Eagles are blown away as Ireland young guns soar
THE scene at half-time told its own story. Ireland’s new generation raced off the pitch with a spring in their step to a rapturous ovation from the 6,000-strong faithful crowd in attendance.
Traipsing after them was a forlorn US Eagles outfit.
The American forwards, in particular, looked battered. A few of them were sucking in the balmy Dublin air as they trudged off.
They simply couldn’t live with the hosts when they moved up the gears. Ireland had too much power, pace and invention throughout this one-sided contest.
The USA are ranked 16th in the world, and it showed. They were having a rough evening with 15 men before they lost their flanker Riekert Hattingh to a red card in the 54th minute.
Ronan Kelleher had already bagged a hat-trick when the Leinster hooker copped a shoulder to the chin from Hattingh.
It was a straight red by the current letter of the law and he soon got his marching orders from referee Mathieu Raynal.
The US were trailing 38-3 at that stage and it would get even uglier as Ireland ran riot.
Kelleher would cross for his fourth try of the game soon after.
So, some context is important because the standard of Ireland’s opponents has to be taken into account before we analyse this performance.
Saying that, there was so much to lift the spirits here. This rookie group put on a show with Gavin Coombes, Ryan Baird, Joey Carbery and Robert Baloucoune leading the charge.
Earlier this week, Ireland head coach Andy Farrell noted that this July window would be a success if ‘three or four gems’ were unearthed for the bigger challenges ahead. There were more than a few rough diamonds on display.
Ireland will need depth to sustain them over the next few years.
In that respect, this was quite a useful exercise.
Back in the summer of 2017, Joe Schmidt sent out a callow team against the same opposition in New Jersey. Jacob Stockdale won his first cap that evening. Andrew Porter and James Ryan would follow suit from the bench.
Within a year, all three were central to an Ireland team which swept all before them in 2018. Coombes, Baird and Baloucoune could be on a similar trajectory next season. Baloucoune would have been capped a lot earlier than this. The Ulster wing has been in and around Ireland camps for the best part of two years.
He spent 12 months out of the game due to a serious hamstring injury, but a strong end to the season with his province saw him back on the international radar.
There is plenty to like about Baloucoune. He’s got the size to mix it at this level. His basics are good. Most importantly, he has searing pace and the footwork to match. He showcased both to devastating effect for Ireland’s opening try of the night.
Carbery’s deft pass put
Baloucoune into space, and the Enniskillen man went on a weaving run to the try-line that had the entire stadium on their feet.
It was quite the introduction to Test rugby.
Coombes and Baird, meanwhile, were throwing their weight around at every available opportunity.
We’ll be seeing a lot more of both in green jerseys, that’s for sure.
Four players won their first caps at the beginning of the evening. Baloucoune and Tom O’Toole were among that crew along with James Hume — who looked lively — and Nick Timoney.
That number swelled to eight when Paul Boyle, Harry Byrne, Fineen Wycherley and Caolin Blade arrived onto the scene in the second half.
Not a bad night’s work.
What will perhaps please Farrell the most is the 54-minute shift from Carbery. It wasn’t all perfect from the Munster out-half but there was plenty to suggest that the 25-yearold is rediscovering his mojo. Craig Casey looked the part at scrum-half as well, but we’ve known that for quite some time.
The future looks bright, indeed. The real tests are coming down the track, but Farrell has some able reinforcements when they arrive.