Robin McBryde reckons Ireland and France playing at another level in Six Nations

Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde at the province's training at UCD. Picture: Inpho/Ben Brady

Brendan O’Brien 

Robin McBryde spent over a decade with a loosehead on one shoulder and a tighthead on the other so he can appreciate better than most the shifts Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong put in last Saturday in Paris.

There were just seven minutes to play when the two Ireland props were called ashore at the Stade de France. That’s well into overtime in a run-of-the-mill game. Close to an eternity in a Test match between two of the best sides in the world going full pelt.

McBryde, the former Welsh hooker now serving as forwards coach with Leinster, was able to sit back and enjoy the occasion after the province’s URC defeat of Edinburgh the night before. It was a game that, for him, crystallised the Six Nations order of merit.

“The pace the game was played at, that was in stark contrast to the game previously, watching Wales against Scotland. The tempo and speed of execution, speed of thought really set them apart. They look to be the two best teams in the Six Nations thus far.

“They were unlucky not to get a little bit more out of the game really. Fair dues to France, they were the best team on the day so there’s a long way to go. There’s three games to go so anything could happen.” 

The Ireland front row arrived in the French capital with plenty of praise ringing in their ears but, while all three starters went toe to toe with the opposition during their time on the park, it proved to be a testing afternoon.

Porter said beforehand that it would be his toughest assignment since reverting back to loosehead and he was duly penalised twice at the scrum. It wasn’t all one-way traffic at the set piece but Ireland’s certainly creaked at times.

“Listen, France are a formidable force, aren't they?” said McBryde. “They're very big men. They won a couple of penalties. It was a lot cleaner. I think France are scrummaging a lot more intelligently than what they have been in the past. Overall really, in all facets of play, as well as the scrum.

“They are scrummaging intelligently, I don't think they are forcing it. It's very much a macho part of the game, especially over in France. When you watch the Top 14, invariably, the scrum is a bit of a mess, but internationally, William Servat is the coach, he has done a great job with them.” 

Ultimately, McBryde said, it won’t be a game or an experience which “causes them headaches” going forward as a front-row collective. The greatest concern for now is the shoulder problem which forced Ronan Kelleher from the field after 25 minutes.

This was just the eighth time that Porter, Kelleher, and Furlong had started a game together for club and country and the hooker had put himself about in that difficult opening quarter before succumbing to the problem.

He will be monitored by Ireland’s medical staff this week.

“Yeah. He has established himself very well as the number one hooker and playing really well, on top of his game,” said McBryde. “There is never an ideal time for an injury. Hopefully it’s not too serious and it won’t keep him out.

“In the same breath you’ve got to say that it provided Dan (Sheehan) with a great opportunity on the international stage and there’s no better place to go and play than over in France in front of the crowd. They got behind their team early on.” 

Ireland have reported no other injury issues in the wake of that 30-24 Six Nations defeat. The next game is on Sunday week at home to Italy but a slimmed-down 23-man squad will train at their high-performance training centre in Abbottstown on Thursday and Friday.

Among them will be Johnny Sexton who is expected to take a full part after missing out on the French game with a minor hamstring issue. Another 14 fringe squad players have been released back to their provinces for the weekend’s approaching URC ties, Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Michael Lowry, Tom O’Toole, Nick Timoney, and Kieran Treadwell all return to Belfast, Jack Carty and Dave Heffernan will be available to Connacht while Casey, Gavin Coombes, and Dave Kilcoyne are back in with Munster.

Ryan Baird, Cian Healy, and Jordan Larmour are to boost Leinster’s options, James Lowe is due back to training after injury although Rhys Ruddock (quad) and Jimmy O’Brien (calf) are doubts for Saturday’s game at home to Ospreys.

Ciaran Frawley is out for six weeks though thanks to a facial injury.

Ulster’s Rob Herring is back in with the national squad after missing the first two games with a calf injury.