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Stockdale: Ireland physicality taken to 'next level'

By Online Editors
(Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Wing Jacob Stockdale felt Ireland took their physicality to a new level in their 24-14 bonus-point win over Wales in the Guinness Six Nations.

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Tries by Jordan Larmour, Tadhg Furlong, Josh Van Der Flier and Andrew Conway saw Ireland home at the Aviva Stadium as they moved impressively towards a Twickenham appointment with England on February 22.

Andy Farrell’s team also remain on course for a Grand Slam, but reigning champions Wales’ hopes of a clean sweep are over after a deserved home win.

Stockdale told ITV: “It’s going to take a few weeks to get into the new structure of things, especially the new coaching ticket and new ideas, but I thought we did it really well today.

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“I think our physicality was brought to the next level and in all fairness to Wales, they came and they pushed us hard so it was just great to get the win.

“They came and they fired a few shots early on and we know how good we can be when we’re all over our carrying and our break down and it just had to come throughout the game.

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“Once were started to do that the tries came and it was a really fun game to play in.”

Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones, whose side scored converted tries through Tomos Williams and Justin Tipuric, admitted it was tough to take positives from a game which ended in defeat.

“Ultimately Test rugby is about winning isn’t it?” Wyn Jones told ITV. “You can have all the enterprise and all the beauty you like but ultimately it’s about the result.

“I think we probably gave them an opportunity in the first half, a couple of errors in particular, a couple of rucks potentially at crucial times.

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“There were a series of penalties we felt we should have got more from but we didn’t.”

PA

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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