Taking Stock

Everyone knows now that Jacob Stockdale is the sixth highest tryscorer in Irish international history. It is recorded in the history books.

What the stats aren’t as forthcoming about is where he stands on the number of blunders that have led to cheap opposition scores. After his nightmare in Paris, following on from his poor showing against New Zealand in last year’s World Cup, and that Elliot Daly try at the Aviva in the 2019 Six Nations, we’re beginning to see a pattern. Lethal in attack, he’s vulnerable in defence.

The key thing is that Andy Farrell has stood by him. And quite right, for while the temptation must be there to go for a boring, safer alternative, the fact is that if Ireland are to return to the heights they reached in 2018, then they need game-changers on the field, not in the stands.

Here is another fact: teaching defensive basics is a lot easier than instilling attacking instincts into any player. Even so, Stockdale could do with swotting up on his defensive homework.

Herring deserves his shot

Sometimes it pays to serve your time and the line-out wobbles in Twickenham reminded everyone that Ronan Kelleher is still only 22 and has only made two starts at international level.

More to the point, he has only 16 appearances on his Leinster CV. While clearly a talent, and right to be promoted to the squad, it won’t do either him or Ireland any harm if the less exciting but more reliable Rob Herring is handed the darts for the next while.

“The thing I say to all the players is that selection is in their own hands,” said Andy Farrell yesterday. “No matter what the position, players have to grab hold of the shirt and saying, ‘this is mine and you can’t do anything about it’, because you have to pick me because my form is good enough. Therefore it becomes a no-brainer for a coach so that’s what we’re hoping to see, certainly over the weekend and certainly over the next six or seven weeks before the selection for the Six Nations is put into account as well.”

Herring's reliability at the line-out should not be underestimated. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

So far, since Rory Best’s retirement, three different players have rented the No2 jersey. No one has gained outright ownership but Herring has a chance to put his name down for a long-term lease.

Scotland The Brave?

Two things have been noticeable about the Scots in 2020, firstly that they no longer adhere to their you-score-four-tries and we’ll-score-five policy. Tactically more conservative, they have subsequently become more consistent, winning five games on the bounce earlier in 2020, albeit two of those were against Italy and one against Georgia.

Given their poor away form, winning in Wales was a scalp – although it comes with a caveat. Wales under Wayne Pivac are poor impersonators of Wales under Warren Gatland. The win with the smallest asterisk beside it is the one against France at Murrayfield in the Six Nations.

The French avenged that two weeks ago, though, conceding seven fewer penalties, and by extension, seven fewer points. Significantly, Scotland were tryless in that game. Indeed, they are no longer the gung-ho team who had a license to thrill during the early days of Gregor Townsend’s reign.

A safer approach has yielded better results, though. Don’t expect them to get one tomorrow.

Jonny Gray celebrates a try as Scotland beat Wales. Rogan Thomson / INPHO Rogan Thomson / INPHO / INPHO

Murray and Sexton: Friends Reunited

The problem for Murray and Sexton is they are being judged on what they delivered in the past rather than being compared solely with the alternatives in their position.

How often have we heard people lament about Murray not making the breaks he did in 2016? Or about Sexton’s failure to match his 2018 consistency?

The bottom line, however, is they remain the best players available to Ireland in their position.

Between a lock and a hard place

During the 2018 grand slam year, Joe Schmidt was able to go for a horses-for-courses approach because he had three genuine first-teamers competing for two jerseys. Andy Farrell does not have the same luxury. Devin Toner is too old, Ryan Baird too young, Tadhg Beirne too much of a six, Donncha Ryan too Parisian in terms of his address.

The Ryan/Henderson combo is a good one but Ultan Dillane deserves more of a shot that he has got so far. Quinn Roux isn’t as bad as a lot of people say he is but still, his performance in Twickenham was nowhere near the standard required.