Sexton and without his talismanic back row Jamie Heaslip. The gameplan was further disrupted by the loss of Sean O’Brien to injury in the very last play of the warm-up.
Never mind. Because under Schmidt there is no such thing as a back-up player. Jack McGrath never put a foot wrong, and only defeat prompted Schmidt to put Cian Healy back in as his number today. On day one, Ian Keatley, Jordi Murphy and (belatedly) Tommy O’Donnell slotted in almost seamlessly to chisel out a hard-fought win.
Fast forward seven days and the eyes of the world were on how Sexton could cope with just a week’s worth of contact training under his belt after a three-month concussion lay-off. The Racing Metro man emphatically put doubts aside, taking the full brunt of Mathieu Bastareaud in an early tackle and coming out on top of the choke tackle. These are challenges that should not be taken lightly, but Schmidt’s Ireland will never want for preparation.
The big question before the tournament, and this season, was how Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne would cope under the microscope of replacing the near-telepathic partnership of Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll. Payne was rarely given credit and will always lose out when compared to the magic created by Ireland’s record try-scorer. However, he put in five solid displays in green this year and freed up his 12 to focus on the more visible physical aspects of the game as Henshaw tackled and carried his way up the stats charts.
The Athlone man’s finest moment of the title run came with a wonderful try against England. Not wonderful in the sense that today’s end-to-end rugby was wonderful. But beautiful because, by taking a high ball and grounding it, he effectively became the physical embodiment of Schmidt’s gameplan – for critics and admirers alike.
Under another set of circumstances, the post-BOD era could easily have been coloured as a transition period. Schmidt managed to ride roughshod over that with a plan of attack that was unplayable for long enough to put his side within reach of a second title in two attempts.
And that is probably the finest tribute we can pay to this team made in the mould of O’Connell and Schmidt. Title defences are not easily come by, Ireland have not managed to complete a back-to-back since Jack Kyle controlled the team in 1948-49. This year, the team never found themselves having to insist that they weren’t feeling the pressure of being holders and favourites. Under Schmidt, those lucky to be involved in camp are usually too busy with processes to worry about pressure.
So when they were finally derailed after a 10-game winning streak, O’Connell, Sexton, O’Brien and Best had a squad around them that was able to quickly pick up the pieces and start again.
Start over they did. Wales had piled on the pressure with 61 points in Rome, yet Ireland stormed out of the gates, taking a 7 – 0 lead thanks to O’Connell – typically, leading from the front – and from there managed to sustain an attacking rhythm with a blend of patience and power taking points from any source they could.
There were massive strokes of luck along the way, of course: Leonardo Sarto’s late score, Jamie Heaslip’s tackle on Stuart Hogg and France… oh France, keeping hearts in mouths until the final second.
In sport, however, you make your own luck. On a day of endless attacking rugby there won’t be a rabbit’s foot or new-found penny in sight. The tournament’s best defence celebrate another hard-won crown.
Magic scenes in Murrayfield as Ireland lift the Six Nations trophy again
Heaslip’s try-saving smash on Hogg is the sort of thing you’ll remember in 50 years time
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