IT’S A LEAP OF FAITH GAA talents catching on for Doris and Ireland
THERE is a signal difference between Ireland’s 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam side and the Rugby World Cup team.
It is a specific tactical innovation brought to Caelan Doris’s role at No.8. English-born Andy Farrell (right) may have borrowed directly from GAA. Joe Schmidt noticed Irish
wingers had a type of GAA musclememory, they knew how to catch a ball, how to time a run at pace, time their jump and catch a ball above their head. Consequently he would direct restarts at Shane Horgan and others. Farrell, noticing Ireland are better here than other rugby nations has redefined Doris’s role at No.8 to have him stand at certain times like an old fashioned full-back.
Doris takes up this spot, around the 22m line, when the ball is likely to be kicked 50m or so by the opposition, with Keenan moving out wider and one of the two wingers pushing up into the tackle line.
“We played around with this a little bit against some teams, we did it against South Africa in November as well,” says Doris of a dress rehearsal which was then put away, hidden from the enemy, for the World Cup.
“So my role there is more so just to resource the first breakdown or offer up as a carry option as opposed to specifically taking the balls out of the air or putting them back in the air. “So yeah, I’m more of a safety net as opposed to an attacking threat.”
Meanwhile, Ireland were straight back feverishly working on re-energising the line-out this week with Paul O’connell having distributed some notes.
“There was obviously a few mishaps but it’s never on one person, there are so many different parts. Sometimes it’s the hooker that gets the blame, that it’s an overthrow,” said Doris. “But when you look back and the movement of the jumpers is not quite right. The lifter doesn’t get a max lift, we kind of say ‘deliver on max drills’ so we can set our hookers up for success. “We didn’t always do that at the weekend. We try and back our drill even against the best line-out defence system in the world. We feel if we do our drill to the best of our ability then we can beat them even if they do get up.
“Obviously it is a threat and it can kind of spook you a little bit psychologically as well given their height and spring off the ground and their speed in the line.”
Moreover there is a definite feeling Ireland’s confidence has been boosted on the back of problem solving in adversity.
“Experience definitely helps everyone stay calm but I think it’s still something you need to consciously focus on and consciously improve.
“That’s something Gary Keegan (Ireland’s Performance Coach) has done with us since he’s come in really, whatever it was three years ago.
“Having a bit of a routine, it can be individual, whether it’s saying something to yourself, taking a breath like we do collectively, and just getting nexttask, next-moment focussed.”