WHEN CONSIDERING THE various threats France will pose Ireland tomorrow, it’s easy to focus on their wealth of play-making attacking talents. In players like Antoine Dupont, Romain Ntamack and Matthieu Jalibert, Fabien Galthié’s side is packed full of talented individuals who have the ability to strike from anywhere.
It’s what makes this French side such a joy to watch when they hit their stride, but you can be sure that out in Abbotstown this week, Andy Farrell and his players will have paid just as much, if not more, attention to the other elements of France’s game which make them such formidable opposition.
The Ireland camp haven’t shied away from the fact that Les Bleus are bigger and stronger athletes. On those days where they can’t win pretty, this is a side well able to bend things their way through brute force.
Farrell has had three cracks at France as Ireland head coach but is yet to see his team come out on the right side of the result. And while France didn’t hit their usual heights in surviving a scare against Italy on Sunday, Ireland are acutely aware that the visitors have the ability to lift their levels in Dublin.
Speaking to the media at Aviva Stadium yesterday, Farrell elaborated on what makes this French team so difficult to beat.
“Well, they obviously try to use their defence as a weapon and so do we,” Farrell said.
“In the modern day game you would love to create your own chances through try-scoring and defence, to try and get the ball back as soon as you can, and they’re pretty good on the counter-attack and they’ve got flair players that can break you open when you’re not quite formed defensively etc.
“So it’s a big part of their game and the personnel that they’ve got to go with that suits them in that regard, but I also think we’re not bad at it neither.”
Ireland’s attack has been transformed in the last couple of years under Farrell but while it doesn’t always get as much attention, their defensive work has also improved.
The former rugby league player takes huge satisfaction in what his players do without the ball, something which was evident when the cameras panned up to the coaches box in Cardiff last Saturday – Farrell and his assistants greeting Ireland’s big defensive plays with even more enthusiasm than the four tries they ran in.
As far as Farrell sees it, that defensive effort is the hallmark of a good team.
“It always has been and it always will be, it will never change. It doesn’t matter what… You always have to pay more attention to your attacking side because there’s more things that have to gel together and be in sync for it to flow.
But your defence is your character, isn’t it? And it wasn’t perfect last week (against Wales) but we found a way to keep them out and I think that shows a lot about our character, last week’s performance.”
While Ireland head into the game on the back of an impressive win in Cardiff, their growing injury list is becoming a concern. So to is the nature of those setbacks; with Jamison Gibson-Park, Cian Healy, Ronan Kelleher – who has recovered to make the bench this week – and Dan Sheehan all suffering hamstring injuries in the last two weeks alone.
Farrell admitted it’s a trend that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Well, when you’ve four of something that’s pretty similar there’s a chance that there’s a theme there, so it’s something that we’re looking into obviously, but it’s full steam ahead as far as the job in hand from here on in for us.”
Those injuries only serve to remind that winning a Six Nations – or going deep at a World Cup – requires a squad effort.
Yet away from the cameras, this is an Ireland group that makes sure to celebrate individual achievements too.
Saturday’s game is set to be a special occasion for three of Farrell’s squad, with James Ryan, Andrew Porter and Dave Kilcoyne all set to win their 50th Test caps.
“I remember his first cap [start for Ireland], and that was special,” Farrell said of Ryan.
“I remember him going out there against a big French pack (2018) and taking the game to them and since that game, the growth of his stature within the group has been phenomenal. They all look up to him, whether he knows it or not. They look up to him, you know? It says a lot about his character, doesn’t it?
His game’s developing in my opinion, the whole time. His attacking game is certainly developing. His decision-making is developing but he’s never lost what his point of difference is and that’s his work ethic, his fight. He’s got real inner strength to show his will to win so hopefully all that comes out on Saturday.”
Farrell continued to praise what Porter and Kilcoyne bring to the squad as they also prepare to hit the half-century milestone, an achievement the Ireland boss places a big emphasis on.
“I mean 50 (caps), I think it’s not celebrated as it should be. We’ve started to recognise it. I actually brought it in a couple of years ago and fed it back it back to two lads who have got their 50th – Simon Easterby and Paul (O’Connell) got one as well. Because it’s special. To be so consistent, to get to 50 caps at that age, says a lot about how much the game means to them (Ryan and Porter), how much it means to play for Ireland. I think it’s a phenomenal achievement.
“David Kilcoyne as well. To have the resilience to hang in there. I know that he’s 42,” Farrell laughed, “but the resilience he has shown to take a few setbacks and keep on fighting and come back stronger each and every time says a hell of a lot about him. We’re delighted for all three of them.”
Marking the occasion with a win would really make it a day to remember.
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Originally published at 07.30
