HE’S A HARD man to ignore, is 21-year-old Viliami Vunipola. Especially, you would think, when he has the ball in his hands and quickly gaining momentum in your direction.
Ireland’s players have been in buoyant mood all week, the prospect of meeting England in a crucial Six Nations clash at Twickenham is an event they can scarcely wait for.
And while Paul O’Connell speaks with a ‘realistic’ confidence and the opposition receive all the polite praise they deserve, there is a slightly different tone, a widened eye or an eyebrow raised slightly higher than usual when the English number eight is up for discussion.
EMPICS Sport
EMPICS Sport
For one thing, it’s clear that Vunipola has been the subject of some homework this week:
“Yeah, I think he’s 126 kilos,” says O’Connell, getting the seven-cap Saracen’s RFU profile figures spot on.
“His work-rate is excellent, he’s a brilliant ball-carrier, he can transfer the ball from hand to hand, his offloading is excellent.”
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Sure. But that’s it, right?
“He looks to be really fit as well now. When he gets on the ball on a poach he’s practically impossible to move and he’s been a massive player for them. It’s going to be difficult but a big part of the game is going to be trying to stop him.”
Yesterday, openside Chris Henry naturally slipped into a conversation about the back-row he is ready to take on this weekend.
After lavishing praise on the work-rate of Tom Wood and his own opposite number Chris Robshaw, he took time to ponder the big issue: ”…then you have Vunipola.” Henry conceded that the Saracens man (who he can look forward to facing again in April) would require double marking, and if that opens up space elsewhere on the field, then so be it.
“We’ve looked at him. He’s the sort of guy that can run into a brick wall and still generate quick ball after blasting through.
“For us, he’s going to be a big target. He’s the sort of guy that you always have to have two people on him which will generate more space somewhere else, but that’s just a part of the way we’ve got to approach him.
Henry added: “It’s about making sure you go low on him. One person target low and one person high to stop the offloads. Mentally, we’ve just got to be up for the challenge. A guy like that, you’ve got to throw all of your weight into the tackle. If you go soft on him, he’ll just brush you off. It’s going to be a big target for us.”
Of course, Ireland have weapons of their own that have proven difficult to ignore, as Devin Toner points out about the maul. England, though, always take pride in their set-piece and over the past fortnight they will have surely dedicated plenty of time to picking apart John Plumtree’s well-oiled machine.
“I think they’ll be very, very well prepared for it, I’m sure it isn’t something we’ll be able to use as much this weekend,” says O’Connell.
While the maul may have been the area which has yielded the tries so far in this Championship tilt for Ireland, the jewel that may yet bring a Triple Crown has been the incredibly impressive, efficient and accurate back row that has set the tone at almost every breakdown.
The attrition rate of a Test like this means that it will be impossible for each of the current star trio of O’Mahony, Henry and Heaslip to see out 80 minutes. And so Schmidt’s insistence of creating depth brings him to the surprise selection of Jordi Murphy as the utility option among the replacements.
“It will be quite daunting for him,” Toner says of Murphy’s imminent debut on the biggest stage, “if he comes on I’m sure he’ll do a good job.
“He’s done fantastic this season, he’s obviously played class for Leinster so, if he comes on I think you’ll see something special.”
Given the home provinces of the two players involved in the selection call, it has become a controversial choice in the small number of hours since the decision was announced.
However, Schmidt has been campaigning to take the stigma away from being replaced in a matchday squad. He’s dropping the word ‘dropped’ and today suggested that it had always been his plan to rotate Murphy and Tommy O’Donnell behind Henry. This week simply marks Murphy’s chance to make an impact and clock up his first minutes in the senior green jersey.
Delivering on the ‘something special’ promised by Toner will be a tall order on Murphy’s first cap, but if he does happen to find himself squaring up to Billy Vunipola in the second half in London, it will be a collision few will be able to ignore.
Ireland have a plan to cope with Billy Vunipola, but expect 'something special' on Murphy debut
HE’S A HARD man to ignore, is 21-year-old Viliami Vunipola. Especially, you would think, when he has the ball in his hands and quickly gaining momentum in your direction.
Ireland’s players have been in buoyant mood all week, the prospect of meeting England in a crucial Six Nations clash at Twickenham is an event they can scarcely wait for.
And while Paul O’Connell speaks with a ‘realistic’ confidence and the opposition receive all the polite praise they deserve, there is a slightly different tone, a widened eye or an eyebrow raised slightly higher than usual when the English number eight is up for discussion.
For one thing, it’s clear that Vunipola has been the subject of some homework this week:
“Yeah, I think he’s 126 kilos,” says O’Connell, getting the seven-cap Saracen’s RFU profile figures spot on.
“His work-rate is excellent, he’s a brilliant ball-carrier, he can transfer the ball from hand to hand, his offloading is excellent.”
Sure. But that’s it, right?
“He looks to be really fit as well now. When he gets on the ball on a poach he’s practically impossible to move and he’s been a massive player for them. It’s going to be difficult but a big part of the game is going to be trying to stop him.”
Yesterday, openside Chris Henry naturally slipped into a conversation about the back-row he is ready to take on this weekend.
After lavishing praise on the work-rate of Tom Wood and his own opposite number Chris Robshaw, he took time to ponder the big issue: ”…then you have Vunipola.” Henry conceded that the Saracens man (who he can look forward to facing again in April) would require double marking, and if that opens up space elsewhere on the field, then so be it.
“We’ve looked at him. He’s the sort of guy that can run into a brick wall and still generate quick ball after blasting through.
Henry added: “It’s about making sure you go low on him. One person target low and one person high to stop the offloads. Mentally, we’ve just got to be up for the challenge. A guy like that, you’ve got to throw all of your weight into the tackle. If you go soft on him, he’ll just brush you off. It’s going to be a big target for us.”
Of course, Ireland have weapons of their own that have proven difficult to ignore, as Devin Toner points out about the maul. England, though, always take pride in their set-piece and over the past fortnight they will have surely dedicated plenty of time to picking apart John Plumtree’s well-oiled machine.
“I think they’ll be very, very well prepared for it, I’m sure it isn’t something we’ll be able to use as much this weekend,” says O’Connell.
While the maul may have been the area which has yielded the tries so far in this Championship tilt for Ireland, the jewel that may yet bring a Triple Crown has been the incredibly impressive, efficient and accurate back row that has set the tone at almost every breakdown.
The attrition rate of a Test like this means that it will be impossible for each of the current star trio of O’Mahony, Henry and Heaslip to see out 80 minutes. And so Schmidt’s insistence of creating depth brings him to the surprise selection of Jordi Murphy as the utility option among the replacements.
“It will be quite daunting for him,” Toner says of Murphy’s imminent debut on the biggest stage, “if he comes on I’m sure he’ll do a good job.
Given the home provinces of the two players involved in the selection call, it has become a controversial choice in the small number of hours since the decision was announced.
However, Schmidt has been campaigning to take the stigma away from being replaced in a matchday squad. He’s dropping the word ‘dropped’ and today suggested that it had always been his plan to rotate Murphy and Tommy O’Donnell behind Henry. This week simply marks Murphy’s chance to make an impact and clock up his first minutes in the senior green jersey.
Delivering on the ‘something special’ promised by Toner will be a tall order on Murphy’s first cap, but if he does happen to find himself squaring up to Billy Vunipola in the second half in London, it will be a collision few will be able to ignore.
‘Realistic’ Ireland keeping their feet on the ground ahead of Triple Crown showdown
‘The toughest test of my managerial career’ – Joe Schmidt on plotting England downfall
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