SIX NATIONS REVIEW | Ireland’s huge French win, Big Joe McCarthy and Crowley steps up

Máire Treasa Ní Dhubhghaill is joined in studio by Lindsay Peat and James Downey as they look back on Ireland’s win over France in the Six Nations.

They chat Big Joe McCarthy’s performance and why he brings a new element to Ireland’s team.

They analysis Jack Crowley’s showing as he stepped in Johnny Sexton’s shoes and did so relatively seamlessly.

What happened to France? The look at the missing players and why they just didn’t seem to turn up for the game.

And are Ireland now clear favourites? Don’t rule England out just yet.

Sports show presents House of rugby hello and you’re all very welcome to House of rugby my name is Mor tras and on this week’s show we look back at a very entertaining and dramatic weekend of rugby in the company of James Downey and Lindsey Pete how are we both doing

I’d say we’re all a bit giddy after Friday night’s magic in Mera God coming down yeah trying to build back up it was absolutely unbelievable like talk about that Friday feeling um I was probably honestly a bit skeptical going into the game because obviously our history be

Going away to France and you know I know Andy farl spoke about no hangover but you just don’t know what’s in the back of people’s minds and when you get to France and stuff like that but not even that I suppose just trying to take the

Game rod and let it come to you but by God did they there’s certainly no hangover they were nobody saw that coming 21o victory in France that was our biggest ever marri and against France only our fourth Victory ever in France so it was like a dream start what

Was key to that clinical performance do you think James I think I think it’s the inner belief that the the players have the squad have um because I think outside of the group people were kind of saying it’s going to be close bookies was three four points

To the French four points to the French I think and you kind of say yeah you know going s to France is such a difficult place to go I would have nearly preferred Paris because the prison crowd you know it be more kind of business crowd a little bit more

Corporate sou of France it’s the Heartland it’s really down there and they’re really behind it since the World Cup every that’s led to a French Victory and this group come together and no matter Johnny’s gone that’s forgotten about we’re not even going to talk about him today it’s because it’s we’ve moved

On now and that line is drawn and these players stood up to a man the bench the whole staff and what a start to the to the Six Nations you know you can lose a Grand Slam in the first game you can still win a six nations but to have done

That now and everyone as you say is buzzing that Friday feeling of it’s Italy next we’ve got good momentum we’ve three more home games to play and yeah it’s exciting times absolutely we spoke last week about the importance of setpiece execution and our worries when it came to the line out because of

What happened in the world cup but 13 out of 13 line outs Paulo Connell deserves a lot of credit for that take my hat off um and uh all five tries came from line out source as well so it was just an exceptional performance from 1

To 80 it look it was fantastic and yes we did we we explicitly said that the SE you know there was a lot of talk about Jack Crowley and whoever would come in at 10 and and how they’d perform but that you know no matter who your 10 is

And even the enigmatic you know Johnny sexon would need that platform and that launch to to be that uh you know that provider between the the conduit between the backs and the forwards and look hats off to Paulo Connell there was just a different air about them and and James

Can agree or disagree like there was in the World Cup it was kind of nearly that inner that inner insecurity maybe you could see come out they weren’t as confident you could see that in their body language but by God that was out the window they were confident their

Speed across the ground just even um they weren’t worried about you know sometimes you want middle to back to really like take out basically eight you know the full line out eight French Defenders but there was no worry about where they won the ball they just won

The ball um and that’s key like and to be 100% return on a on a line out which was you know one of the kind of key areas that let’s be honest was inconsistent and malfunction at during the World Cup um I thought they were absolutely Sublime and so much show that

They obviously turned over two French balls one of them on their 5 meter line I was like that like that says an awful lot when you’re confident enough because if you’re gone up on your five meter you have to win that ball because otherwise if if the French win it they’re just

Going to Molly over the line so to have that confidence uh and turn it over um and play out and and get you know much needed territory at that stage it was just it was a joy to watch especially as a forward known like when it’s just not

Working line out time it can be a tough place to be yeah as you said it wasn’t just their attacking line out that was purring it was their defensive line out as well so what was the key difference and what they were doing when you’re

