OPTIMISM IS GROWING that Mack Hansen and James Lowe could both be fit for Ireland’s date with the All Blacks. It would be a huge boost given how important they have become on the wings for Andy Farrell’s side.
The pair of them pop up all over the pitch in attack, with Lowe’s power always useful and Hansen’s distribution a strength. Both of them work hard off the ball to help create overloads against the defence. Lowe’s left-footed kicking is a key weapon too
And when Ireland don’t have the ball, Lowe and Hansen are key contributors too. Both had steep learning curves in defence, with Ireland’s system placing big demands on the wide men, but they have become impactful. Both are now making strong reads and even chipping in with breakdown turnovers.
So it would be hugely welcome if they’re good to go for the World Cup quarter-final this Saturday night in Paris. Both were forced off injured in the pool-clinching win over Scotland but Ireland once again showed how adaptable they are by filling those holes.
Farrell’s side played the entire second half of the game with centre Garry Ringrose and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park on the wings.
Ringrose moved onto the wing as early as the 22nd minute when Hansen went for a HIA and Stuart McCloskey came on at inside centre, with Bundee Aki shifting to outside centre. Hansen passed that HIA but only briefly returned before tweaking his calf and going off permanently.
Lowe was forced off at half time with an eye injury, meaning Gibson-Park shifted to the wing as Conor Murray came on at scrum-half. Throughout the second half, Gibson-Park and Ringrose swapped from left wing to right and back over again.
Ireland’s makeshift wings did an excellent job, continuing a theme with this team. The best example of their adaptability was when Ireland suffered four injuries in the pack against Scotland during this year’s Six Nations. They ended up with prop Cian Healy scrummaging at hooker and flanker Josh van der Flier throwing into the lineout. They barely batted an eyelid and finished over the top of the Scots.
This time, it was backline disruption but again, Ireland were calm and even cohesive despite the enforced changes. Two brilliant moments summed up how Ringrose and Gibson-Park impressively adapted.
In the 25th minute, Ringrose makes a superb play that helps to tee up Ireland’s second try.
Scotland out-half Finn Russell [red below] receives an Irish kick close to his right touchline, with Ringrose [yellow] set up all the way over on the right edge of the defensive line.
As we see below, Russell catches the ball and turns upfield to assess his options.
With Ringrose initially up high in the Irish frontline defence, Russell spots space deeper behind Ringrose.
Fullback Hugo Keenan is in the left-hand side of Ireland’s backfield off screen but Russell backs himself to get enough power onto his kick to find grass in the right-hand side deep behind Ringrose.
The issue for Russell is that Ringrose has read his intentions early and already started to drop off into the backfield.
That smart early read means that even though Russell launches his kick in behind Ringrose, the Irishman gets back quickly enough to get a touch on the ball before it bounces, which would most likely result in it rolling on into Ireland’s 22.
It’s a beautiful bit of skill from Ringrose here to take the sting out of the kick.
He stretches to extend his right leg fully, ensuring it’s locked out just before the point of impact with the ball, helping to absorb most of its pace.
The ball comes off Ringrose’s foot and bounces once before he gathers it in and turns to assess his options.
The big problem for Scotland is that they’ve left their own backfield exposed now with Russell kicking.
As highlighted below, all the players who would usually fill backfield slots are on one side of the pitch.
Russell [red above] is about to kick, right wing Darcy Graham [pink] is ahead of the ball, scrum-half Ali Price [blue] is close to Russell, as is fullback Ollie Smith [black], while left wing Duhan van der Merwe [yellow] has shifted towards Russell for a possible counter-attack.
That all means that as Ringrose turns and looks up, there is a swathe of grass beckoning in the backfield straight in front of him.
Ringrose kicks accurately to hit grass as Price scampers across.
The chase from Ringrose is aggressive, narrowing Price’s time on the ball as he gathers.
And so, Price has little option other than to clear into touch.
This entire passage of play began with Peter O’Mahony stealing a Scotland lineout around 35 metres from the Irish tryline.
So it goes down as a major success for them Ireland get a throw into their own lineout near the Scottish 10-metre line just over a minute later.
And the success is magnified as a brilliant strike play produces a first-phase try for Keenan from this lineout. Ringrose’s quality play was also central to that score.
In the second half, Gibson-Park provided an excellent assist for Dan Sheehan’s second-half try.
His first involvement in the build-up is a pacy carry down the right off a long Keenan pass.
Gibson-Park’s speed has always been a useful quality at scrum-half for Ireland. He regularly makes up lots of ground when covering in defence or supporting linebreaks but it’s less obvious because he’s not on the ball.
His few touches out wide in this game allowed that pace to be appreciated a little more.
And it’s key to his next action here as Gibson-Park gets off the ground from his carry with Ireland carrying infield through Andrew Porter. Gibson-Park gets on his bike to sprint all the way to the other side of the pitch to help Ireland create a try-scoring chance.
Watch below as Gibson-Park works all the way around the back of the Irish attack to set up in the fourth layer of their intricate attack.
This kind of work-rate is something we see regularly from Ireland’s wings so it’s impressive that Gibson-Park fills that role so energetically and intelligently.
His work-rate leaves him positioned out the back of O’Mahony to accept a pullback pass from Keenan.
Before Gibson-Park even gets the ball, his fellow wing is involved as the first receiver on this play.
Ringrose starts this lineout attack on the left wing, hitting the first breakdown.
He might have scored earlier in the passage had Ireland passed to their left when they had a gilt-edged chance against 14-man Scotland.
The ball is being flashed to the right by Murray in this moment but the opportunity for Ireland on the left is clear, with Scotland loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman extremely exposed and Ringrose [yellow above] signalling for the ball.
Ringrose’s chance doesn’t come there but with hooker Sheehan holding width on the left touchline, Ringrose appreciates that the wing role involves roaming the pitch rather than just waiting out wide. Ireland like their wings to go looking for the ball.
Ringrose gets on the move and ends up over on the right-hand side, popping up at first receiver just after Gibson-Park and Porter have carried.
As highlighted below, Ringrose helps to get the next phase organised, while Keenan and Sexton are also barking out instructions in behind.
Ringrose, Sexton, and Keenan shift the ball to Gibson-Park, who has now moved from right to left after Ringrose has moved from left to right.
And Ireland’s stand-in wing picks out Sheehan near the left touchline for the hooker to score.
Ireland’s stand-in wings obviously had many more involvements in this game, with Gibson-Park making some good reads on the edge of the defence and Ringrose just looking completely at home on the wing in his try-scoring performance.
It was the latest example of how this Ireland team has been able to adapt to in-game challenges.
That’s a handy skill to be able to call on as you head into a World Cup quarter-final.