IN A GAME that looks likely to be decided by a single score, Ireland’s clash with England may well come down to a scrum penalty.
It’s consistently a key battleground in international rugby, but one senses that the scrum is of even more importance than usual this weekend. England arrive in the capital with genuine belief that their set-piece can do irreparable damage to Joe Schmidt’s side.
Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole face off against Mike Ross, Rory Best and Jack McGrath in a contest that promises fireworks. Off the respective benches, the likes of Mako Vunipola and Marty Moore are also aiming to have telling impacts.
Graham Rowntree’s English pack have earned their reputation as strong scrummagers, while Marler’s show of strength [illegal or not] against Ross when Harlequins faced Leinster in December has been a talking point all week.
With that in mind, the Irish scrum have been put through their most demanding preparation ever this week at Carton House.
“We spent a lot of time on the set-piece this week and again today scrummaging live,” explains replacement tighthead Marty Moore. “We have done the prep, we know what’s coming at us.”
Moore says scrum coach Greg Feek has guided the forwards through “a huge amount of [video] footage” of what to expect from England, but underlines that Ireland’s on-pitch preparation has been of most benefit.
Ahead of the demands of facing two powerful looseheads in Marler and Vunipola, both of whom naturally drive up and in, Moore and starting number three Ross have been taking punishment from teammates Jack McGrath and Cian Healy in training.
“It’s probably been the toughest week we’ve had preparation wise at scrum time, and a lot of that is down to the two lads [McGrath and Healy], because they are trying to replicate the way Marler and Vunipola will scrummage against us,” outlines Moore.
“So myself and Rossy have probably had the hardest scrum sessions that I’ve been involved in at Carton House.”
Marler has a reputation as a man who likes to get in his opponent’s face whenever possible, looking for that tiny mental edge. Moore agrees that “some of their guys can be very vocal,” but points out that “we’ve also got some vocal guys on our side!”
It’s not a particularly important factor in the scrum, the Leinster tighthead goes on to underline, although referee Craig Joubert may have an ultimately decisive say in who wins the scrum battle.
“We have had input obviously from the referees coming into this game that they are going to be very straight and there is not going to be any leniency with indiscipline at set piece time and especially scrum time,” says Moore.
“That is something that he will take care of both sides, but we have to take care of our shop and make sure we don’t give away any easy free kicks or penalties.”
What exactly has been the detail Ireland have been receiving from the referees?
“Just the usual things, keeping our balance on set up and pre-engages and arms down on collapsed mauls and collapsed scrums.
“It is no different to any other week but I suppose just the couple of games at the start of the Six Nations, between all the teams, they weren’t particularly happy with how the ball was or how clean it was, pre-engagement.
“It was something that was talked about a lot. We’ve just got to keep that out of the game this weekend.”
Limit the penalties and provide Johnny Sexton with clean ball to play with and Ireland will reflect on a scrum job well done. Allow Marler, Cole and co. to assert themselves and it could be a difficult afternoon all round.
