Donal Lenihan: Pressure mounting on some of Ireland's established names
Tommy O'Brien of Ireland dives over to score his side's sixth try during the Quilter Nations Series 2025 match between Ireland and Japan at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
You just know things are a little different when you walk through Ballsbridge two hours before kick-off without a punter to be seen outside the famous local watering holes including Paddy Cullen’s, Mary Mac’s or Crowes.
Perhaps it’s a case of the calm before the storm with Australia and back to back World Cup holders South Africa due in Dublin over the next two weekends on an ever-expanding international rugby schedule.
With the outcome of this game never in doubt in advance, it was very much a case of who from outside the usual suspects might show enough to force Andy Farrell to promote them into the starting side for the bigger tests swiftly coming down the line.
Running parallel with events in Dublin was an outing for an Ireland A side against Spain in Leganes. Something dramatic would have to happen for anyone lining out in that fixture make the match day squad for the Wallabies game next weekend.
But I’ve no doubt that game for the back-up squad was being viewed with a wider lens by Farrell and his coaching group with the 2027 World Cup in mind. Whatever about the squad of young hopefuls in Spain, the pressure is growing on a few of the more established players in the senior squad to retain their places for the challenges coming down the track, not only in the next fortnight, but also for the fast approaching Six Nations campaign.
The atmosphere in the stadium as the players departed on completion of their pre-match warm up was hardly conducive to an explosive start from Ireland but these players should be above all that.
As the great Moss Keane was wont to say in a bygone era, “the first half was even, the second even worse”. In this case you could flip that on its head with a really disappointing opening 40 minutes from Ireland followed by a vastly superior effort after the break.
Chasing a statement display after the defeat to New Zealand last weekend, a disappointed Andy Farrell admitted post match that the performance wasn’t the response he was looking for.
With a superior supply of possession in that period, 63% compared to 47% in the first half in conjunction with just 41% of territory, Ireland were finally able to get their attack going, to play with a width and shape that enabled wingers Jacob Stockdale and Tommy O Brien to finally express themselves despite yet another stuttering display.
That growing superiority as the half progressed yielded an impressive return of four tries while a well coordinated defensive performance was rewarded with the impressive Japanese held scoreless in a second half won comprehensively, 24-0, by Ireland.
In contrast to the disappointing showing in Chicago, Ireland’s bench made a significant impact with recent Lions Jack Conan and Finlay Bealham, the Prendergast brothers Cian and Sam, and rookie loosehead prop Paddy McCarthy, who scored his first international try in only his second appearance, all helping to kill the contest with three tries in the final quarter.
Not for the first time, one of the key elements in Ireland’s failure to control the game from the outset was a lineout that continues to falter to an alarming degree. Having had the spotlight focused on this key set-piece after the failings of Soldier Field, it was quite astonishing to see just how shambolic Ireland’s opening two efforts were in terms of execution.
A paltry return of 57% out of touch in that patchy opening period impeded Ireland’s ability to launch their attacking plays against a ravenous Japanese defence whose line speed impacted massively on Ireland’s passing execution and ability to breach the gain line with any degree of success.
Things improved dramatically after the break with Ireland enjoying a 100% lineout return, the majority of those won at the front, not ideal from an attacking perspective. Then again, at times it pays to simplify matters and just win the ball first. In that respect, credit to Ryan Baird who played a significant role, just as he did against New Zealand.
At least, with a steady increase in the supply chain, Ireland were finally able to wear down a Japanese side that looked exhausted entering the final quarter. No surprise given they’ve had to face Australia and South Africa over the previous two weekends with significant travel thrown in for good measure. It didn’t help their cause either that their bench was nowhere near as experienced or hardened as their Irish counterparts.
Meanwhile in Leganes, an Ireland A side with 10 full internationals on board enjoyed an emphatic 61-24 win, registering nine tries in the process. Without wishing to take anything from their dominant performance you wonder what, if anything, the exercise revealed for Farrell.
By all accounts, the biggest winner on the occasion was Leinster out-half Harry Byrne, with Connacht’s Shane Bolton, Munster’s Dan Kelly and Ulster’s Rob Baloucoune also impressing. With many of the same squad involved in the summer tour of Georgia and Portugal, Farrell must decipher what stock he can place on these outings.
By comparison, an England squad minus their Lions tourists played a two test series against Argentina last summer and backed that up with a game against an experienced All Black XV with a number of internationals on both sides last Saturday. Despite the 31-14 defeat, I’m sure Steve Borthwick will have learned a lot more from that exercise.
The fact Australia lost 26-19 to Italy in a superb game at the home of Italian Serie A side Udinese in Udine not only undermines the Wallabies before arriving in Dublin, it may also have a big impact on the pool seedlings for the 2027 World Cup draw taking place next month.
If anything, that outstanding win for an excellent Italian side on the night piles even more pressure on Ireland in advance of Joe Schmidt’s return to his former home. Despite that setback, if anyone has the capacity to expose Irish shortcomings it’s the former Leinster and Ireland head coach. It all points to an interesting week.
