Simon Easterby: Ireland earning the rewards after embracing evolution

The defence coach is keen for the side to build on the momentum created by an eight-match winning run going back to last year's Six Nations

Ireland Rugby Captain's Run

Simon Easterby believes a new generation of Ireland internationals are perfectly poised to stay ahead of the curve and hit the ground running against Wales in their Six Nations opener on Saturday.

The Ireland defence coach has been on board with the national team since 2014. He has seen the side’s fortunes rise and fall, players come and go and there is a clear excitement as to where the collective finds itself as it kicks into 2022.

An eight-match winning run will make for considerable momentum as Andy Farrell’s men welcome the Welsh to the Aviva Stadium and Easterby spoke today of evolution and cycles as he looked at the bigger picture.

“Under Joe (Schmidt) we were incredibly successful playing a certain way and it was brilliant to be involved in. We’ve changed the approach a little bit under Faz and we’re starting to see the rewards of that in terms of the way the players are playing.

“This is a different group as well. A lot of players who weren’t around in 2014 are coming through now. They have a different appetite and a different mindset to the game and that is starting to show in how we are playing.

“Every five or six years there is a turnover of a certain number of players and we’ve certainly got players who were playing back in 2014 but the game moves on and evolves and we have to stay ahead of that and we are starting to see the rewards of trying to do that.”

Friday’s captain’s run at the stadium went off without a hitch with all those due to participate deemed to be fit and healthy. If there was a trophy handed out for good vibes right now then Ireland would be there or thereabouts.

The stint training in Portugal in the build-up to the tournament seems to have ticked all the right boxes – even if one or two players did pick up injuries – and Easterby is eager for the team to grab the bull by the horns in Ballsbridge.

“It's about not waiting for things to happen, making sure we're ahead of the game and hit the ground running. It's crucial to get off to a good start and build momentum."

That sense of anticipation is only heightened by the prospect of a full house for an Irish home game in this tournament for the first time in two years – since Wales last travelled to Dublin for a Six Nations game, in fact, almost two years ago.

Wayne Pivac brings a denuded selection to Dublin thanks to a slew of injuries and the head coach has already said that the reigning champions will have “nothing to lose” this weekend against a nation that doesn’t always do well with the favourites’ tag.

Easterby knows the opposition mindset better than most having spent 15 years playing and coaching in Llanelli before accepting the opportunity of a role with Ireland having worn the green jersey 65 times.

"A lot of it is that they probably don't have the depth in the four regions. They're strong in certain areas but it's tough at the moment. They have players that move outside of Wales to play their rugby and that's part and parcel of being close to England and allowing those players to travel to play then come back to play for their country.

"Recent history has shown how regional form has nothing to do with their international performances. The last couple of years is testament to how they prepare them when they come in from the regions. They become a really strong group and have become really effective when they put on that red jersey.

"We don't read anything into that, we know that it has never translated into performances for their country."