A CRISP, COLD Saturday evening in February, the crowd warmed by a drop of stout or whiskey or the sheer giddiness of this great championship being back in our lives once again – it feels like even the rugby gods will be hunching over the curved roof of the Aviva Stadium for a good look at this one.
Ireland haven’t had this opener since all the way back in 2000 and there couldn’t be anything better in 2019.
England – denied a Grand Slam in Ireland in 2017, then forced to watch as Joe Schmidt’s side claimed theirs in London last year – are in Dublin on the first weekend of the Six Nations [KO 4.45pm, Virgin Media One].
Eddie Jones’ team are not an unbeatable force but it feels like this could be special, another fixture that will be packed into the highlights reels in decades to come.
The intrigue is everywhere on the pitch but most eyes will be on Ireland’s number 15 shirt early on this evening.
Robbie Henshaw will wear it for the first time since his Ireland debut back in 2013, having become a mainstay as a centre under Joe Schmidt ever since.
The first high ball is sure to be met with some trepidation in the stands but Henshaw, a composed 25-year-old, will relish this opportunity to show his broad skill set in what is his favourite position.
His opposite number, Elliot Daly, is certain to be dealt several assessments of his aerial skills too, having struggled in that department during last year’s November Tests.
Conor Murray is a renowned box kicker but England’s Ben Youngs is proficient in this area too and the statistics tell us that Eddie Jones’ team tend to kick the ball more often than Schmidt’s – one of many fascinating duels.
The hope is that both teams thrilling wings can feature prominently in this tie, with Jacob Stockdale keen to back up last year’s record-breaking seven tries in the Six Nations and Keith Earls remaining a lethally intelligent threat at the age of 31.
English pair Jonny May and Jack Nowell are rapid and Ireland’s wide defence – tested severely at times last year – will need to be razor sharp, with Garry Ringrose often leading that cause from outside centre.
The backfield defence – in which both back threes must combine to cover space while also keeping their frontlines stacked with bodies in order to bring stifling linespeed – will also be intriguing, with Ireland and England both capable of targeting space with grubbers, cross-field kicks and the occasional chip. Don’t let the ball find grass or trouble beckons!
Positioning Henshaw at 15 means Schmidt keeps Ringrose and Bundee Aki in his team in the midfield, with Leinster man providing playmaking class to relieve some pressure on Johnny Sexton. Aki, meanwhile, will be the hard-grafting glue in the team once again.
Opposite Ireland’s proven pair is an English centre combination that excites. Henry Slade is of a similar grubber-kicking, gliding style to Ringrose, while the fit-again Manu Tuilagi is tasked with taking up the direct-running slot vacated by the injured Ben Te’o.
Sexton will be as ferocious a defender as ever if and when Tuilagi comes knocking at his door, while Sexton’s masterful control and tactical ingenuity should be vital in putting into motion Schmidt’s latest deeply-thought-out game plan.
England’s number 10 also holds the key to their chances of rocking the championship with a win in Dublin on this opening weekend.
Owen Farrell is a fierce defender – though seemingly derided now after escaping a pair of illegal tackles in November unpenalised - and a strong decision-maker on the ball. Expect to see him hovering out the back door of three-man forward pods or Tuilagi’s screening lines to buy the out-half an extra split second to create for his team-mates.
One of those tasked with locating Farrell in behind will be the returning Billy Vunipola, arguably among the five best players in world rugby when at his best.
The Saracens man hasn’t been quite able to deliver that in recent years – his contribution to England’s Grand Slam in 2016 was stunning – but Jones hopes that the combined effect of his ball-carrying, distribution and skills in the tight will be telling.
With Sam Underhill absent through injury – a real blow – Vunipola is joined by Tom Curry, the poacher, and Mark Wilson, the dogged and underrated all-rounder, in the England back row.
Ireland’s back row unit may have the edge. Peter O’Mahony will spoil at lineout and breakdown, as well as getting in English faces with aggressive glee, while CJ Stander should rack up another stats chart-leading and effective workload.
Interestingly, Ireland averaged the fewest number of turnovers per game of any team in the Six Nations last year. Under the influential Andy Farrell, they are more selective and precise in jackling, keen as they are to keep defenders on their feet and ready to tackle.
Monsieur Jerome Garces will be policing the legality of the breakdown contest and all others.
Openside Josh van der Flier’s work-rate and physically dominant impact keeps Sean O’Brien on the bench, while Ireland’s second row of Devin Toner and James Ryan should deliver good lineout possession – so crucial to Schmidt’s plans.
England locks George Kruis, the lineout leader, and Maro Itoje, chief spoiler, are world-class, as is their front row. Not that Cian Healy, captain Rory Best and Tadhg Furlong are too shabby in green.
“You look at the front five they’ve picked, all of them played in that 2017 Lions series,” says Best of what will be a vital tight five battle.
“Certainly, George Kruis, Jamie George and Mako Vunipola started the first Test, Kyle Sinckler came off the bench in every Test, Maro was on the bench for the first Test so it’s basically a Lions front five we’re up against.
“That shouldn’t be underestimated at all, it’s a massive challenge for us but that said, we have some very, very good players in our front five. We know we’re going to have to be very good but we also know that we can be, as long as we’re focused and channelled and every scrum matters to us.”
Ireland’s scrum taking Argentina and New Zealand apart in November bodes well, while Toner’s calm influence usually means a good return at lineout time.
The benches are also stacked, with England able to call on the impact of the likes of the aggressive Ellis Genge, hard-hitting Courtney Lawes, finisher supreme Chris Ashton and playmaking George Ford – allowing that old Ford-Farrell 10-12 combination to spark.
Ireland, meanwhile, have Jordan Larmour’s footwork, Joey Carbery’s growing composure, Sean Cronin’s acceleration, Dave Kilcoyne’s carrying and more to call on, as scrum-half John Cooney hopes for his Six Nations debut.
If Ireland can get their set-piece foundation right, the latest unveiling of Schmidt’s smarts when it comes to set-piece attack should be riveting.
What is the latest version of Stander vs. England last year or of Stockdale vs. the All Blacks in November?
All in all, Ireland appear to be a more cohesive and better-prepared team, with a backbone of belief in what they’re doing and the advantage of being at home in front of what should be a deafening crowd.
Ireland:
15. Robbie Henshaw
14. Keith Earls
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Jonathan Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (Captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. CJ Stander
Replacements
16. Sean Cronin
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. Andrew Porter
19. Quinn Roux
20. Sean O’Brien
21. John Cooney
22. Joey Carbery
23. Jordan Larmour
England:
15. Elliot Daly
14. Jonny May
13. Henry Slade
12. Manu Tuiagi
11. Jack Nowell
10. Owen Farrell (captain)
9. Ben Youngs
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Maro Itoje
5. George Kruis
6. Mark Wilson
7. Tom Curry
8. Billy Vunipola
Replacements:
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie
17. Ellis Genge
18. Harry Williams
19. Courtney Lawes
20. Nathan Hughes
21. Dan Robson
22. George Ford
23. Chris Ashton
Referee: Jerome Garces [FFR].
Simon Zebo joins Gavan and Murray for a special live recording of the podcast in Dublin’s Liberty Hall Theatre to preview Ireland’s Six Nations opener against England:
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