Defending a line out you H like well if you watch them they mirrored so they had absolutely done their homework on front they they’ identified their jumpers uh when you reduce a line out it’s easy to identify the jumper so for example if they’re in a fiveman line out you reduce

Your options as a jumper um so I just think they and their speed to get in the air like there was questions about if we you know Jo Big Joe will go on to him like uh how he would possibly impact the line out but he’d bring positives in the

All round game that lad can get up in the air as well there wasn’t anything that he could not do at the weekend um so I just thought their confidence and the speed to gets people in the air and to to win that ball they just had their

Homework done and they were confident in it they just owned it they just knew where they were going G up in the air and stole the ball one of the major talking points going into the game and possibly major worries was would we be able to match the French’s physicality

And they were well able for that the work rate as you mentioned Joe McCarthy showed but every single player with the tempo and the pace that they worked at and they fought for every little moment yeah they certainly did and I think um like the big calls before the game were

Obviously who’s going to go in a second row and and I think Joe mccardy Justified selection in that regard and you see someone like James Ryan who was kind of hard d by you know and you go jesz that’s unlucky there missed out that but we mentioned Joe there and he

Was outstanding Tod burn I thought was absolutely un his turnover is just round the park everything is line at Option when you have those options Lind you mentioned there you have Peter Manny you can get Joe up you can get Ty burn and it’s great to have those threats for

Attacking or defensive line outs you know but across the board every player stood up to a man and I think it’s I think the 6-2 split as well worked out quite well um I think you’ve got a match take each game as I saw take each game

Uh on on its Merit and go right this FR side a physical let’s kind of combat that do I see it going forward no I think we’re going to go 53 but from now on but I think that 62 was right and like everyone just gave absolutely

Everything out there and we had the bench then of quality players coming on and and just keep that momentum going and keep the French Under Pressure because you know not many teams can say they’ve gone to France and and score five tries I’m sure um CH Edwards be

Counted on one hand how many times away from home he’s conceded five tries rare you know he was put under that much pressure so he was very complimentary though wasn’t he in his post match he was inde beir to him yeah and and that’s like for him that’s the challenge of the

The coaches against each other of how do I get one over him and and that would Gripen him he was complimentary but behind closed doors he’d be fuming you know because as he’d say some of them coule off the line night off the malls at the end of the game and he’d probably

See them as a little bit soft but you got to give credit to the Irish but some Dr balls as well he was alluding to and actually not you know it’s all right have possession but it’s actually what you do with that ball and I think at Key

Moments they just turned over the ball and I think that was a big and they were they were our sorts do you know but uh I noticed that the actually Ireland’s attacking line was really really deep so it negated that really like line speed you either negated with kicking or you

Negated where you’re just really really deep that that they have so much space to come up under and I thought but they kicked so well as well absolutely so they varied their game but um yeah I think that like we have to complement the pressure our own uh players on

France now I do think France were a sorts and I’d said a prior to game if we and look it’s anyone who’s played France or know the French themselves it’s not in their nature like they would if we could score first we’d silence the crowd

And really put doubt on them um I think the big ke area for me that I thought was going to be a worry was uh luku and jber I was like right these guys play a BAU we’ve obviously spoken about how unbelievable they have been in in the

European Cup they can absolutely light a game and split open um but they probably show that they’re when the backs are against the wall they’re not great at managing a game from a different angle and a different style of play and I thought then everyone fed off that like

Not one player excuse me kind of stood up like even H like janty and um Vicki was like obsolete like yeah not one moment did they have this big powerful like I was kind of worried about J um jantti as well danty I was like this lad

Could run overs like the Midfield battle a b key but nonexistent I think as well that flips on to your mentality of coming from Bordeaux coming from the top 14 of playing the whole time yes the international side like to do it but an International Rugby in a game that’s so

Tied sometimes when you do lose someone like a dupan that you just need that control exactly right the game management just went to kick kick well and not just run everything because you could see the glimpses of when jalar and luku connected they look dangerous but when they’re not going forward it’s a

Different story you know and and then you need to kind of sit back get your photos going forward play the percentages and played a simple game really but again credit to Ireland I think and you mentioned danty there and I thought that they isolated him quite well and oh defensively yeah and they

