Ireland still looking to tiny details for big Six Nations gains
SMALL GAINS: Ireland’s Josh Van der Flier celebrates after the game. Pic Credit: Dan Sheridan, Inpho.
Forget how many times you might have seen him on TV. It’s only when you spot Daffyd Jenkins in the flesh, as he lumbers into the post-match press conference last Saturday, that the full extent of his youth hits you in the face.
There are U20 players playing that version of the Six Nations who, beards and all, look like grizzled vets. Jenkins only turned 20 in December but he looks no older than some of the kids currently playing in the various provincial schools cup campaigns here in Ireland.
As a symbol for a new Welsh side in transition he looks the part.
Wales can take plenty of encouragement from the manner in which they raged against the inevitable at the Aviva Stadium, but the imperfect nature of it against such an inexperienced side leaves the Six Nations leaders with plenty to address before the visit to Twickenham.
“It’s always a massive challenge against Wales because you play against the individuals for Leinster in the URC and the likes of Tommy Reffell at Leicester. You play against them as individuals and then they come together, gel and put in really good performances.
“So, it’s a credit to them,” said Josh van der Flier.
“They definitely challenged us at times, they’re at a different stage to us in terms of a lot of young players coming through and getting experience. We can take a lot from where we’re at.”
There’s a curious narrative around this Ireland team. Everyone accepts that they’re brilliant but it seems like there is a want in them, and in the rest of us, after most games. A sense that there is another gear that isn’t usually being reached.
The sobering fact is that they don’t need to be playing at a peak for most of this Six Nations while the other contenders go about getting their own houses in order. So Ireland move serenely on with a maximum of 15 points and with ample room for improvement.
“Yeah, it’s a good place to be,” said the 2022 world player of the year. “The chat from the coaches at half time and the end of the game was that we were a bit off in places and if you’re saying that after a scoreline like that [31-7] it’s a good sign.
“It’s a very experienced group, but there’s definitely another level in us and a bit to go in terms of getting everything right. It’s a great place to be, we have to be happy with where we’re at at the moment.”
Van der Flier touched on some “sloppy bits” after Saturday’s round three win. Ireland had to survive a difficult third quarter when they lost a player to a yellow card and Wales went digging for a second try that could have left five or even three points between them.
That the hosts steadied the ship and scored another two tries of their own shows something of their resilience, and Welsh limitations in attack, but Ireland Andy Farrell was unhappy with what he saw as the “passive” nature of their own efforts with ball in hand.
That’s not so much the work done by the ball carrier but by teammates whose job it is to keep the defence guessing. That involves running hard, diverting lines, or adopting an assertive body language that suggests they are live options rather than dummy runners.
This is crucial stuff in the maelstrom of a Test rugby match.
“Definitely. From a defensive point of view, if someone flashes the hands it causes a split second hesitation,” said van der Flier. “It’s always just a split-second to get a half-shoulder or anything like that. It’s really fine margins and something I experienced under Joe.
“It’s that attention to the tiniest of details. At this level, professionally - and it's exaggerated at Test level - the tiniest thing you do is enough to make someone hesitate and that can be difference for a half-shoulder, or a line break, or even just to make a yard on a carry.”
Ireland are a mile ahead of the rest but tiny details still make a big difference.
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