AFTER THE HIGHS of Marseille, Ireland should be bouncing into tomorrow’s round two clash with Italy in Dublin [KO 3pm, Virgin Media].
Having bagged a bonus-point against an off-colour French side, this weekend affords Ireland an opportunity to build on that momentum while freshening up the team. Andy Farrell isn’t one for heavy rotation during the Six Nations but his starting team for tomorrow shows six changes from the one that lined out in France. Three of those are injury enforced – Peter O’Mahony (calf), Tadhg Furlong (calf) and Bundee Aki (knee) – but some of those players may have been called upon if the stakes were higher.
Italy have threats but this is a game Ireland expect to win. Anything other than a bonus point success would be a disappointment for a side who have a shot at becoming the first team to win back-to-back Grand Slams in the Six Nations era.
That’s why Farrell feels comfortable injecting fresh energy at the risk of losing some cohesion, and it’s worth reminding that none of the new faces are strangers to Test rugby.
Craig Casey starts a Test match for just fourth time, but has 13 caps to his name. The Italians are well used to the sight of the Munster scrum-half, who faced the Azzurri on two of his previous three starts for Ireland.
Ryan Baird is rewarded for his fine form with Leinster with a start at blindside in an all-Leinster backrow. Stuart McCloskey and Jack Conan have always been reliable performers for Ireland, Finlay Bealham – who celebrated the birth of his first child earlier this week – is an able deputy for Furlong and James Ryan has been a nailed-on starter for most of his Test career.
As such, Farrell will expect the group to build on the momentum generated in Marseille last weekend.
Not that the performance in France was perfect. The Ireland coaches felt the team could have been more clinical and speaking after yesterday’s team announcement, Farrell stressed there are still plenty of areas where his team can improve.
“Loads. Our breakdown and line-out were outstanding last week, but that can get better. It can, and the proof is there for us to see,” Farrell said.
Paul [O'Connell] did a review/preview yesterday [Thursday], and our breakdown was immense against France. But you’d come away from that five minutes thinking that we were rubbish in that area.
“Just because it matters, it matters to show people what it means to be striving to get better. It’s been a hard enough week, because when you do win with a victory like that, you’re able to go, “No, that’s not the level”.
“Hopefully our ambition keeps driving us to keep on aspiring to get better anyway.”
Baird in particular looks like a player with a prime opportunity to shine against the Azzurri.
The 24-year-old was first capped by Farrell against Italy in February in 2021 but has struggled to nail down a place in the matchday squad.
This season he’s pushed hard to close that gap. Baird featured twice off the bench at the World Cup and looked notably aggressive in his play upon returning to Leinster, where he’s put together consistent gametime in the number six jersey – clocking up six starts at blindside.
Having moved between the second and back rows for much of his career, tomorrow represents a major opportunity to further his case as an option at blindside for Ireland. The Italy game will be Baird’s sixth Test start, and third in the Ireland backrow.
“His points of difference are there for all to see, so I don’t need to go there really, but the added pieces that have been put to his game this year, certainly from a lineout point of view, has been very impressive to see at Leinster, especially the defensive lineout.
“And not just that, in broken field play and making line-breaks, and one-off big 40 metre runs is there for all to see, but at the same time the detail of the intricacies of forward play, loose forward play…
“I suppose he’s been stuck, and he still is a hybrid player, certainly is for us and I’m sure he is for Leinster as well, but it looks like it’s leaning more towards the six point of view.
He’s getting more comfortable within that. He was disappointed in the World Cup. I’ve no doubt he was one of the players that went back after the World Cup and said, ‘Right, this is going to be a different year for me’.
“He has started the season that way. He did well coming off the bench [against France], it’s a different kettle of fish starting a game, isn’t it? He came off the bench against Italy last year, so to start in a back row that’s a strong back row is going to be exciting for him and the team.”
The game also sees Ireland play at home for the first time since returning from the World Cup. A Sunday afternoon kick-off against Italy may not be the most enticing fixture on paper, but Farrell hopes Ireland’s style of play will engage the home support from the off.
“I hope we can excite them in the way that we can go and play the game,” Farrell said.
“I think our fans are educated enough to understand the difference between a good side and a side that’s not going to be as threatening as Italy are going to be to us on Sunday. I think everyone who watched the game last week knows that they’re going to be a threat and I think our fans will certainly get behind our side.
“It’s the first time (at home) since the World Cup warm-up games and it is something that the players have talked about and are excited about this week.
“I’m not disrespectful to anyone. It’s not the way that I am but honestly, it is about us. It’s about us improving on last week, and the expectation that we’ve got within our own four walls, of an understanding of how we kick on, as you constantly hear me say, in all parts of our game.
“It’s genuine, it’s there, it’s obvious to see for us the levels that we need to get to, not just on the field but off the field as well. The players are very honest and it’d be wrong for us to waste a week and not progress.”
