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Dan Sheridan/INPHO

As it happened: Ireland v Scotland, Autumn Nations Cup

Third place was at stake as Gregor Townsend’s side came to the Aviva, we went minute-by-minute.

Good afternoon. It’s the match you’ve all been… well, expecting to see for a few weeks now.

It’s Andy Farrell’s struggling Ireland side against Gregor Townsend’s Scotland, who must come to Dublin sensing a bit of blood in the water and hoping they can show that they have gained ground on their celtic cousins since the World Cup opener in Japan.

Kick-off is 14.15 (watch it on RTE 2) and it’s fast approaching, so here is your team-sheet for the afternoon ahead. A debut awaits from Ulster prop Eric O’Sullivan as the loosehead stocks have worn thin for Farrell.

But the return of Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw give a familiar look to the back-line.

Ireland

15. Jacob Stockdale
14. Hugo Keenan
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Bundee Aki
11. Keith Earls
10. Jonathan Sexton (Captain)
9. Conor Murray

1. Cian Healy
2. Rob Herring
3. Andrew Porter
4. Iain Henderson
5. James Ryan
6. CJ Stander
7. Peter O’Mahony
8. Caelan Doris

Replacements:

16. Ronan Kelleher
17. Eric O’Sullivan
18. John Ryan
19. Quinn Roux
20. Josh van der Flier
21. Jamison Gibson Park
22. Ross Byrne
23. Chris Farrell

Scotland

15. Stuart Hogg (captain)
14. Darcy Graham
13. Chris Harris
12. Duncan Taylor
11. Duhan van der Merwe
10. Jaco van der Walt
9. Ali Price

1. Rory Sutherland
2. Fraser Brown
3. Zander Fagerson
4. Scott Cummings
5. Jonny Gray
6. Blade Thomson
7. Jamie Ritchie
8. Matt Fagerson

Replacements:

16. Stuart McInally
17. Oli Kebble
18. Willem Nel
19. Sam Skinner
20. Blair Cowan
21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22. Huw Jones
23. Sean Maitland

Referee: Matt Carley [RFU].

The teams are out on Lansdowne Road, Daire O’Brien is asking ‘what is a performance?’ and there is a difference of opinion among the analysts.

Stephen Ferris says it’s winning collisions, Eddie O’Sullivan reckons it’s beating the teams you should beat and when you lose, ‘it’s not a train-wreck’. Jamie Heaslip can’t quite get past it being a subjective concept.

Now for a sing-song from a fake crowd and then it’ll be time for Ireland to show a performance one way or the other.

Right, that’s the fake anthems out of the way. Time for kick-off.

Stuart Hogg takes responsibility of the kick-off, sending it to Ireland’s 22.

2 mins: James Ryan and Peter O’Mahony force a dangerous turnover in Scottish territory after a clearing kick was fielded by Hogg.

Ireland look wide quick, but Healy’s pass is two foot forward and so Hugo Keenan is called back.

4 mins: A little of the old Ireland on show there as Conor Murray box kicks high from a midfield position. Stockdale beats Hogg and Ireland have a good base, but O’Mahony attempts to chip the ball through bodies in front of Keith Earls.

The touch is far too heavy to thread the needle.

5 mins: CJ Stander makes good yardage on the carry and Jamie Ritchie, who has already caught the referee’s eye today, is penalised on the ground and it gives Johnny Sexton a chance to shoot at goal.

Sexton strikes the ball well, but he pulls it left of the posts from around 40 metres.

8 mins: Great stuff from Stuart Hogg, takes a poor pass in his 22 and turns it into a good gain because he dances past CJ Stander and tosses up a lovely offload to Blade Thomson after being tackled.

9 mins: Turnover breakdown penalty goes Scotland’s way now as Caelan Doris is penalised . Debutant Van Der Walt will take a long shot on.

We’re still scoreless. The Edinburgh 10 hit a Howitzer of an effort from over 45 metres but it pings back off the post and Ireland can clear.

Back come Scotland, though, and they have another penalty coming for offside. Cian Healy the guilty party, I think.

PENALTY! Ireland 0 Scotland 3 ( Van Der Walt ’13)

15 mins: Reassuring to know that commentators can still curse players. Hugh Cahill and Donal Lenihan were just praising Rob Herring as the hooker to show the best basics these past weeks and then he pops a line-out right at a Scot.

Andy Farrell’s defence survives the surprise turnover in their own 22, but it’s fair to say that this has not been the response of a performance Ireland players wanted to deliver after a stuttering win over Georgia – which in itself was a chance to respond to a thorough loss to England.

And if things had not been going bad enough for Ireland, Johnny Sexton is now getting his thigh strapped up.

He had complained of a hamstring strain in recent weeks, something he noted he never experienced before through goal-kicking. His 35-year-old body might just be showing signs of wear and tear.

