MODERN POLITICS IS built on memorable three-word slogans. And the people who know how to shape perspectives and influence swathes of people are those who are successful at finding the trigger words that hit home.
Time For Change, said Sinn Fein before the old firm of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail joined forces this year.
Take Back Control. Get Brexit Done. Lock Her Up. Yes We Can. Build Back Better. No More Malarkey(?).
England head coach Eddie Jones knew how to use the formula to his advantage when his double Grand Slam-chasing team were going to Dublin in 2017. His cutting appraisal of Ireland’s propensity to put the ball in the air and athletically contest for possession boiled the finely-tuned tactic down to ‘kick and clap’.
Obviously, that didn’t put Ireland far enough off their game to thwart Joe Schmidt’s side that St Patrick’s weekend. But the indictment was still hard to shake off. And when the winning run came to an end and the World Cup went the way World Cups do for Ireland, the box-kick became the worst symptom of Irish rugby ills.
Eight months on from Andy Farrell’s first defeat as Ireland head coach in Twickenham, the good times were rolling again last Saturday. There was offloading, there was counter-attacking rugby and there were jaws picked off the floor at the number beside Conor Murray’s box-kick attempts.
A measly two.
“The box kick is a team thing,” says Murray when a mock eulogy is read for a skill that has been a key point of difference for him over the past decade.
He accepts that the team has leaned on it a little too much in times past.
“It’s not just the 9 deciding he’s going to kick it in the air and hope for the best. It’s generally a team philosophy. We had time to look back on a few previous games and maybe we over-relied on it a bit.
“And if you’re doing it all the time and then don’t get possession back, it doesn’t look great.
“We’re not obsessed with that, we’re looking to expand our game, grow it and part of that was sharing the kicking load at the weekend.
“I thought we kicked on the front foot rather than potentially slowing things down and going to the previous routine of a box kick and setting up a ruck.”
While too many aerials were put up in the middle third by Ireland in the past, Murray’s higher kicks came to help Ireland exit last weekend. Jacob Stockdale’s big boot was also used to good effect for field position and the boot was not spared when Ireland sought to use a varied game in attack.
Playing away to France may well require a little more conservatism, but Ireland have posted a signal of intent that they are actively seeking out other avenues.
“At the weekend the weather was great, we had a dry ball. It was free-flowing for the majority of it. Looking at the game (tomorrow), it could be wet it could be windy. You just don’t know.
Whatever presents itself, you’d hope we can adapt on the day and play the effective game we want to play.
“That could be a number of ways, if you’re asking is there one type of gameplan we’re going over with, the answer is no. We’ve to wait and see what they’re trying to do in the first 10
minutes, what kind of line-speed et cetera.
“There’s a lot of unknown, but we’re trying to prepare as best we can for certain scenarios that might pop up. At the end of the Day, that’s what professional rugby is about; adapting to the pictures in front of you.”
France are capable of drawing pretty pictures indeed. Their pack will make it far more difficult for Ireland to operate on the front foot as they did against the Azzurri. And every Irish player put behind a microphone has warned of the danger their back-line can pose if they find themselves through a gap.
There’s an old school two-word phrase that’s inescapable when it comes to this group of Les Bleus.
“It’s the French flair,” says Murray, always a threat, always a danger with them.
“We’ve had success against them in recent times, but over the past year or so they’ve been growing, getting much stronger as a unit. They’re a lot harder to break down. But I think the constant is that flair.
“If they get in behind you, get that offloading game going then they can be really dangerous and you can end up chasing shadows.”
And if you find yourself doing that, up against a French team with momentum on a Saturday night in Paris, the only three-word phrase that might come to mind is Up Shit Creek.
Carty out there playing to prove a point! Should be 1st choice IRE No.10 on this form.
@Paraic Faherty: himself and Billy burns are playing great stuff
@Paraic Faherty: agreed billy burns and jack carthy should be ireland’s no 10.sextons days looked numbered.he don’t influence matches anymore and he needs to step aside for the better of the irish team
@reginald: he will step aside when they prove they are better than him and take it from him.. but as of now he is the best – end of !
