Azzurri shouldn’t stretch Irish
Ireland played their best rugby, albeit in defeat, against New Zealand in November when they followed Leinster’s blueprint for shifting the ball early and offloading before the tackle. This approach is tailor-made for playing against Italy and with key Leinster personnel at 10, 12 and 13, it should be encouraged again.
Likewise, the positioning of Luke Fitzgerald at full-back is geared towards counter-attacking off the expected flow of Italian kicks. When Italian out-half Kristopher Burton said yesterday that he brings “a solid kicking game”, you know what to expect.
The crucial part of this approach, and Kidney alluded to it during the week, is to know when to run and when to seek territory with the boot. In the past Ireland have been slow to flood the defensive area and support the likes of Rob Kearney or Geordan Murphy when they sought to run. In this tournament, starting today in Rome, everyone must switch into support mode when Fitzgerald, Keith Earls or Fergus McFadden choose to counter from deep.
Italy are one of those sides who, if they win too much ball are in trouble, because they don’t know what to do with it. It they do manage to take it beyond two or three phases, their basic skills let them down and crucially they still lack any cutting edge in midfield.
Ireland will win by exposing them in broken play. To do this a crucial part of the playing strategy today is to maximise the number of times that David Wallace and Sean O’Brien get ball in hand and run at the Italians. If Ireland can get Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy playing off the two of them then they will be in business.
2. SET-PIECE COMPETENCE
BEFORE Ireland’s back row or midfield can even contemplate running at the opposition, a stable platform has to be established up front. It will come as no surprise today when the first thing Italy will do is test Six Nations debutant Mike Ross in the scrum.
Ross has been around a long time now and has faced this type of challenge with Harlequins and Leinster on many occasions in the Heineken Cup. It will suit his mentality that the opposition will choose to examine his credentials more in the set-piece than in broken play. He will welcome that.
The return of Paul O’Connell should add not only to the lineout but to the stability of the scrum. All eight Irish forwards will need to be tuned into their collective responsibilities at scrum time, especially in the opening half.
Ireland’s approach in the lineout also needs to be precise with a sensible mix of ball off the top as well as the odd catch and drive to suck in the Italian back row. With no stand-out line jumper at the tail, someone must also be identified to compete with Italian captain Sergio Parisse at the back of the lineout as he calls a high percentage of throws on himself in that position.
O’Connell must also decide on when Ireland should sacrifice competing in the air in order to stop the impressive Azzurri maul from generating any momentum on the deck. If the Italians smell a weakness in this area, they will maul you to death. The key is to frustrate them in the areas where they expect to have an advantage. History has shown that they don’t have a Plan B.
3. BREAKDOWN EFFICIENCY
DESPITE all the injuries and the loss of gifted broken field runners such as Kearney, Murphy and Tommy Bowe, Ireland still field a very dangerous-looking back-line.
The key to presenting them with a licence to perform is producing quick ball. Problem is, Italy excel at slowing opposition ball at the breakdown and creating a nuisance of themselves. That said, they often go overboard with their eagerness to compete in this area, and concede too many penalties.
Discipline will be crucial in this phase and with four Munster forwards in the Irish pack, I am sure that Gert Smal will remind them of their individual responsibilities given Munster’s poor record in that area all season. On the other hand, Italy’s Martin Castrogiovanni and Salvatore Perugini are no shrinking violets either and their tendency for yellow cards is notorious at this stage.
The manner in which Ireland conduct themselves at the breakdown will therefore be vital. Referee Romain Poite is a difficult man to build a rapport with on the field, and therefore the Irish players must make every effort to stay on the right side of him.
They must make every effort to stay on their feet and present opportunities for Tomás O’Leary to snipe and manufacture breaks. This will encourage the Italian back row to stay honest which in turn will create space for Eoin Reddan when he is introduced in the last quarter.
As always against Italy, patience is crucial. They will frustrate you and slow the game if you allow them. For that reason Ireland must commit more numbers to the breakdown than they could afford to do against other opposition. The fact that Italy don’t provide any great running threat facilitates this. Control the breakdown — control the game. Ireland to win.