19 mins: It’s all going awry now for Ireland as Scotland force a scrum penalty.

Still, there’ll only be a score in it even if Van Der Welt nails this third kick.

PENALTY! Ireland 0 Scotland 6 (Van der Walt ’20)

PENALTY! Ireland 3 Scotland 6 (Sexton ’22)

 

Scottish discipline gives Ireland a foothold as Fraser Brown can’t resist a dangerous low hit on Stander.

Sexton drives the central penalty from 40 metres.

PENALTY! Ireland 3 Scotland 9 (Van Der Walt ’26)

 

Scotland get further reward on another 22 visit, though it looks a harsh penalty against Iain Henderson after ripping the ball clear of a ruck.

Apologies, we had a few technical issues of our own as Scotland took a six-point lead there, but like Ireland we’re back in the ascendancy.

Penalty! Ireland 6 Scotland 9 (Sexton ’31)

SIN-BIN: Taylor

35 mins: Van der Walt’s third penalty really put the skids under Ireland and gave an extra bite in their next attack. An overlap was created and Taylor was called for a deliberate knock on.

Five minutes later, the 15 men of the home side are desperate to make hay against the 14 visitors and they roar back into the 22.

Huge chance to take a half-time lead here as they set for a central scrum in the 22.

36 mins: Murray and Sexton look to run a set play off the scrum, but it’s telegraphed every step of the way by Scotland’s defence and it all looks rather laboured.

The ‘off the cuff’ calls from Farrell looked a long way away there. And the problems keep on coming as Iain Henderson and Cian Healy are getting treatment.

37 mins: Ireland go to the corner from a penalty and even Bundee Aki and Henshaw are lending their weight in there.

Big moments in this game. Scotland are offside again, they’re risking going down to 13.

TRY! Ireland 11 Scotland 9 (Earls ’38)

Sexton uses the free play to chip up beyond the try-line and Robbie Henshaw wins the aerial battle, scoops the ball backwards and Earls slides in to finish.

There’s a TMO check, but it was all clear enough.

Sexton can’t make it a four-point game with the conversion, sending a thud to the right and wide.

HALF-TIME: Ireland 11 Scotland 9

Mostly poor, but Ireland end on a high. Will that be the tale of Andy Farrell’s Autumn Nations Cup run come full-time?

There’s plenty of improvement needed to force a result against Scotland here. Townsend’s men bossed the game for the middle part of the first half and only went off the rails with the sin-binning of Taylor.

Here come the teams for the last 40 of Ireland’s international year.

I neglected to mention that Iain Henderson was in fact replaced by Quinn Roux before the break.

Sexton kicks off to the Scottish 22 and we’re away.

41 mins: Stockdale takes a kick, has a cut in midfield. Sexton eyes up a cross-field kick and Hogg reads it like a book, zipping to the space Sexton drops the ball into.

Taylor is back on the field so we’re 15 on 15 again.

42 mins:  That’s a better Sexton kick, grubbered towards the corner and Hogg knocks this one on.

Huge chance for Ireland to turn the screw here.

Ireland think they are over for a try at the posts thanks to a Cian Healy carry. TMO check coming.

TRY! Ireland 18 Scotland 9 (Healy ’43)

Healy gets over with a lot of help from Peter O’Mahony after a big carry from Doris took Ireland close.

Nice handy conversion for Sexton to get back on the board and give Ireland, suddenly, a commanding lead.

Ireland look back to themselves since the 30th minute.

Another penalty forced here and Sexton kicks for the corner hoping to kill this contest off.

TRY! Ireland 23 Scotland 9 (Earls ’49)

Superb diving finish in the left corner by Earls. Ireland playing with a swagger as they took on that line-out, set a platform in the middle and then switched play back towards Earls on the left.

Sexton’s kicking rhythm is back and all. When they’re good, they’re good.

Ireland 25 Scotland 9

TRY! Ireland 25 Scotland 14 (Van der Merwe ’55)

Van der Merwe comes up with a try out of nothing, ghosting from a static ruck through Rob Herring and then dancing around Stockdale and he beats Earls in the race to the line.

Van der Walt adds the conversion and the game is back to a 9-point affair.

Ireland 25 Scotland 16

60 mins: Keith Earls is well on course for man of the match if Ireland can hang on to this lead, he brilliantly takes an awkwardly bouncing ball kicked through by Stockdale.

Unfortunately, Scotland are not gone yet, because Ireland can’t build on the position and ship a penalty while attacking in the 22.

Another penalty in midfield compounds frustration and the visitors have an attacking line-out in Ireland’s 22.

Referee says there has been an accusation of a gouge from Scotland. Big TMO review coming.

Quinn Roux was the man in focus, the Connacht man seemed to just be reaching over the ruck. If anything, he may have inadvertently clawed near Brown’s face, but the replay doesn’t show anything close to the eye.

