Henshaw looks to be a real treasure find as he continues to improve
THERE are two points that stick in my mind after watching this match. One, it was the kind of crusty old battle I would have paid to be stuck in the middle of. And two, it was the type of big and bloody contest that championship-winning teams emerge from victorious.
The performance won’t win new admirers from those who would like to judge rugby teams as artists, but warriors were needed against a limited France side, yet one that was big on aggression and intent.
Ireland had plenty of them, led by Seán O’Brien, Robbie Henshaw and Paul O’Connell. Two of those you would expect to be at the forefront, even if O’Brien lasting 65 minutes after six months out was sensational to see, but the manner in which Henshaw keeps improving week after week is astonishing.
He is not much more than a kid but, boy, can he mind himself? He already looks an integral part of the team, just 160 minutes into his Six Nations career.
Conor Murray was to the fore as well, not to mention Jared Payne, but at the heart of it all was the No10. Ireland would not have won this match without Johnny Sexton.
His return had been talked about for weeks and it was pretty obvious France had rough plans for him. But he didn’t appear to care. No matter what they threw at him he conducted the show. He mixed up our play, especially during a first half when I thought we were miles the better team.
Our kick-chase game was spot-on, but we kept possession well, too, either grinding out yards or looking to stretch France out wide.
If we had got over for a try and put decent distance between the teams at that point, we would have cantered home.
However, for all France’s limitations they remain a proud and physically huge outfit. They battered our defence in the second half but it stood firm, no matter what was flung at it.
We were also helped by typical dodgy selection from them, with the call not to start Morgan Parra benefitting Ireland.
When he came on he was whipsmart, moving his forwards about but switching the point of attack constantly, which is a nightmare for a tiring team. But Ireland survived.
The scrum was a mess, and the signs don’t look good for Mike Ross. I backed him at the start of the championship but he didn’t help his case here. He and Jack McGrath should be allowed some leeway given the opposition but Marty Moore and Cian Healy will push very hard to get in for the visit of England.
I wouldn’t be worried by how the second half swung. France lost Pascal Papé to a yellow card that should have been a red, but Ireland lost Sexton for almost 10 minutes, Rory Best to the bin, and Jamie Heaslip as a result of Papé’s cheap hit. They are three of the team’s most experienced players and France took advantage of the raggedness that resulted from their absences.
But Ireland withstood it all.
And that is the only important point: they collected the win, and in this Six Nations competition winning is reallly all that matters. There are no bonus points and no points for artistic merit. You win ugly if you must.
But Ireland won bravely.