SLAM DUNK!
Ireland have the fire, form and focus to seize glory today
ONE of the heroes of Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning team of 2009 says Joe Schmidt’s squad have all the tools necessary to repeat the feat in Twickenham today.
Ireland have only ever tasted Grand Slam success twice — in 1948 and 2009 — and former Munster back-row Denis Leamy expects to see the current crop get over the line against England.
‘I think you have to be confident,’ said Leamy.
‘They’ve managed to win all four games so far, had a terrific 12 months in the lead-in. I think this group of players, you’d have to give them your backing every time.’
However, Leamy also warned that, even when their backs are against the wall, England are always capable of producing a massive performance in Twickenham.
Eddie Jones’ men are looking to end their campaign on a positive after disappointing performances resulted in defeats to Scotland and France. Leamy added: ‘Twickenham is not an easy place to go to, even when
‘He has got even better since I played alongside him’
GARRY RINGROSE has played against Ben Te’o before. Te’o was one of the celebrated finishers that were such a storied part of the brilliant start Eddie Jones made with England, the men who would come on and finish off whatever hapless rivals had fallen before the Red Rose ranks.
By this weekend last year, the Jones bounce was losing altitude, and his finishers suffered in the general decline.
Te’o came on as a substitute for the final 13 minutes of England’s loss in Dublin, the match that denied them successive Grand Slams. By that juncture, Ringrose had already exerted an enormous influence on the contest.
He ended his first Six Nations with a terrific performance, to go with the series of impressive displays he had logged in the Ireland centre.
Within a few weeks, his exclusion from a Lions squad in which Te’o was included prompted sustained and reasonable criticism of coach Warren Gatland.
Chances for Ringrose to remind the Lions selectors, or anybody else, of his expansive talents have been limited this season.
Injury has squeezed the number of his Leinster appearances to six, and his first match for his country this term came with a dazzling display against Scotland a week ago.
Today, he goes up against Te’o from the start, the latter upgraded from finisher as part of Eddie Jones’ frenetic attempt to reboot England’s season.
It is two years since Te’o left Leinster, at the end of a 2015/2016 season in which he and Ringrose were paired together for some of the province’s most significant matches, including the league final loss to Connacht.
And there was also the European Cup home game against Bath in January 2016 when, with Leinster already out of contention for the knockout stages, Leo Cullen gave a clutch of young talents their first European start. They included Ringrose, as well as Tadhg Furlong and Luke McGrath. ‘I’m more used to playing alongside him so that will be an interesting challenge,’ said Ringrose on Thursday, with characteristic understatement. ‘It was my first year coming in from the academy and playing alongside him so there were a couple of times when he’d get the ball and do a lot of the work and then I’d try and trail him up and if I could, get an offload or something,’ he recalled of their season together. ‘He’s an incredibly strong carrier, which is no secret, but he does also have that ability to take the line on and then get an offload and create space for others. ‘So it will certainly be tough for myself and Bundee (Aki) coming against him, because he’s grown, probably a lot, since I played alongside him.
‘He’s got even better, so it will be a tough old day I’d say.’ Imagine how Te’o is feeling. Ringrose was tremendous against Scotland, providing an elusiveness and attacking intelligence in midfield that none of his contemporaries, fit or injured, can match.
The argument that all of Ireland’s creative responsibility rests on the half backs is weakened when Ringrose is in the Ireland team. Some of Joe Schmidt’s tactical flourishes rely on using Ringrose as an alternative at first receiver to Johnny Sexton, and he was critical to the second try scored by Jacob Stockdale against the Scots.
Ireland look in possession of a more varied attacking threat with him in the side, and at 23 years of age, he can be a pivot in this group for three World Cup cycles.
The talent and confidence he brings to his rugby contrasts with the well-mannered, almost shy character he presents off the pitch.
He is asked if the Grand Slam excitement has spilled into his private time.
‘I still live at home with my family so when I go back, it’s not actually the main focus.
‘When you’ve a younger brother and younger sister, there’s more than just talk of rugby at the dinner table.’
An important hockey match played by his sister was the talk this week, he reveals.
It runs against the impression of pampered, self-absorbed modern sports stars to find a Leinster and Ireland tyro content to remain in the family home for a while yet (or else the property shortage in Dublin is reaching into parts of society that even the most alarmist economist hasn’t predicted).
Twelve Tests into his Ireland career, Ringrose is still discovering novelties.
The home of English rugby will be one. By 2.45pm tomorrow, the place will be packed and, in those moments before kick-off, Irish excitement will mingle with English resistance.
In those moments, England’s slump and the controversial comments by Eddie Jones won’t matter. Anything will be possible. The place will be a crucible. ‘It will be exciting to play in Twickenham,’ says Ringrose, before rationalising what Jones hopes is one of the most intimidating places to play rugby.
‘It will be my first time, and I’m really looking forward to it. Hopefully, the noise of the crowd, our travelling support will try and match that.
‘During the anthems, you are trying to narrow the focus, what’s going to be your first involvement and getting that right. That is what I do, think about that and go from there as opposed to get too distracted.’
His parents and girlfriend will be in the crowd, among the thousands of Irish stirred into a mix 82,000-strong.
The first whistle will bring home frustration crashing against visiting intent. It will also pitch two players who were once teammates into conflict.
And in a battle between Ben Te’o and Garry Ringrose, Ireland have no reason to be fearful.