The 'gimme' Ireland RWC fixture that now has a very different complexion
Kobe’s humid port city streets were quiet on Tuesday evening when RugbyPass took a successful ramble in search of some of the area’s signature marbled beef.
Ever since it was pencilled into the RWC calendar, Ireland’s match against Russia had always been viewed as the Pool A gimme for Joe Schmidt’s side and the cavalry that was their army-size support in Yokohama and Shizuoka won’t have the same strength in depth in Kobe that was evident against Scotland and Japan.
Thing is, though, this ‘gimme’ against Russia has now assumed a huge significance no one ever imagined would be the case at these finals. Ambushed by the RWC’s host nation, the pool dynamic has massively shifted and major Irish wounds are in need of some much-needed balm to get their deflated campaign back on track. Here, RugbyPass sets the scene as Schmidt and co attempt to soothe some of the scars from last Saturday.
Murphy must deliver the beef in Kobe
How Jordi Murphy goes will be interesting. So much science has gone into Ireland’s preparation in Japan with their originally chosen 31 players, so stepping off a long-haul flight and jumping straight into starting a match at a World Cup with a team you were devastatingly told not so long ago you weren’t needed with is quite a dynamic.
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Adding intrigue is Ireland’s clear need for greater ball-carrying dependability following last Saturday’s disappearing act where the starting Irish pack managed a paltry 63 metres off 53 carries, on average a 1.1 metre gain per carry. No wonder they collectively struggled to impose themselves against a Japanese eight.
The lack of back row heft was a particular issue, CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier and Peter O’Mahony making just 30 metres off 18 carries (an average 1.6 metres per carry) compared to the Japanese back row which clocked in with 101 metres off 31 carries (3.2 metres).
Called up due to Jack Conan’s tournament-ending injury, Murphy will have it all do against the Russians to make an impact that lasts at this tournament beyond this particular start against the minnows and carries on into the remaining games.
His last two Test starts came at No8 in 2019 matches versus Italy where he managed just six metres off 10 carries in Dublin in August and 12 metres off 13 carries in Rome last February. They are numbers that won’t wash in Japan where a far better cameo is the minimum requirement.
If he doesn’t deliver, Irish fans will be reminded next week at a stadium similar to Thomond Park just how their back row is really missing the injured Sean O’Brien, whose action pictures from the 2015 World Cup were much in evidence in places such as Fukuoka airport metro station when RugbyPass took in Wednesday’s cagey win by France over the USA.
He really is the missing link when it comes to a hustler whose style is to repeatedly get on the ball and have a powerful blast in the carry.
This a great way to watch the biggest moment of the weekend.https://t.co/aXrbJfp6U8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 30, 2019
Let’s talk about Jerome
Joe Schmidt has certainly thrown the focus on Thursday’s match referee Jerome Garces by revealing that two of the three incorrect offside calls made against his team versus Japan in Shizuoka came from Garces, who was working on the touchline as Angus Gardner’s assistant ref.
It was further evidence that French officials haven’t been covering themselves in glory at RWC 2019, something that was always the fear when the list of appointments was confirmed as it didn’t add up why the French were taking up four of the 12 officiating slots in the tournament’s so-called ‘Team 21’.
Ireland’s fortunes with Garces on the whistle have been mixed. There were wins over England in 2017 (10/9 against Ireland on the penalty count) and Australia in 2016 (3/13 against the Aussies on the penalty count), a 2016 Six Nations draw with Wales (7/6 against Ireland on the penalty count) and a defeat to England at the start of 2019 (4/8 against England on the penalty count).
All this after Garces was the ref for the infamous 2015 World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina, a calamitous Sunday when Ireland were penalised 12 times which enabled the Pumas – who admittedly were penalised 15 times – to successfully kick five of their six chances off the tee to win 43-20.
Ireland promised after 2015 they would not be caught winging it at the 2019 RWC with an inexperienced out-half starting at No10 in a big match in place of Johnny Sexton, but they have not delivered on that aim https://t.co/Y2QThUAiJW
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 27, 2019
Being without Best not the same as being Sexton-less
RugbyPass highlighted in the run-up to the Japanese loss how Ireland had failed to live up to its promise since the last World Cup to ensure they had a well-experienced Plan B if Johnny Sexton was to ever not start a massive match at the 2019 World Cup.
Giving Jack Carty only his second ever start as a Test No10 illustrated how Ireland without Sexton was something Joe Schmidt hadn’t placed too much store in the last four years before the Japan fixture.
Paddy Jackson was the curveball that left Schmidt vulnerable, becoming ineligible for selection in April 2018 after starting nine games since the last World Cup. That left far too little opportunity to cement exposure into alternative starting No10s and a heavy price was paid last weekend.
Another specialised position where the exposure for others has been limited is at hooker where veteran Rory Best has started 32 of Ireland’s 46 matches since the 2015 World Cup quarter-final loss to Argentina.
Niall Scannell has started eight times, Rob Herring three, Sean Cronin two and James Tracy one and it’s Scannell who Ireland are looking to on Thursday as the starting hooker in Kobe.
Thankfully, it’s not another Carty-like situation for Ireland. Minnows Russia are not at all the danger that RWC hosts Japan were, while a more seasoned Scannell can count among his previous starts a Six Nations No2 appearance in Rome in 2017 and crucially two starts on the 2018 June Test series win in Australia.
That sets him apart from Carty and suggests that Ireland without Best are somewhat better catered for than Ireland without Sexton.
Joe Schmidt has retained just a handful of the @IrishRugby starting side that were bested by Japan for their upcoming match. https://t.co/uP85T5uauk #RWC2019 #IREvRUS
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 1, 2019
Kearney/Earls game for more Russian roulette
Ireland managed nine tries in Rotorua eight years again when they last encountered the Russians at a World Cup, Declan Kidney’s charges winning 62-10 eight days after they had ambushed Australia at Eden Park.
Rob Kearney and Keith Earls are the sole two starters from that afternoon in the city of geothermal geysers who are on deck again in Kobe. Sean Cronin, that day’s No2, is on the Kobe bench, Johnny Sexton, a sub in Rotorua, now starts, while Cian Healy, the No1 eight years ago, is rested.
Meanwhile, a glance at the team sheet from the September 2002 World Cup qualifier in Krasnoyarsk illustrates the Irish trend of former professional players sticking with the game once they retire.
Five of the starting XV – Girvan Dempsey, Kevin Maggs, Ronan O’Gara, current Ireland assistant Simon Easterby and the late Anthony Foley – all coached professionally, while among the Siberian replacements you had current Leinster boss Leo Cullen along with his team manager Guy Easterby. Gloucester director of rugby David Humphreys was also among the subs.
WATCH: Ireland boss Joe Schmidt announces his team for Thursday’s RWC match against Russia
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments