ONE WIN DOWN, but the message from Ireland ever since the full-time whistle in Rome has been clear: improvement is a must.
With a greasy ball and an intense Italian defence, Tommy Bowe found a frustrating day in Rome. His six carries amounting to just 22 metres gained
“It was one of those games where I chased a lot of kicks and competed in that area of the pitch,” the Ulster wing said in a crowded library of Carton House today.
“When the ball was going from the attacking side of things it didn’t come to my side too often. That’s the way these games go unfortunately. Hopefully this weekend if I’m involved I’ll hopefully get more ball.”
Posed with the theory that Ireland have no cause to be frustrated after just one game of the Championship, Bowe gave a trademark wide smile as he thought about how the head coach would treat the excuse.
“That’s something that Joe doesn’t let go. He feels we should be at the pinnacle of our powers in the first game, never mind the last one.
“It’s something that we’ve had to look at and try to improve on. You always want work-ons going into it and — what a massive match we have against the French — we’ll have to be at the top of our game.”
Bowe added: “Joe could have been happy in some respects with it, but I think there were opportunities we let go of. There were times, I’ll never be happy not to touch the ball, I always want to be a part of it and I want to get the ball in my hands and to threaten.”
That ramp-up to peak performance, began on the training field yesterday with the coaching staff requiring players to hone aspects of their carrying and ruck technique to more efficiently make space for the likes of Bowe and Simon Zebo who found precious little room to stretch their legs.
“I think there is more to come,” says skills and kicking coach Richie Murphy.
“We did feel that from time to time we didn’t get things right so I suppose the massive thing for us this week is to tighten up on those areas and that started yesterday.
“The players have been good, really focused in training, the intensity in training today was really high, putting people under pressure. We have a day off tomorrow, everyone is feeling good and looking forward to getting back to it on Thursday.”
