Rugby

Irish rugby 2016: From down & out in Paris & London to singing city of Chicago

Ireland's players celebrate after scoring against New Zealand in Chicago
Ireland's players celebrate after scoring against New Zealand in Chicago Ireland's players celebrate after scoring against New Zealand in Chicago

Defending champions Ireland didn’t manage a Six Nations victory until their fourth championship match, but they rebounded to record historic wins in South Africa and against the All Blacks later in the year, leaving them in optimistic mood heading into 2017. Cahair O’Kane looks back...

ELEVEN minutes to play and the ball pops unexpectedly out through the shuffling feet of Yoann Goujon. Maxime Machenaud reacts. Maxime Medard supports. Scores. Two weekends in and the three in-a-row is gone.

As they left the field that murky day in Paris, questions reigned about Ireland. Despite recent successes (have we forgotten back-to-back Six Nations titles?) the World Cup quarter-final defeat by Argentina had highlighted a worrying lack of depth.

Joe Schmidt was getting hammered in many quarters for sticking to the tried and tested. The Kearney brothers. Andrew Trimble. Mike Ross. Even Jamie Heaslip.

It’s almost hard to believe that now. Heaslip ended the year as a nominee for World Rugby’s Player of the Year gong, and scorer of the year’s best try against Italy.

Rob Kearney and Trimble were at their best in the November series, the former attacking the line in a way that hasn’t been seen in a while. But Ireland, this year, have moved past the era of over-reliance on an immovable starting fifteen. That has been the biggest success of 2016.

Tadhg Furlong has gone from ‘who?’ to a household hero when he turfed Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick and Kieran Read all from his path in one barnstorming midfield run in Dublin.

He has taken control of the number three shirt and together with in-form 100-cap skipper Rory Best and Jack McGrath, Ireland have a formidable front-row.

That contrasts with early season worries in the scrum. That French try came one step short of Jaco Peyper (more on him later) awarding a penalty try as the Irish pack repeatedly infringed trying to keep the blue bulldozer at bay.

In the long-term, it looks that Ultan Dillane and Iain Henderson will scrap over a spot alongside Devin Toner in the second row. Henderson may be more suited elsewhere, but there is simply an embarrassment of riches in the back row right now.

CJ Stander has always spoken of how welcome Ireland and Limerick has made him feel, and he has looked right at home since a man-of-the-match debut against Wales on the opening day.

His red card in South Africa was the one blemish on an otherwise outstanding debut year that hopped right to the front of the queue for a place on the flank, and even into Lions contention.

The emergence of the brilliant Josh van der Flier and very welcome returns by Sean O’Brien and Peter O’Mahony last month drove the competition still further, and Jack O’Donoghue continues to progress.

The season-ending leg injury suffered by Jordi Murphy in Chicago does weaken Schmidt’s options slightly as he starts to look towards February.

And how the landscape that the softly-spoken Kiwi surveys has changed over the past few weeks. In spring, England looked a million miles ahead of anything else in the northern hemisphere as they completed a Grand Slam.

Thirteen wins from 13 this year, particularly a home-and-away whitewash of Australia, highlights just how badly they had underperformed under Stuart Lancaster as it does their ability.

But Ireland’s wins over the big three from the southern hemisphere puts them on a plain where they can look forward with some justification to a much more promising Six Nations - not least a potential St Patrick’s weekend climax against Eddie Jones’ side in Dublin.

Just as well, with the introduction of bonus points for that tournament, that Ireland also rediscovered their attacking swagger in the autumn. There was an invention and a fluidity about them, particularly in the historic win over New Zealand. If nothing else, 2016 will always be remembered for that famous day.

Inspired by October’s loss of a giant of Irish rugby, Anthony Foley, the pre-match figure of eight that faced up to the Haka was the first sign that Ireland were not to lie down.

Guilty of playing for 79 minutes against the All Blacks three years ago in Dublin, they turned in a brilliant display to end 111 years of disappointment and finally end the hoodoo.

New Zealand reversed the result in the Aviva a fortnight later but there was plenty about Ireland’s performance that night to suggest that it was no one-off.

The loss of Sexton and Robbie Henshaw to injuries inside the first quarter of the game ultimately robbed them of the spark to make best use of their copious possession.

They were able to back it up against Australia as well, despite the physical exertions of the weeks that went before. It was the afternoon, too, that Garry Ringrose properly announced himself on the international stage.

He was able to slot into what isn’t his favoured position at inside centre so seamlessly. Jared Payne’s injury in that game puts his participation, certainly for the start of the Six Nations, in jeopardy and may well open the door fully for the young Leinster man.

Don’t forget Stuart McCloskey too. This time last year he was the one causing the frissons of excitement as he tore up the Champions Cup with his barnstorming style. His debut came in Twickenham and he was just growing into the game when he was withdrawn early in the second half.

In comparison to Ringrose, you’d say McCloskey is unrefined. Schmidt hinted as much after the Six Nations win over Scotland, when he said the Ulster centre “is trying to grow his game to give more than just a carry game where he can make the deft offload”. Injury forced him to the fringes of the November series and Ringrose may well have stolen a march on him as a result.

