SEVEN CHANGES WOULD usually indicate that Ireland are really shaking things up, but that isn’t the case for this Nations Championship game against Fiji.
First-choice scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park is restored to Andy Farrell’s starting XV for this evening’s clash at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin [KO 8.10pm, Virgin Media], while two other changes have been forced by injuries to Dan Sheehan and Sean Jansen.
There is the fact that second row Joe McCarthy and Hugo Keenan are rested from the match day 23, but their replacements are proven. James Ryan is a frontline player for Ireland, and Tommy O’Brien has had some big international performances in green.
The midfield sees Ireland mix things up, yet Bundee Aki is a hugely experienced Test player, and Jamie Osborne has done a fine job for Ireland in several positions, so it’s not like this is any great experiment.
Giving grizzled prop pair Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong another start also makes sense if Farrell wants them to be fully primed for what lies ahead.
The reality is that Farrell has gone nearly as strong as possible for this clash with the Fijians, currently ranked ninth in the world. The Ireland head coach wants as big a bonus-point win as possible to improve his team’s Nations Championship standing, and he also wants them to build more momentum ahead of next weekend’s vital clash with the Springboks.
In some ways, the visit of South Africa to Dublin is Ireland’s true ‘final’ this month. It feels like that game has the greatest significance in the build-up to next year’s World Cup.
This selection also underlines that Farrell has a good sense of the group of players he wants to drive on with towards the World Cup. With only eight games left until the warm-up games before that tournament, time is running out.
There is still a nod to widening his player pool, however, with Ulster’s big, powerful back row James McNabney on an Irish bench that also includes dynamic Connacht tighthead Sam Illo and lock Darragh Murray, who have two and three caps, respectively.
Those are decisions to build further depth, but today is about Ireland respecting Fiji and getting what they need from this contest.
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Darragh Murray gets a chance off the Irish bench. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“We don’t just expect to turn up and win this game, and we’re by no means already thinking about next week,” said Tadhg Beirne, who captains Ireland from the off for just the second time.
“Fiji are one of those teams that you beat them, you get no credit, but you lose to them, and people are saying, ‘How did you lose to them?’
“They’re an incredibly good team, they’re unbelievably physical, they can throw the ball around, they score unbelievable tries, they’re big, their set-piece is actually very good when they have the ball.
“So we know the challenge and the mountain that’s ahead of us to break these boys down and you give them life and they’ll only grow.”
With new head coach Jake White looking to bring things like better kicking and more robust maul defence to the table, Fiji will be out to cause Ireland stress and challenge the home side’s 28-point favouritism.
They have real firepower in players like Racing centre Josua Tuisova and Lyon wing Jiuta Wainiqolo, while White has opted for experienced halfbacks in Frank Lomani and Ben Volavola. He needs forwards such as hooker Tevita Ikanivere and skipper Peceli Yato to lead the physical challenge.
Ireland know all about the threats Fiji pose if they’re invited to use their pace, power and offloading skills, which Farrell’s men will want to limit.
They’re keen to pick up where they left off with their lineout defence in last weekend’s six-try win over Argentina, with Beirne and Ryan Baird causing havoc on the Pumas’ throw.
Beirne also wants more from the Irish lineout, particularly given how lethal their backs looked when they got a good platform.
“I think our speed to get set and to get into line was quite slow,” said Beirne. “Our drill was a little bit off at times, the detail of the drill, which didn’t set our hookers up very well.
Tadhg Beirne wants more from Ireland's lineout. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
“But they’re the negatives. There’s also a lot of positives. We got a very good maul try. We got some good mauls in terms of where we got up the field, sucked in a lot of our players.
“When we do it right, we’re very good. It’s just joining up the speed at which we do things to get a bit of tempo to the game and making sure our drill is spot on, so that we’re always chasing 100% in the lineout and we’re also chasing max drill in terms of giving the hookers no choice but to try to top a jump. If we’re not delivering that, then that’s not on the hooker.”
As well as being determined to warm up their scrum nicely for that Boks clash, Farrell’s side are also eager to build on their encouraging attacking performance against Argentina.
Some of the passing and handling was as crisp and accurate as it has been in a long time, including when forwards Furlong, McCarthy and Baird delivered deft passes for Keenan’s third try.
“I think it just gives you confidence going into the game that when we do things the way we want to do things, there’s massive opportunity around the field,” said Beirne.
“It gives lads a lot of confidence that everyone has the skill set within this team to play the ball to space when it’s on.”
Irish fans would love to see plenty more of that, and everyone would probably enjoy Fiji getting to the right pitch and showing off some of their unique talents too.
But the home crowd at the Aviva Stadium, which won’t be full again this weekend, will expect another convincing victory and hope that Farrell’s men have a perfect tune-up for the Springboks showdown.
IRELAND: Mack Hansen; Robert Baloucoune, Jamie Osborne, Bundee Aki, Tommy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne (captain); Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, James McNabney, Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, Stuart McCloskey.
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Farrell's Ireland must maintain momentum against Flying Fijians
SEVEN CHANGES WOULD usually indicate that Ireland are really shaking things up, but that isn’t the case for this Nations Championship game against Fiji.
First-choice scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park is restored to Andy Farrell’s starting XV for this evening’s clash at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin [KO 8.10pm, Virgin Media], while two other changes have been forced by injuries to Dan Sheehan and Sean Jansen.
