England face new chapter

13 April 2012

The Irish book of rugby tactics used to have just one page - with "kick it up in the air and chase it" written on it in very large letters.

But over the past year it has been reprinted as an impressively thick volume and it's a book the England coaching team will have been trying to get to terms with this week.

Not only have their tactics evolved, the Irish team is now at an all-time high in terms of confidence, skill and execution. Even without their mercurial leader Keith Wood, sidelined with a leg injury, there is still a well-balanced look about this side.

For a start, the fulcrum of the team, the half-backs, have a steady grip on proceedings.

Scrum-half Peter Stringer is a quicksilver distributor. He may have limitations to his game but what he does, he does well - and that is to keep a conveyor belt of quality ball flowing to his partner David Humphreys, who is having the best time of his rugby life.

Humphreys is controlling this Irish team by one simple basic rugby tactic: keep the forwards going forward!

He is also kicking exceptionally well, not only from the ground but from the hand, and when he decides to unleash the great white chargers outside him, Brian O'Driscoll and Kevin Maggs, he is confident that both will cross the advantage line and retain the ball.

Ireland are also fortunate to have real pace and footballing ability on the wings, in the shape of Dennis Hickie and Geordan Murphy.

Dependable full-back Girvan Dempsey is the final member of a talented back division that scores tries, tackles its guts out and fights for inches if yards are not available. All in all, they are a handful to deal with.

So England may need to take Ireland on up front, and that is easier said than done. The demolition job the Irish inflicted on the Welsh a fortnight ago was effectively created by Irish forward power, irrespective of Wales's inept showing on the day. Ireland have now made the Six Nations Championship into a three-horse race and the tournament has taken on a new dimension as a result.

The metamorphosis that has taken place in Irish rugby cannot simply be explained by their revamped provincial structure. They have managed to seamlessly transfer the successes of Munster, Ulster and Leinster to the national team, which is no mean feat.

In addition, Irish teams no longer find it difficult to play after 60 minutes have elapsed. Their conditioning has improved beyond all recognition.

It is time we came to terms with the fact that, although it's only the middle of February, this game could decide the eventual winner of the Six Nations. My fear is when two very good teams meet in this environment a stalemate is often the outcome, with defences winning the battle. A penalty shoot-out between Jonny Wilkinson and David Humphreys almost seems inevitable.

However, that new book of Irish tactics could change all that.

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England face new chapter

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