Always had a front door option and someone at the back and that was key because the French were so unsure about who they were taking and we saw it for um Ty burn try and even when bndi was making short ones short burst of someone out the back and it’s second guessing

Them that you’re going to get a soft shoulder and get through which was again just things starting to click everyone was an option weren’t they on the attack talking about Big Joe now he was so influential in that win what has he added to this team yeserday we I was on something else

CH about this and and I actually surprised myself with the analogy I I pictured him as like this bouncer he was just like taking no more crop and removing people from Coppers like that’s the way there’s a bit of dog in him and there’s a bit of bite and he just takes

No like he just doesn’t and we probably if Ireland have any if we’ve any quams about ourselves over the last couple years we’ probably been too too nice like we haven’t been ruthless but your man stepped in and on here I’ll show you ruthless he just he made

At their breakdown he carried ball I said this before we we said speaking about lenser he’s ridiculously mobile for a big guy and um lots of comparison to etab bets over the weekend now he’s far from that at the minute but I mean the guy is 22 and he’s just literally

Burst on the scene if he can continue on this trajectory who knows where he’ll go um because you know with experience bring game smart and and and look the other flip side is people are going to start to know who Big Joe is so he’s going to get a lot more attention from

The flip side and that’ll be the question now going through this Championship if he continues to play um when he is getting a bit more of attention how is he going to react to that but listen hats off to him um 23 R Rooks nine tackles nine carries um yeah

He was just Sublime you know he really really was and uh he really probably gave that injection of of an ingredient Oreland were missing especially going away to the place like France where they just needed to bring the game to France um and yeah very impressive he certainly has a bright

Future ahead like what impressed you most about his his performance um well like firstly on some of the stats that you see about him like it’s nine carries it’s they’re nine devastating carries where gain line gain line every time defensively he makes an impact with

Everything he does um I was going to say youthful enthusiasm but it I think he’s more than that you know it’s he goes out what’s my job gets told to do it and he goes out and just does it like he okay I’m going to smash him I’m going to hit

Him not just soak away everything’s impactful in what he does and look it’s that athleticism and size that we know as Irish people who don’t normally produce and and he’s got it and it’s kind of been that been that X Factor thing that we’ve come up short against

Teams you know your will skeletons these um these big players when we play lell and these bigger French sides that we struggle sometimes but we have one now in our own in our own side and he just just shows the damage he can do and yeah

Look the challenge of him now is that people know who he is and what he can do but then that creates space for someone else and they still have to stop him you know everyone knows about just skeletons and ET bets and still have to stop him

And it’s bloody hard you know so for him look just so impressive his attitude he’s a small in his face like his whole family are over there and loving it which is great and it’s all encompassing for him and And he as I say for me he

Plays with a small in his face and looks like he’s enjoying it and does damage out there you know and it’s it’s great well B of my mom and was like you know what an introduction let me introduce myself to you Mr aldr and like he’s put

He put Gregory aldre on on on his ass and he he drove him back so uh yeah I think he had a nice introduction that’s like a firm handshake isn’t it it was a huge night for Jack Crowley as well there was so much pressure on him going

Into this game but he looked so composed not everything went his way of course in the first half in particular but he was able to just dust himself down go on to the next job and he performed so well he’ll take such confidence from that performance performance yeah um I think

I think it was Michael Walsh maybe in in the Indo who oh Dennis Walsh Dennis Walsh was it who wrote about uh the stats about Ron nagara who had to be I think actually as well um Mr lenan uh wrote last or said last night in off

Head off the yeah against the head he said that they had to take him off against Scotland just after halftime and then obviously uh Johnny seon and his debut against England miss four kicks and we forget about that we don’t remember those we do not remember that

So if you’re compare that this man made six out of seven kicks he missed the straightforward one but he made the ones from the sideline look absolutely very very easy um yeah he wasn’t perfect but I mean like we can now finally close the GL the the glass

Cabinet with Johnny seon’s boots in Jersey and he now has to be put on a pedestal where he deserves but it’s now time for Jack Rowley to shine and hopefully build a bit of consistency in that 10 Jersey and make it his own he probably did try and force the game the

