Three Things We Learned From Ireland's Six Nation Win Over Wales
9th February 2020
The Irish will head to Twickenham in a fortnight hoping to seal the Triple Crown whilst Wales face a tough home clash with a revived France
- Ireland kept alive their hopes of a second Six Nations Grand Slam in three years while ending Wales's dream of a repeat Slam in a deserved 24-14 victory on Saturday
- However, the Munster star sparked the backline and his trademark box-kicking made much more of an impact than it had in the 19-12 opening win over Scotland.
- Ireland's talismanic fly-half Johnny Sexton made no bones about the contribution he felt his long-time half-back partner -- they started together for a national record extending 58th time -- had made to the match
DUBLIN, Ireland- Ireland
kept alive their hopes of a second Six Nations Grand Slam in three years while
ending Wales's dream of a repeat Slam in a deserved 24-14 victory on Saturday.
The Irish will head to Twickenham in a fortnight hoping to
seal the Triple Crown whilst Wales face a tough home clash with a revived
France.
Here AFP Sports picks out three things that stood out in the
Ireland v Wales game:
Murray answers doubters in style
Conor Murray's back might have been against the wall with
growing calls for John Cooney to replace him as number one scrum-half but he
bounced off it in style. The 30-year-old's pass had added speed to it, though,
coach Andy Farrell regretted the scrum sometimes did not give him quick enough
ball.
However, the Munster star sparked the backline and his
trademark box-kicking made much more of an impact than it had in the 19-12
opening win over Scotland.
Ireland's talismanic fly-half Johnny Sexton made no bones
about the contribution he felt his long-time half-back partner -- they started
together for a national record extending 58th time -- had made to the match.
"He was outstanding," said Sexton. "His box
kicking which suddenly everyone gets sick of and starts giving out about it but
it won us the game with a few of the box kicks that he did, they created
pressure on them.
"They were outstanding in such tough conditions. I'm
absolutely delighted for him."
An in-form Murray and Sexton is the last thing England will
want to face.
Twinkle-toed Larmour sparks back three
Jordan Larmour looks like he could well live up to the great
expectations that surrounded him when he was blooded at Test level by previous
Ireland coach Joe Schmidt.
The 22-year-old produced a performance at full-back that
surely shuts down any hope of a return for the veteran Rob Kearney.
It was not just his try but an assured display in defence --
seen as a chink in his armour in that he lacks the presence in the air that
Kearney did in his pomp -- with some eye-catching clearance kicks.
However, even more encouraging for coach Andy Farrell was
that the other two in the back three, wings Andrew Conway and Jacob Stockdale,
also shone.
Stockdale set the tone early on gaining the Irish the early
foothold and Conway was brilliant in defence and grabbed a deserved try.
Sexton praised the back three for not always being lured
into running with the ball and taking the right decisions sometimes to kick
instead.
Farrell for his part complimented Conway. "He (Conway)
was outstanding on both sides of the ball," said Farrell. "We want
our wings to go 100 percent and he defined that.
"I thought Jacob did the same on the other wing as
well. I actually think we created some space for them to play into some holes
in that first half, which was really pleasing."
Edwards' defensive mastery missing
Wales coach Wayne Pivac has rightly won plaudits for the
flowing rugby he instilled in Welsh region Scarlets and his style promises a
more attractive style for the national team than perhaps Warren Gatland
allowed.
However, the 57-year-old New Zealander may also want to
restore the defensive strategy which the now-departed Shaun Edwards implemented.
The latter's immediate impact on France was seen to dramatic effect in last
week's victory over England.
Ireland breathed easier without Edwards's blitz defence
being unleashed and it allowed their backs to make ground constantly -- in
contrast to their 2019 meeting in Cardiff where the Irish had to wait till the
final move to score a try.
Wales's defensive cause has not been helped by the injury to
Jonathan Davies but Pivac may want to fall back on the old strategy when the
French come to Cardiff on February 22.