Beirne, Conway, Addison shine brightly in Ireland's World Cup audition
As a sign off to what has proved a remarkable year for Irish rugby, this largely back up Irish side couldn’t have done much more.
Eight tries scored against a USA side that was far better than the 43 point margin of victory may suggest from a side with just one player (Garry Ringrose) that started against New Zealand will have pleased Joe Schmidt no end.
Will it have done enough to convince the coach to extend his stay beyond next year’s World Cup?
Unfortunately, it appears not.
All indications are that he has already made up his mind to vacate the post even before yesterday’s family brunch where, he suggested, the final call was due to be made.
Schmidt is a man who has never fudged the difficult decisions so whatever call he chooses to make, let us respect it and savour the fact that, right now we have him and, of even more importance, will continue to do so until that 2019 World Cup.
As anticipated, this impressively coached and well organised USA side made Ireland work extremely hard in a highly competitive opening half.
Indeed the ten-point lead flattered the hosts at the break.
A solid setpiece combined with an ability to challenge the gain line through the explosive-carrying ability of their forwards, with hooker Joe Taufete outstanding, had Ireland working hard for any gains. A penalty try off a driving lineout maul, resulting in a yellow card for Iain Henderson, provided further proof that the Irish pack would have to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.
When the visitors lost Taufete to a head injury — which thankfully doesn’t appear to be as serious as it first looked — four minutes into the second half, the USA appeared to lose their way.
A scrum that was solid and compact for long periods was eventually taken to the cleaners when John Ryan joined the fray and dominated American loosehead prop Titi Lamositele.
On the back of quality possession, Ireland’s superior handling and deft lines came to the fore, with a number of players putting down a marker for Schmidt to ponder.
If Saturday’s exercise was as much about auditioning for the last few slots on a potential World Cup squad, given that a number of starters on Saturday will not see game time at this level for some time, then Will Addison is justifying the interest Schmidt showed in persuading him to abandon his pursuit for international honours with England and take his chances with the country of his Fermanagh born mother.
Addison has already featured at outside centre, full back and on the left wing in his three caps for Ireland. That capacity to cover so many positions — he is also rumoured to be comfortable with No 10 on his back — could prove invaluable in a tournament as physically demanding as the World Cup. The only pity on Saturday was his withdrawal at half-time for a head injury assessment from which he never returned.
All week, Andrew Conway had bemoaned his inability to get more involved from his position on the right wing against Italy in Chicago and swore that he would seek more time on the ball this time out. In that, he was true to his word.
Handed a licence to roam, his ability to run brilliant support lines paid dividends as early as the second minute. Having offered Joey Carbery an option off his inside shoulder, Conway’s opening line break and pop pass to Rhys Ruddock set the tone for his day. Trailing in behind his captain, the flying Munster winger finished off the first of a hat-trick of tries when Ruddock released him with a perfectly timed delivery.
If Conway did his cause no harm, one player assured a starting role in the big games in Japan is Garry Ringrose. Outstanding on both sides of the ball against the All Blacks, he looked a class apart in this company. One thunderous tackle on hapless American fullback Will Hooley left him gasping for breath but it was Ringrose’s grace and vision with ball in hand that resonated most.
Ringrose glides over the ground, leaving all pursuers in his wake. He is a class act. Up front, Tadhg Beirne excelled once again and, even at this juncture with just four caps, has to nailed on to make the World Cup squad.
While he will find it extremely difficult to usurp James Ryan and Devin Toner for a starting slot in the second row, he looks tailor-made for an impact role off the bench.
Schmidt’s call on his immediate coaching future is sure to fill the vacuum between now and what promises to be a riveting Six Nations Championship, when everyone will be lining up for a pop at the All Black slayers.
As for the Americans, a World Cup pool containing France, Argentina and England underlines just how difficult it is for the Tier Two nations to make the breakthrough. That said, on the basis of this showing, they have the capacity to make things a little uncomfortable for someone on that journey.
Did you know?
The home nations — England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales have an aggregate winning record (5-2) against the Tri-Nations for the third year in a row in the November Internationals.
They haven’t done so since 2002.
