Farrell’s Ireland reach out for Triple Crown
As the country went to the polls, so Andy Farrell managed to come out on top in his own popularity contest, the Aviva Stadium crowd rising to salute a grafting, clever victory that sends Ireland to Twickenham in a fortnight’s time in search of a Triple Crown.
Farrell is only two matches (with two victories) into his tenure, yet there have already been question marks raised about his fitness to be a head coach. It was said his team were humdrum. It was same old, same old. Yet by the manner of this bonus-point win against a well-regarded Wales side, Ireland showed they had plenty to offer under the new regime, purpose and clout as reflected in the mighty presence of No 8 CJ Stander, a one-man wrecking ball and turnover machine, as well as some devil and trickery behind in rear-gunners Jordan Larmour and Andrew Conway.
They are still some way below their peak of 18 months ago when the All Blacks were put in their place and possible global dominance peaked a nose over the horizon. But the cheers that greeted the win at the final whistle showed there is no disaffection up in the stands. Farrell should be given time to put his stamp on matters and a shot at a Triple Crown is a tantalising prospect. There is more that needs to be done but it is a heck of a lot easier to shape new ways if there are already a couple of notches on the winning belt.
“That was an improved performance, nice and physical for the full 80 minutes,” said Farrell. “That part was 100 per cent right and that’s excellent. We’re in a great place. ”
Ireland held the whip hand for long stretches, choking at source a Wales side who were unable to shake themselves free and exert pressure down where it matters in the opposition half.
It was only an 80th-minute try from Justin Tipuric that managed to lend the scoreboard a more flattering slant than it might have merited from a Wales perspective. Wayne Pivac’s side have been bedevilled by injury and lost their prime strike force in wing Josh Adams (10 tries in his last eight matches) to a hip injury in the 25th minute.
Spiky fly-half Dan Biggar also left the field following a head knock in the second half. Their back three was underemployed and rarely featured, a sure sign the supply lines had been closed down. This is a setback for the defending Grand Slam champions, a rude awakening after their romp against Italy and they need to repair those fault lines, look to bring more dynamism as well as stability to their forward play ahead of the visit of France. Ireland were eager to deliver rugby that would trigger a Lansdowne roar. They were certainly worthy in their early build-up but lacked that confident edge they once had and which would enable them to finish clinically. Five times they held good positions in the Welsh 22 and five times they were turned over either by allowing Wales to infiltrate or by ceding a penalty. It was wasteful stuff and a better side than Wales were on the day would have taken advantage. Yet there was bite and construct in their play, Jacob Stockdale ever-eager for work and putting pressure on the Welsh defence down his flank.
Stander led the charge at the breakdown with Peter O’Mahony in the shotgun role being a nuisance, providing support as he did when latching on to prop Tadhg Furlong along with hooker Rob Herring to drive the tighthead over the try-line in the 32nd minute.
Ireland profited from a Wales blooper for that score, Tomos Williams making a hash of a line-out feed from Alun Wyn Jones and knocking on. There was too much that was loose and febrile about Wales’s play even if flanker Justin Tipuric was his usual irrepressible self.
“We put too many balls down and that’s unacceptable,” said Pivac.
From hero to zero is a thought that troubles the sleep of every athlete.
Nick Tompkins had one of those horrible scenarios laid before him, all too easily slipping off a tackle on Larmour as the full-back came on to a pass from Conor Murray in the 19th minute, his way cleared to the try line.
Alun Wyn Jones has proved himself a player of note down the years; relentless, resolute, steadfast, a rallying figure. Jones has never been satisfied, though, with resting on those laurels.
The 34-year-old has reinvented himself as a deft offloading threat, not quite Barry John in his movement (yet) but as subtle and perceptive as shown by his midfield wraparound duet with Biggar that saw Wales hit back from Larmour’s try to score through scrum-half Williams eight minutes later.
There was more zip to Wales’s play after the break as replacements, halfbacks Gareth Davies and Jarrod Evans, upped the tempo and managed to move Ireland around.
It was to be Wales’s best period of the match and it almost bore fruit as Hadleigh Parkes stretched his left arm across the line only for the television match official to spot the centre had lost control at the very last moment.
A try at that point, in the 56th minute, would have brought Wales right back into contention at 19-14, Josh van der Flier’s driven-over try from a lineout shortly after the second-half restart having stretched Ireland’s lead. Conway’s try five minutes from time secured the bonus point and sent Ireland onwards to Twickenham in fine fettle.