There is the fact that second row Joe McCarthy and Hugo Keenan are rested from the match day 23, but their replacements are proven. James Ryan is a frontline player for Ireland, and Tommy O’Brien has had some big international performances in green.
The midfield sees Ireland mix things up, yet Bundee Aki is a hugely experienced Test player, and Jamie Osborne has done a fine job for Ireland in several positions, so it’s not like this is any great experiment.
Giving grizzled prop pair Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong another start also makes sense if Farrell wants them to be fully primed for what lies ahead.
The reality is that Farrell has gone nearly as strong as possible for this clash with the Fijians, currently ranked ninth in the world. The Ireland head coach wants as big a bonus-point win as possible to improve his team’s Nations Championship standing, and he also wants them to build more momentum ahead of next weekend’s vital clash with the Springboks.
In some ways, the visit of South Africa to Dublin is Ireland’s true ‘final’ this month. It feels like that game has the greatest significance in the build-up to next year’s World Cup.
This selection also underlines that Farrell has a good sense of the group of players he wants to drive on with towards the World Cup. With only eight games left until the warm-up games before that tournament, time is running out.
There is still a nod to widening his player pool, however, with Ulster’s big, powerful back row James McNabney on an Irish bench that also includes dynamic Connacht tighthead Sam Illo and lock Darragh Murray, who have two and three caps, respectively.
Those are decisions to build further depth, but today is about Ireland respecting Fiji and getting what they need from this contest.
“We don’t just expect to turn up and win this game, and we’re by no means already thinking about next week,” said Tadhg Beirne, who captains Ireland from the off for just the second time.
“Fiji are one of those teams that you beat them, you get no credit, but you lose to them, and people are saying, ‘How did you lose to them?’
“They’re an incredibly good team, they’re unbelievably physical, they can throw the ball around, they score unbelievable tries, they’re big, their set-piece is actually very good when they have the ball.
“So we know the challenge and the mountain that’s ahead of us to break these boys down and you give them life and they’ll only grow.”
With new head coach Jake White looking to bring things like better kicking and more robust maul defence to the table, Fiji will be out to cause Ireland stress and challenge the home side’s 28-point favouritism.
They have real firepower in players like Racing centre Josua Tuisova and Lyon wing Jiuta Wainiqolo, while White has opted for experienced halfbacks in Frank Lomani and Ben Volavola. He needs forwards such as hooker Tevita Ikanivere and skipper Peceli Yato to lead the physical challenge.
Ireland know all about the threats Fiji pose if they’re invited to use their pace, power and offloading skills, which Farrell’s men will want to limit.
They’re keen to pick up where they left off with their lineout defence in last weekend’s six-try win over Argentina, with Beirne and Ryan Baird causing havoc on the Pumas’ throw.
Beirne also wants more from the Irish lineout, particularly given how lethal their backs looked when they got a good platform.
“I think our speed to get set and to get into line was quite slow,” said Beirne. “Our drill was a little bit off at times, the detail of the drill, which didn’t set our hookers up very well.
“But they’re the negatives. There’s also a lot of positives. We got a very good maul try. We got some good mauls in terms of where we got up the field, sucked in a lot of our players.
“When we do it right, we’re very good. It’s just joining up the speed at which we do things to get a bit of tempo to the game and making sure our drill is spot on, so that we’re always chasing 100% in the lineout and we’re also chasing max drill in terms of giving the hookers no choice but to try to top a jump. If we’re not delivering that, then that’s not on the hooker.”
As well as being determined to warm up their scrum nicely for that Boks clash, Farrell’s side are also eager to build on their encouraging attacking performance against Argentina.
Some of the passing and handling was as crisp and accurate as it has been in a long time, including when forwards Furlong, McCarthy and Baird delivered deft passes for Keenan’s third try.
“I think it just gives you confidence going into the game that when we do things the way we want to do things, there’s massive opportunity around the field,” said Beirne.
“It gives lads a lot of confidence that everyone has the skill set within this team to play the ball to space when it’s on.”
Irish fans would love to see plenty more of that, and everyone would probably enjoy Fiji getting to the right pitch and showing off some of their unique talents too.
But the home crowd at the Aviva Stadium, which won’t be full again this weekend, will expect another convincing victory and hope that Farrell’s men have a perfect tune-up for the Springboks showdown.
IRELAND: Mack Hansen; Robert Baloucoune, Jamie Osborne, Bundee Aki, Tommy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne (captain); Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, James McNabney, Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, Stuart McCloskey.
FIJI: Ponepati Loganimasi; Selestino Ravutaumada, Setareki Bituniyata, Josua Tuisova, Jiuta Wainiqolo; Ben Volavola, Frank Lomani; Peni Ravai, Tevita Ikanivere, Luke Tagi; Joseva Tamani, Isoa Nasilasila; Mesake Vocevoce, Lekima Tagitagivalu, Peceli Yato (captain).
Replacements: Zuriel Togiatama, Vilikesa Nairau, Inoke Ravuiwasa, Kitione Salawa, Elia Canakaivata, Terio Tamani, Caleb Muntz, Iosefo Masi.
Referee: Angus Gardner [RA]
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce [RFU] and Damon Murphy [RA]
TMO: Mike Adamson [SRU]
FPRO: Eric Gauzins [FFR].
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Fiji Ireland matter at hand Nations Championship