Ireland’s game plan is barely fit for purpose
were interspersed with runs from static carriers, off slow ball.
When Ireland turned to their backs the attacks had no pace, little deception and contained so many badly timed runs and passes that only twice did they look like getting around England’s defence.
Bundee Aki’s try was a great piece of individual skill but that was it; nothing from the collective.
A couple of seasons ago, many people, including me, said that Ireland had the greatest depth of talent in their history.
It did not seem so when you witnessed the appreciable gap in talent between their starting XV and bench at Twickenham.
It only got worse when this translated into an incomprehensible tactical performance where a good few players looked lost, with no idea how to find lucidity.
In 2018, some rugby writers (not including me, by the way) claimed that England were on their way down and Ireland were the coming team. On Saturday you got the feeling that claim was wrong on both counts.
Ireland could still prosper in Japan; they have a relatively easy pool. Whether some of their stalwarts can still hack it and whether their game strategy is still fit for purpose is open to doubt.
In stark, and welcome contrast if you are English, Eddie Jones has reassembled his squad and revised his tactics since their 2018 downturn. If people want to stereotype their style as biff and bash, so what?
Descriptions do not matter and that one is simplistic and used by people who do not understand how difficult it is to carry the ball in the intelligent and effective way that England do when they play well. It is not just a case of big men running straight over defenders. Carriers must maintain their discipline and repeatedly keep the depth, angle and timing of their runs on to the ball.
They must take passes flat, on the gain line, under immediate pressure from defenders, then retain the ball in contact and either place it for quick rucked ball or pass out of the tackle. When you add carriers such as Kyle Sinckler and Mako Vunipola – both capable of sublime dexterity – you can confound even the best defences.
Elliot Daly’s first-half try was created by four superb carries and offloads that shredded Ireland’s defence and credit England’s backs, who were ruthless in taking advantage of the subsequent overlap. It looked pretty simple; it was not.
Eddie Jones will not play his starting XV before the World Cup. I have previously said this would be a mistake, as that team need a run before being asked to perform on the biggest stage. I was wrong. England have shown such fluidity with their mix-and-match combinations that the two-week period between the last warm-up game and their opening pool game is enough.
Jones’s preparations have focused on dealing with game situations when planned first and second combinations get disrupted and teams must adapt in real time.
Barring injury, England will arrive in Japan near the peak of their preparation schedule.