ON WHAT WAS a fairly miserable weekend for Irish rugby teams, there was a big highlight in La Roche-sur-Yon in the west of France.
The Ireland U19s enjoyed an impressive 33-24 win over their French counterparts yesterday, completing an encouraging month for Kieran Hallett’s side that also included an eight-try victory away to Wales and defeat to France in their first meeting.
There have been plenty of signs that this is a talented, athletic crop of young Irish players, so it will be exciting to see many of them kick on to the U20s set-up next season.
There were also two thrilling All-Ireland League finals in Dublin yesterday, those deciders demonstrating that the quality of club rugby in this country only continues to improve.
Connor Fahy’s winning try for Clontarf in the men’s final was as clever and clinical as anything we saw in the professional game across recent days.
So there were antidotes to the dispiriting results for the Irish provinces in the URC and a disappointing Six Nations defeat for Ireland Women.
Scott Bemand’s side have made clear progress this season and their biggest challenge is still to come with the World Cup to come in August. Shorn of a few key players, Ireland found themselves in a tight battle with Scotland and were edged out. Channelled in the right way, that could be an invaluable lesson for what lies ahead. Like everyone, they need injury luck on their side in the months ahead.
As for the four provinces in the URC, the past weekend was fodder for those who worry that Irish men’s rugby is in a state of decline. This morning, with two regular-season rounds remaining, league leaders Leinster are the only Irish team in the top half.
Ireland out-half Dannah O'Brien. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Munster, Ulster, and Connacht remain in the play-off race, but some ambitions are more realistic than others in that regard.
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A much-changed Leinster team were second best away to Scarlets on Saturday, with Leo Cullen’s men delivering a rare underperformance. They forced offloads and passes when they weren’t on, as well as making uncharacteristic defensive errors.
Dwayne Peel’s Scarlets deserve great credit, with the Jared Payne-coached defence putting pressure on Leinster, but this was a clear dip from the URC pace-setters. The last time they conceded more than 30 points was on the opening day of the season away to Edinburgh in September.
They have obviously been heavily focused on this weekend’s Champions Cup semi-final against Northampton at the Aviva Stadium and rightly so. Their excellent work in the URC up until this Scarlets game has given them breathing room.
Cullen’s frank words post-match showed that the poor performance in Wales isn’t acceptable to Leinster but they won’t waste time wallowing in it. Their plan is to have seven more games this season and end the campaign with two trophies.
As Leinster fly the flag for Irish rugby in the Champions Cup this weekend, the other three provinces get a chance to pause briefly before what promises to be a tumultuous closing fortnight of the URC regular season.
Munster’s defeat away to Cardiff leaves them with work to do, but they have two home games to come against Ulster and Benetton.
Cardiff brought serious emotion to the occasion on Friday night following the turmoil of the club being placed into administration earlier this month. The delight of this victory was clear as the normally reserved head coach Matt Sherratt joined the celebrations on the pitch at full time.
Leinster were second best to Scarlets. Andrew Dowling / INPHO
Andrew Dowling / INPHO / INPHO
Yet Munster will feel that so much of the damage they sustained was self-inflicted. Discipline was an obvious issue. Cardiff scored 19 of their points while Munster were down to 14 men, with their other seven points coming from a penalty try.
The Munster lineout was poor once again, with a 64% success rate on their throw. Interim forwards coach Alex Codling going back to Ireland Women for their Six Nations campaign has clearly disrupted the set-piece after he had come in to steady the ship.
Munster did some excellent things against Cardiff, with Tom Farrell’s try a particularly good example of how lethal they can be. Craig Casey is playing the best rugby of his career.
And yet, the sheer frustration at their shortcomings was clear. Tadhg Beirne and Niall Scannell’s heated exchange of words was an obvious example, while Casey’s annoyance at the lack of clarity around him was evident over the ref mic.
They will need to be more accurate to push back into the top eight. The visit of Ulster to Thomond Park on 9 May feels like a knock-out clash.
Richie Murphy’s men felt their own pain on Saturday night as a 19-0 lead over the Sharks evaporated into a 22-19 defeat in Belfast. The first 60 minutes were impressive as Ulster’s young halfbacks, Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy, managed the game well, Jacob Stockdale providing class from fullback, and the defence – so often a weak point this season – held the Sharks at bay.
But as the South Africans reduced their error count and went more direct, the physical worries were clear. Ulster’s energy dipped and they didn’t have enough firepower to call on from the bench. They’ve been unlucky with clusters of injuries this season, but improving the quality of their entire matchday 23 is an obvious big-picture goal for Ulster.
The tricky thing now is that Ulster’s remaining two regular-season games are away from home, with the visit to Munster followed by a trip to Edinburgh. So it’s an uphill task.
The Sharks edged past Ulster. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Connacht’s challenge is even greater given that they’re three match points further down the table.
Their 26-7 defeat to a Lions team who have been playing poorly was dispiriting. Connacht had shown encouraging signs of life in their heartbreaking defeat to the Stormers two weekends ago, but just couldn’t summon a similar effort.
Their attack, which has kept their play-off hopes alive amid defensive struggles all season, didn’t fire for once and the Lions dominated more of the physical contests. With altitude in Johannesburg thrown into the mix, Connacht looked blunt.
Cullie Tucker’s side are at home to Edinburgh next and then face a trip to Zebre, but even though that’s not the most intimidating schedule, they’ve a lot of ground to make up.
It’s still a little early to be making final judgements on anyone’s season, but no one in Irish rugby should be content looking at the URC table this morning.
There’s important work to be done in the short term and beyond.
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AIL and U19s impress on otherwise dispiriting weekend for Irish rugby
ON WHAT WAS a fairly miserable weekend for Irish rugby teams, there was a big highlight in La Roche-sur-Yon in the west of France.
The Ireland U19s enjoyed an impressive 33-24 win over their French counterparts yesterday, completing an encouraging month for Kieran Hallett’s side that also included an eight-try victory away to Wales and defeat to France in their first meeting.
There have been plenty of signs that this is a talented, athletic crop of young Irish players, so it will be exciting to see many of them kick on to the U20s set-up next season.
There were also two thrilling All-Ireland League finals in Dublin yesterday, those deciders demonstrating that the quality of club rugby in this country only continues to improve.
Connor Fahy’s winning try for Clontarf in the men’s final was as clever and clinical as anything we saw in the professional game across recent days.
So there were antidotes to the dispiriting results for the Irish provinces in the URC and a disappointing Six Nations defeat for Ireland Women.
Scott Bemand’s side have made clear progress this season and their biggest challenge is still to come with the World Cup to come in August. Shorn of a few key players, Ireland found themselves in a tight battle with Scotland and were edged out. Channelled in the right way, that could be an invaluable lesson for what lies ahead. Like everyone, they need injury luck on their side in the months ahead.
As for the four provinces in the URC, the past weekend was fodder for those who worry that Irish men’s rugby is in a state of decline. This morning, with two regular-season rounds remaining, league leaders Leinster are the only Irish team in the top half.
Munster, Ulster, and Connacht remain in the play-off race, but some ambitions are more realistic than others in that regard.
A much-changed Leinster team were second best away to Scarlets on Saturday, with Leo Cullen’s men delivering a rare underperformance. They forced offloads and passes when they weren’t on, as well as making uncharacteristic defensive errors.
Dwayne Peel’s Scarlets deserve great credit, with the Jared Payne-coached defence putting pressure on Leinster, but this was a clear dip from the URC pace-setters. The last time they conceded more than 30 points was on the opening day of the season away to Edinburgh in September.
They have obviously been heavily focused on this weekend’s Champions Cup semi-final against Northampton at the Aviva Stadium and rightly so. Their excellent work in the URC up until this Scarlets game has given them breathing room.
Cullen’s frank words post-match showed that the poor performance in Wales isn’t acceptable to Leinster but they won’t waste time wallowing in it. Their plan is to have seven more games this season and end the campaign with two trophies.
As Leinster fly the flag for Irish rugby in the Champions Cup this weekend, the other three provinces get a chance to pause briefly before what promises to be a tumultuous closing fortnight of the URC regular season.
Munster’s defeat away to Cardiff leaves them with work to do, but they have two home games to come against Ulster and Benetton.
Cardiff brought serious emotion to the occasion on Friday night following the turmoil of the club being placed into administration earlier this month. The delight of this victory was clear as the normally reserved head coach Matt Sherratt joined the celebrations on the pitch at full time.
Yet Munster will feel that so much of the damage they sustained was self-inflicted. Discipline was an obvious issue. Cardiff scored 19 of their points while Munster were down to 14 men, with their other seven points coming from a penalty try.
The Munster lineout was poor once again, with a 64% success rate on their throw. Interim forwards coach Alex Codling going back to Ireland Women for their Six Nations campaign has clearly disrupted the set-piece after he had come in to steady the ship.
Munster did some excellent things against Cardiff, with Tom Farrell’s try a particularly good example of how lethal they can be. Craig Casey is playing the best rugby of his career.
And yet, the sheer frustration at their shortcomings was clear. Tadhg Beirne and Niall Scannell’s heated exchange of words was an obvious example, while Casey’s annoyance at the lack of clarity around him was evident over the ref mic.
They will need to be more accurate to push back into the top eight. The visit of Ulster to Thomond Park on 9 May feels like a knock-out clash.
Richie Murphy’s men felt their own pain on Saturday night as a 19-0 lead over the Sharks evaporated into a 22-19 defeat in Belfast. The first 60 minutes were impressive as Ulster’s young halfbacks, Nathan Doak and Jack Murphy, managed the game well, Jacob Stockdale providing class from fullback, and the defence – so often a weak point this season – held the Sharks at bay.
But as the South Africans reduced their error count and went more direct, the physical worries were clear. Ulster’s energy dipped and they didn’t have enough firepower to call on from the bench. They’ve been unlucky with clusters of injuries this season, but improving the quality of their entire matchday 23 is an obvious big-picture goal for Ulster.
The tricky thing now is that Ulster’s remaining two regular-season games are away from home, with the visit to Munster followed by a trip to Edinburgh. So it’s an uphill task.
Connacht’s challenge is even greater given that they’re three match points further down the table.
Their 26-7 defeat to a Lions team who have been playing poorly was dispiriting. Connacht had shown encouraging signs of life in their heartbreaking defeat to the Stormers two weekends ago, but just couldn’t summon a similar effort.
Their attack, which has kept their play-off hopes alive amid defensive struggles all season, didn’t fire for once and the Lions dominated more of the physical contests. With altitude in Johannesburg thrown into the mix, Connacht looked blunt.
Cullie Tucker’s side are at home to Edinburgh next and then face a trip to Zebre, but even though that’s not the most intimidating schedule, they’ve a lot of ground to make up.
It’s still a little early to be making final judgements on anyone’s season, but no one in Irish rugby should be content looking at the URC table this morning.
There’s important work to be done in the short term and beyond.
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