@Paraic Faherty: he looked flabby and disinterested this evening to be honest.
First time I’ve ever agreed with Toland…. A mystery why Denis Buckley has never got an international cap
Excellent aggression and energy from Connacht so far and exposing the pillars and Luke picking and looking before passing.
This is the kind of rugby you want to be watching – Massively competitive and lots of little cameos asking tons of questions
Cracking game after a frustrating Ulster Munster game
@Mark O’Donohoe: and Connacht were 12/1…
Well Daly was shading myMOTM before try….certainly is now
Some of them leinster backs aren’t up to it at all
Connachts aggressive linespeed is proving really decisive. Under strength Leinster team, but Connacht deservedly well ahead & varying their plays keeping Leinster guessing.
Baird stands out from a great Leinster backrow.
@Daithí O’ Donnabhain: a great backrow on paper perhaps – need to get their act together
Connacht’s back three are costing them a lot of tries from bad positioning this season. They have been great in attack mind.
I am so so Pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan they totally deserved the win, if anyone was to beat Leinster I am so glad it was them
This is what happens when you have provide for the whole Ireland squad because other teams can’t produce players
@tomas o beag: didn’t seem a problem during international windows at all. Strength in depth is wjat Leinster are all about.
@tomas o beag: or maybe this is what happens when you spend 4 years blowing smoke up players and every academy lad believes he’s the next coming of BOD. Tonight has poured a fair bit of cold water on a Lot of young Leinster backs, destroyed by Connacht
@Dave O Keeffe: bit of an issue when you can’t play majority of your squad
@guineon: or maybe this is what happens when you play an odd mix of a team and give some young lads in Year 1 of academy a shot at an inter pro. Probably weakest Leinster team I’ve seen for a long time especially after HIA on Sexton.
Great experience but clearly didnt work. I’m sure the whole Covid situation at Leinster hasn’t helped prep either.
Great play by Connacht all the same – they can only play what’s in front of them
@guineon: destroyed?? No out half, team of mostly youths and won by 13 points and disallowed try
@guineon: t
@tomas o beag: so there was ~40 players out was there?
@guineon: two academy players in the back line one of them played well the other was quiet I think they got destroyed by having a 13 at out half and throwing terrible passes and taking up the ball a lot Tom daly is also from Leinster Arnold Munster not Connacht and they are the two that destroyed them
@JJ Doyle: Carty from Connacht man of the match stop crying
@Kohn Jeenan: didn’t say he wasn’t man of the match just said the centers played well and really stop crying what age are u really representing your province well and btw come back to me when u win a European cup
@tomas o beag: oh dear JJ.
No out half really showing
@JJ Doyle: have you missed Carty… 2 tries… running the show…
@JJ Doyle: I don’t follow. Do you mean that Carty is having a bad game?
@John Rogers: no he’s been brilliant
@Mark O’Donohoe: Sorry, I was asking the original poster.
@John Rogers: for Leinster having no out half playing when sexton went off
@JJ Doyle: Jack Carty’s 25 points is the most scored by a single player against Leinster in the professional era
I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win
Fascinating last half hour coming up
Where does this leaves Leinster now in terms of playoff spot?
@Pete McEvoy: have they not won every game up to this point??
@Pete McEvoy: have to beat ulster with bonus point basically
@BMJF: So have Ulster
@tomas o beag: And Maybe make sure Ulster don’t get anything from the game
Now we’re talkin
@John Lowry: Probably got a major bollocking from Cullen & Lancaster in the dressing room. They’re a different team now, should be a crackin second half.
@Daithí O’ Donnabhain: totally
I am so so Pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan they totally deserved the win, if anyone was to beat Leinster I am so glad it was them
@Jan Nolan: why don’t you post a comment?
I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win
I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win
@Jan Nolan: Going out on a limb here Jan. I think you’re pleased for Connacht. Correct me if I’m wrong Jan