Advertisement
Billy Stickland/INPHO

Murray not willing to throw box-kick away just yet

The scrum-half took on the skill just twice last weekend, but isn’t willing to sound its death knell.

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

conor-murray-box-kicks Alex Davidson / INPHO Alex Davidson / INPHO / INPHO

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.

Close
12 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paraic Faherty
    Favourite Paraic Faherty
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:26 PM

    Carty out there playing to prove a point! Should be 1st choice IRE No.10 on this form.

    84
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute PScald
    Favourite PScald
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:15 PM

    @Paraic Faherty: himself and Billy burns are playing great stuff

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute reginald
    Favourite reginald
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:19 PM

    @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

    23
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Mullins
    Favourite Darren Mullins
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:23 PM

    @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 !

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Finn
    Favourite David Finn
    Report
    Jan 3rd 2021, 12:04 AM

    @Paraic Faherty: he looked flabby and disinterested this evening to be honest.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Murray
    Favourite Michael Murray
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 7:42 PM

    First time I’ve ever agreed with Toland…. A mystery why Denis Buckley has never got an international cap

    76
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Scott Crossfield
    Favourite Scott Crossfield
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:15 PM

    Excellent aggression and energy from Connacht so far and exposing the pillars and Luke picking and looking before passing.

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Lowry
    Favourite John Lowry
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:51 PM

    This is the kind of rugby you want to be watching – Massively competitive and lots of little cameos asking tons of questions

    28
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
    Favourite Mark O'Donohoe
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:18 PM

    Cracking game after a frustrating Ulster Munster game

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
    Favourite Mark O'Donohoe
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:19 PM

    @Mark O’Donohoe: and Connacht were 12/1…

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Murray
    Favourite Michael Murray
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:14 PM

    Well Daly was shading myMOTM before try….certainly is now

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute tomas o beag
    Favourite tomas o beag
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:20 PM

    Some of them leinster backs aren’t up to it at all

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daithí O' Donnabhain
    Favourite Daithí O' Donnabhain
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:30 PM

    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.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Lowry
    Favourite John Lowry
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:32 PM

    @Daithí O’ Donnabhain: a great backrow on paper perhaps – need to get their act together

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cathal Carr
    Favourite Cathal Carr
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:04 PM

    Connacht’s back three are costing them a lot of tries from bad positioning this season. They have been great in attack mind.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jan Nolan
    Favourite Jan Nolan
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:31 PM

    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

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute tomas o beag
    Favourite tomas o beag
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:14 PM

    This is what happens when you have provide for the whole Ireland squad because other teams can’t produce players

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave O Keeffe
    Favourite Dave O Keeffe
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:19 PM

    @tomas o beag: didn’t seem a problem during international windows at all. Strength in depth is wjat Leinster are all about.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute guineon
    Favourite guineon
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:22 PM

    @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

    38
    See 9 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute tomas o beag
    Favourite tomas o beag
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:26 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: bit of an issue when you can’t play majority of your squad

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute BMJF
    Favourite BMJF
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:28 PM

    @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

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute tomas o beag
    Favourite tomas o beag
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:28 PM

    @guineon: destroyed?? No out half, team of mostly youths and won by 13 points and disallowed try

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JJ Doyle
    Favourite JJ Doyle
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:28 PM

    @guineon: t

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kohn Jeenan
    Favourite Kohn Jeenan
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:30 PM

    @tomas o beag: so there was ~40 players out was there?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JJ Doyle
    Favourite JJ Doyle
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:31 PM

    @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

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kohn Jeenan
    Favourite Kohn Jeenan
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:32 PM

    @JJ Doyle: Carty from Connacht man of the match stop crying

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JJ Doyle
    Favourite JJ Doyle
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 11:32 PM

    @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

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Finn
    Favourite David Finn
    Report
    Jan 3rd 2021, 12:06 AM

    @tomas o beag: oh dear JJ.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JJ Doyle
    Favourite JJ Doyle
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:13 PM

    No out half really showing

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
    Favourite Mark O'Donohoe
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:25 PM

    @JJ Doyle: have you missed Carty… 2 tries… running the show…

    67
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Rogers
    Favourite John Rogers
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:13 PM

    @JJ Doyle: I don’t follow. Do you mean that Carty is having a bad game?

    7
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mark O'Donohoe
    Favourite Mark O'Donohoe
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:16 PM

    @John Rogers: no he’s been brilliant

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Rogers
    Favourite John Rogers
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:20 PM

    @Mark O’Donohoe: Sorry, I was asking the original poster.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JJ Doyle
    Favourite JJ Doyle
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:21 PM

    @John Rogers: for Leinster having no out half playing when sexton went off

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Con O'Hannrachàin
    Favourite Con O'Hannrachàin
    Report
    Jan 3rd 2021, 4:33 PM

    @JJ Doyle: Jack Carty’s 25 points is the most scored by a single player against Leinster in the professional era

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jan Nolan
    Favourite Jan Nolan
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:25 PM

    I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Lowry
    Favourite John Lowry
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:43 PM

    Fascinating last half hour coming up

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pete McEvoy
    Favourite Pete McEvoy
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:19 PM

    Where does this leaves Leinster now in terms of playoff spot?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute BMJF
    Favourite BMJF
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:29 PM

    @Pete McEvoy: have they not won every game up to this point??

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute tomas o beag
    Favourite tomas o beag
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:29 PM

    @Pete McEvoy: have to beat ulster with bonus point basically

    3
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Decko49
    Favourite Decko49
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:31 PM

    @BMJF: So have Ulster

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Decko49
    Favourite Decko49
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 9:37 PM

    @tomas o beag: And Maybe make sure Ulster don’t get anything from the game

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Lowry
    Favourite John Lowry
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:36 PM

    Now we’re talkin

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daithí O' Donnabhain
    Favourite Daithí O' Donnabhain
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:40 PM

    @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.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Lowry
    Favourite John Lowry
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 8:44 PM

    @Daithí O’ Donnabhain: totally

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jan Nolan
    Favourite Jan Nolan
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:31 PM

    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

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Murphy
    Favourite Tom Murphy
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:39 PM

    @Jan Nolan: why don’t you post a comment?

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jan Nolan
    Favourite Jan Nolan
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:26 PM

    I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jan Nolan
    Favourite Jan Nolan
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:25 PM

    I am so so pleased for Connacht, as a Leinster fan , they totally deserved the win

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Decko49
    Favourite Decko49
    Report
    Jan 2nd 2021, 10:43 PM

    @Jan Nolan: Going out on a limb here Jan. I think you’re pleased for Connacht. Correct me if I’m wrong Jan

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel