Two bruised beasts braced for battle
New-look Ireland and depleted France out to erase World Cup pain in opener for the ages
THE first hint of springtime in Marseille. a trace of blue above the breathtaking architecture of the stadium where Europe’s two outstanding rugby union nations will each try to put desolation behind them, as they open the Six nations tonight.
To be back in this country barely 100 days after their fervent World Cup hope was dashed on the black rock of new Zealand seems a brutal kind of fate for andy Farrell’s Ireland but the memory of quarter-final defeat in Paris is gradually dissolving. The nation carries the uncertainty which comes with transition as, for the first time in 14 years, Ireland go into a Six nations without Johnny Sexton. Yet there is the fascination and optimism which come with the eternal renewal and changing of the seasons in sport.
The fly-half taking Sexton’s heavy jersey is Jack Crowley, the barely tested, 24-year-old pride of Innishannon, West Cork. The size of the generational shift this entails has been illustrated by image of Peter O’Mahony, who takes the captain’s mantle from Sexton, presenting a medal to the 12-year- old Crowley at the Bandon rugby club in Munster a decade or so back.
O’Mahony could not recall the occasion when asked yesterday, though he certainly remembers Crowley asking him for an introduction to Sexton, knowing that they were friends, and being struck by his enterprise.
and then there have been Farrell’s attempts to prepare Crowley for occasions like tonight, by getting him to act as a waterboy and tee- carrier for Sexton in four Six nations games last season. a typically shrewd application to the small details of management by Farrell.
Though his Ireland side don’t feature substantially in the new Six nations documentary series on netflix, Full Contact, episode eight does capture an impeccably judged final team-talk he gave ahead of the Championshipclinching win over England in dublin. If that series is anything to on, then Farrell is a leader you would want in your camp over England’s Steve Borthwick or Scotland’s gregor Townsend, every day of the week.
at lunchtime yesterday, he was peering into the press conference room at the Stade Velodrome to check on the progress of his new captain. He didn’t need to worry. O’Mahony brings a perspective and intelligence which are gold, as Ireland contend with the huge hole Sexton leaves.
The most striking message in O’Mahony’s half-hour of talk was his observation that Ireland must not blank out the fact that an extraordinary member of their number has gone and that a new captain is at the helm.
‘That’s the old-school thinking,’ he said. ‘You’ve got to talk about it and address these things. doing that probably takes the edge off. It’s a stressful environment and the more we talk about scenarios, things happening, occasions, scenarios, whatever, it makes life easier for everyone.’
Every member of this squad carries something imbued in them by Sexton, the captain went on to say. ‘I would be shocked if you asked anyone in that dressing room who played with Johnny if they hadn’t picked up something from him.
‘It’s what the game is about — learning and being diligent and picking stuff up off guys who’ve figured it out.’
It’s that World Cup quarter-final that Ireland really are determined to put away. ‘ at this point now, that has to be a long way behind us. We have to be looking forward,’ O’Mahony insisted.
Far easier to accomplish if Ireland can start out with a win here on the Mediterranean coast, in a stadium being used because the Stade de France is being prepared for this summer’s Olympics.
The same goes for France, whose angst is born of the absence of antoine dupont, missing as he focuses on preparation for the Olympics sevens tournament. ‘To move forward, we will need to stop talking about the World Cup,’ said France full back Thomas Ramos this week. ‘We also need to stop worrying about the absence of antoine.’
Right across this tournament, talismans are missing. Wales have said farewell to dan Biggar and alun Wyn Jones, England are without Owen Farrell. But nothing removes the beautiful anticipation of a curtain-raiser which brings the two tournament favourites together under the lights of a stadium of outstanding beauty. ‘Reunion of two injured animals,’ declared a headline in yesterday’s L’Equipe, which put it rather well.