Schmidt is a massive fan of the defensive qualities Payne brings to the Irish midfield and when he is fit, the partnership between himself and Henshaw will resume, but there will be opportunities for others.

Stuart Olding clearly takes the fancy as well, but his career is so permanently disrupted by injuries that he hasn’t made any impact on the international scene as yet. But he will turn just 24 in March, so time is very much on his side.

Luke Marshall played against Canada and the fact he is a natural inside-centre means he will remain an option for his country, without ever looking likely to force his way into a regular starting slot.

The fact Joey Carbery was able to come in against Australia and go to full-back would have set the alarm bells ringing for Jackson again, though they’ll have eased with the Leinster man’s ankle injury that could see him miss the start of the Six Nations.

Tommy Bowe’s scoring return to Ulster colours in recent weeks is a reminder of his credentials, while Craig Gilroy finds himself involved more often than not, but with little playing time as he completes with clubmate Trimble, Keith Earls and Simon Zebo.

Chris Henry’s injuries have stunted his hopes and in such an area of strength for the squad, he could struggle to force his way back into the reckoning.

The one remaining area of worry for Ireland would be the half-back duo. The fact Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton are world class operators is a huge strength for Ireland but with injuries starting to show on the fly-half, who rarely completes 80 minutes these days, 2019 looks a distance away for that pair.

Paddy Jackson finds himself more involved now that Ian Madigan has eloped to Bordeaux. It was an utterly frustrating Six Nations for the Ulster fly-half, who was the in-form 10 but was overlooked because of Madigan’s versatility.

Back-up scrum-half Kieran Marmion spent more time on the wing in November than at his preferred station, and Schmidt may have to afford him more experience over the next two seasons if he’s to avoid another Argentina scenario in Japan.

Improved performances of the Irish provinces in this season’s Champions Cup, with all four heading into Christmas with realistic hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages, have breathed further belief into Irish rugby.

Some difference from the end of February to now.

Ireland face the Haka in Chicago in a shape of eight in memory of Munster's Anthony Foley
Ireland face the Haka in Chicago in a shape of eight in memory of Munster's Anthony Foley Ireland face the Haka in Chicago in a shape of eight in memory of Munster's Anthony Foley

A YEAR IN QUOTES

“Jesus lads, that was some craic!” - Cian Healy on events in Soldier Field

“Xjdjdosjnajshehebdbshsjdhchxnslapehdvzjsjdjskwkdhsjsks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” - Rory McIlroy’s flabbergasted reaction

“Being vocal, is it a solution? I don’t know.” - Joe Schmidt on Jaco Peyper striking again in the Dublin fixture with New Zealand

“You lose a game because a ball slips out of a player’s hand, or there seems to be a dark patch when you’re looking at a TMO decision and it doesn’t fall your way. Those are the fine margins, because I think they were two teams that were relatively evenly matched in many ways.” - Joe Schmidt on Josh van der Flier’s unawarded ‘score’ in Twickenham

"I've certainly never been picked for being a battering ram or having a huge big physical element, but I suppose I'd like to try and be an intelligent centre. That's worked for other centres around the world, so I wouldn't be too focused on trying to become a huge, big centre.” - Garry Ringrose exudes confidence

“People question decisions I make or the way we play, but I question them more. I’m always thinking of how we can best utilise the resources we have. That’s the challenge for a coach. You have to make sure your 32 or 34 players in a camp are as collective as they can be. I rely on the leadership group to give a bit of feedback, even on how other players are adapting and fitting in. I don’t want to intimidate players or annoy them by speaking to them all the time.” - Schmidt post-Italy on trying to improve his squad

"We came out here to play like Axel would have wanted. We did it for Olive and the kids.” - Munster skipper Peter O’Mahony after Munster’s win over Glasgow, their first game after the passing of Anthony Foley

“With people throwing that out, you get kind of embarrassed. The Lions is synonymous with such a big brand and so many great players have played there. Do I see myself there at the minute? No.” - Man of the moment Tadhg Furlong remains grounded over his Lions hopes

“What I was talking about with the discourse was more around the intimidatory nature of it. That didn’t occur this time, so it’s not really something that’s relevant.” - Joe Schmidt after Jonathan Sexton was forced off early against France

“Ye are the only ones talking about Paulie to be honest. We're not at all.” - Devin Toner after being asked how the loss of Paul O’Connell from the engine room was affecting things

“He thinks I should have retired when I was 21.” - Jonathan Sexton on George Hook’s calls for him to retire over concerns about his injury rate

“It’s been a tough championship. It’s nice to be sitting here with a win and not trying to justify what we’re doing. It’s nice to be in a changing room where boys are enjoying themselves.” - Hitting Italy for 58 points pleased Rory Best

“A couple of them were making their Pro 12 debuts at this time last year – guys like Ultan Dillane and Josh van der Flier. They’d very little professional rugby experience, never mind Test rugby experience. To try to work with those guys has been incredibly invigorating.” - The Irish head coach after victory over Scotland