63 mins:  Johnny Sexton never looks happy coming off, but this time it is clearly due to an injury. Ross Byrne is tasked with closing this one out for Ireland.

And a breakdown penalty comes through pressure from Ireland’s tight five and Byrne will get a chance to open his account nice and early.

PENALTY! Ireland 28 Scotland 16 (Byrne ’65)

 

Daylight between the sides and Eric O’Sullivan makes his debut by replaceing Cian Healy.

A young Irish front row show their mettle as they dominate a Scottish pack and force a penalty. Ireland really are finishing this troubled year on an upswing, not least Peter O’Mahony who just loves playing Scottish teams.

As we say that, Peter O’Mahony got on the end of a 20-phase Ireland move and powered himself into a diving finish in the right corner.

He’s in touch by a matter of centimetres. Ireland go back for a penalty and, as captain, O’Mahony is still arguing the decision before pointing for the posts.

PENALTY! Ireland 31 Scotland 16 (Byrne ’75)

FULL-TIME: Ireland 31 Scotland 16

And there ends Ireland’s international rugby year.

Just nine Tests, all against northern hemisphere opposition and they found themselves well below the standard of England and France, but a cut above the rest.

Andy Farrell’s second year will begin away to Wales in February before a Valentine’s Day clash with France – a home tie that Farrell will hope to underline the work the squad has done on his watch.

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51 Comments
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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:11 PM

    Early days yet but I think there’s a few things that I’ve read in the last few weeks that are really encouraging in terms of the new management. Firstly is the amount of players that have come out and say how enjoyable the training is in camp, something I haven’t heard in the last few years, POM must be the 3rd or 4th player I’ve seen mention it recently. Secondly how the players went straight into individual skills session. I think there was decline in the skill sets of the players over the last few years and it’s only right to address it. Seeing o mahony offload like that was lovely to see. Lastly I think putting faith in form in the likes of keenan and connors and getting repaid for it is the most positive of all.

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:26 PM

    @Jim Demps:

    It’s way too early to suggest that the coaching staff have made a big difference and turned around a team in relation to their skill set.

    I remember you and a few others massively hyping the world class new coaches that Munster had just employed and how a certain Australian ex out half would turn around Munster fortunes.

    Well we are still waiting many, many months later to see any difference at all and if anything they are going backwards.

    Only the introduction of the young new blood give cause for optimism

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    Mute Gar Eth
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:30 PM

    Another positive is seeing the benefit of the 7s system on players development. Keenan having the composure to gather the ball at full sprint or keeping it alive by off loading. Really good to see. Looking forward to this weekend!

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    Mute Decko49
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:33 PM

    @Mark Smith: Explain how you think Munster are going backwards under the new coaches?

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:41 PM

    @Decko49:

    Standing still is going backwards

    Lack of improvement is going backwards

    I often wonder why Munster don’t trust their wingers. Earls and Conway are two of the best in Ireland and all they do is kick chase. Give them the ball in hand , one on one and let them do the business.
    Munster play crash ball centres. Their ideal coach would be Garland

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    Mute Decko49
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:50 PM

    @Mark Smith: Standing still is not going backwards. Not improving is not going backwards. Give us a proper explanation Please.

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:57 PM

    @Decko49:
    I just did but you failed to understand it.

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    Mute Rudiger McMonihan
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:59 PM

    @Mark Smith: I think there is signs of progress in Munster finally. Last season was poor, but youth is being given a chance this season. Credit where credit is due. Most of the starters being played today came through Munsters academy.

    As for Ireland, I think there are positive signs from Farrells brief time as coach. Schmidt was the most successful coach in Ireland ever, but change can be good sometimes. Sometimes different approaches give players a psychological boost when theyve played under the same person for too long. I remember when schmidt 1st became irish coach and the players were over the moon with the change. In kidneys first year they won a grand slam. Eddie gets a lot of flak for staying after Gatland got the boot, but his team was a big improvement on previous generations

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    Mute Decko49
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:07 PM

    @Mark Smith: No I didn’t fail to understand it. You said staying the same is going backwards. That makes no sense whatsoever.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:08 PM

    @Mark Smith: green shoots my friend, players enjoying themselves and playing with confidence is something we were lacking since probably the end of 2018. Like I said, encouraging signs.

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:10 PM

    @Rudiger McMonihan:

    The young guys in Munster coming through are a breath of fresh air and I hope to see them excel .

    There are only so many times the old stagers can go to the well.

    I would just love to watch them play something other than bish, bosh, bash rugby all the time.
    Mix it up and make the opposition’s defence have to think what is coming

    9
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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:19 PM

    @Jim Demps:
    And long may that last but only time and stiffer opposition will truly tell us where we are with that but I suspect a revert to text might be more likely.

    Youth coming through gives everyone a lift of feel good factor, including to a certain degree the players in the jersey as they have to step up.

    The supporters get an even bigger lift I suspect.

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:28 PM

    @Decko49:

    Ok, I don’t want to be flippant about it but I will give you another sporting analogy to explain it.

    A horse race where my horse and your horse are neck and neck with the last furlong to go.

    My horse fails to quicken and your horse gets another gear, leaves me behind and your horse goes onto win.

    As such I fail to improve/keep up and get passed by others and lose ground to them.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:41 PM

    @Decko49: how many times did munster put the ball into the hands of either of their wingers in the semi final? Even their centres for that matter.

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    Mute Decko49
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:44 PM

    @Mark Smith: And I will try explain to you again that failing to improve is not going backwards. It’s failing to improve. Going backwards is getting worse. Explain how Munster are worse?

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    Mute Timmy O'Toole
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    Oct 26th 2020, 5:14 PM

    @Mark Smith: Regardless of performances Munster still have a great ability to fascinate non Munster fans. Another non Munster article turned into a Munster discussion. Thanks for your interest Mark

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Oct 26th 2020, 6:10 PM

    @Jim Demps: each and every one of them said the same at the camp before the world Cup. In the history of sport has anyone who was looking to get into a team every said this new coach is no where near as good as the last one? And training is just a load poo.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Oct 26th 2020, 6:12 PM

    @Decko49: well up to two seasons ago they were without question in the top 4 or 5 in Europe and the second best side in the country. In the past 2 seasons ulster are the 2nd best side in Ireland. League and European prove thst.

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Oct 26th 2020, 6:14 PM

    @Decko49:

    I fear you might be like a horse that you can take to water but can’t make it drink.

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    Mute Mark Smith
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    Oct 26th 2020, 6:15 PM

    @Timmy O’Toole:
    You are quite welcome

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    Mute Tim Magner
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    Oct 26th 2020, 6:34 PM

    @Chris Mc: would you say leinster have regressed aswell? In the hcup they went from champs to beaten finalists to beaten quarter finalists over the same period

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    Mute Decko49
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    Oct 26th 2020, 6:49 PM

    @Mark Smith: I’ve asked you to explain where Munster got worse. You haven’t. So I’m afraid you’re just blowing hot air. And you’re muted

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Oct 26th 2020, 7:04 PM

    @Tim Magner: not really, topped the group stages, seeded no 1. Scored the most tries in the group stages but got beat by a better side on the day. When you Lose only one game in a season you can’t really say regressed.

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    Mute Tim Magner
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    Oct 26th 2020, 7:13 PM

    @Chris Mc: munster v sarries were pretty tight games

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Oct 27th 2020, 12:35 AM

    @Mark Smith: if you’d just held off for a few hours. Also, what’s the time difference in coaching appointments at Munster and Ireland? It’s about three months I reckon, off the back of a world cup.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Oct 27th 2020, 10:34 AM

    @Tim Magner: yes they were. But bigging up one off performances any team can do that. It’s winning big games that count. Munster just haven’t done that in a while.
    So far in the pro 14 the young munster home grown players have really stepped up and at their stage every game is a big game so maybe they will bring that winning mentality back to the club.
    I will say one thing you need new blood in the leadership team. What you had for teh last few seasons just dosent work.

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    Mute Daithí O' Donnabhain
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:31 PM

    The official post RWC report highlighted our skills deficit so that was always going to be targeted, but we’re definitely beginning to reap the rewards. The fact it was immediately addressed & is an ongoing focus shows we’re definitely evolving tactically, which is great to see. The workrate & energy Keenan & Connors brought to the team was huge, adding more of that quality of player will bring us to a higher standard again. Delighted Farrells backing form & quality.

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:09 PM

    @Daithí O’ Donnabhain: was the post RWC report published? Haven’t seen it anywhere.

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    Mute Daithí O' Donnabhain
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    Oct 26th 2020, 5:25 PM

    @Jim Demps: don’t think so, but main outcomes were widely reported in the media at the time.

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    Mute Neill Elliott
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    Oct 26th 2020, 3:58 PM

    I remember in Twickenham 2018, everyone praised Furlong for his skills when passing for the Stander try, equally Stockdale in the same match and the AB game. The skills have been there. Over the 18 months, the accuracy hasn’t. Skills come in a package of timing, execution and accuracy. When 1 is off, its assumed we have been de-skilled. Such fine margins to judge on

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    Mute Oran Burns
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    Oct 26th 2020, 4:21 PM

    @Neill Elliott: yeah there definitely has been some fantastic individual skills however it was always off set piece rather than improvised.
    Also the game plan under Schmidt was possession and collisions based.
    Off loads were too high risk compared to playing the percentages of getting go forward, rucking and recycling.
    Which meant Ireland often took many phases to go across the field.
    A new heads up approach where players can use their skills rather than being robots is welcome.

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