Grubber kick was the best IA no cuz we numbers that’s okay um but as the game went on he grew um and there was another nice Point whether it was because they wanted to keep France tight in The Rook with their carries they just played an

Awful lot off nine and then he was very deep at 10 so I think he didn’t get an awful lot of cheap shots at them which I would have thought right if France are going to Target us Grand they might Target our breakdown but they’ll definitely try and Target a new player

Inexperienced with a lot of pressure and a lot of talk pregame so um I think there’s only maybe one kind of hit on them I that I saw but what I loved is it didn’t matter about the mistakes he still stuck by it he grew into the game

And the fact that he just owned it and continued to play was the one thing that really stood out for me and you know I just huge congratulations a very proud day for for him and his family what did you like about his performance um yeah again on Lindsay’s point of drawing

Defenders on I think again for that TIG burn break he could have given the ball up nice and early but he drew the defender on him I’m not sure who it was I know they isolated danty but he did take a big whack when he gave it you

Know and he was taking he doesn’t Che those physical you can’t though you can’t like and he’s he’s got to be able to to bring more to it you can see Johnny takes his hits towards the end of his career and he was going down then

But it’s part and parcel of being the 10 you’re going to have big Lads running down your channel if you shy away people are going to go for you for more and there’s no hiding place so the more you stand up it goes back to the kind of

Johnny Wilkinson days of like he could hit you know if you ran at him he’d hit you and you know all about it and sometimes wouldn’t and you target him you know and some people might have targeted Ro and run down his channel but might have been a perceived weaker

Defender but that’s the way it goes especially at International Ruby I think Jack stood up in everything he did agree he made some wrong decisions again hindsight wrong decisions but at least he’s trying things out there he he’ll grow he’s going to grow even more from

That and the confidence is I think for him is that he’s got this under the belt away from away in France he moves on there next week and that’s he’s only judging his last performance he’s got to keep these standards now and he’s not going to be all of a sudden rested

Because Johnny’s back in it’s forget about that you’re in control you’re in the driving seat this is your side steer the ship around you know and he’s it’s exciting times really is you know for such young players to do it it’s it’s great to see that’s the thing these

Young players calv vanash was another player who made his six nations debut and crossed the TR line he said he was so nervous in the buildup and that Andy farell had a quiet word with him on Thursday night which really settled him and he texted Keith Earles as well just

To settle the nerves but he has put his faith in these players and it’s always about the team and they’re all pulling together they’re all they all know what their role is and that’s probably why it’s so seamless for these young players to just fit in because the team have

Faith in them they have faith in their own confidence and they all know their roles yeah like Andy farell seems like a guy who his emotional intelligence is ridiculously high so to be able to bring these young players in make them feel at ease he’s obviously a very open guy who

Allows them to make mistakes and he’s trying to instill still a confidence in them that they just need to play they need to play heads up rugby obviously he has to have a game plan so the overall cohort of players under him are are singing off the same him sheet but

Essentially um the fact that he can name that with Calvin Ashton say how you feeling I can see you’re a bit nervous and allow him to chat to him kind of gives him that confidence that he can just play and make mistakes but stay in the game staying the fight just keep

Playing um and they’re the key moments for any team any individual any Collective that you just stay in the moment much you will make mistakes I make mistakes great Jack cr’s make mistakes like growth mindset your high performance with your own teams that is what we’re looking for mistakes are good

Not you don’t want to make them all the time but when you review them and improve them that’s the growth that we see but you have to be open to the fact that you’re human and every you know every defense isn’t going to give you

You can do all the reviews you want but they’re not going to give you that same setup all the time you know something might work for them and you have to own that decision but Calvin Ash was highest meters made I think 7060 made he he does

Exactly what he did for monster he gets on the ball he looks for ball and he drives those legs and he never stops kicking you know so um it was an exceptional try started off actually by Robbie hen was quiet he was probably in and out but um he drew Defenders what an

Off out off the ground to Kay and duris who just then put Nash in the corner don’t know what his celebration was about but maybe he might tell us he said it was something to do with the lads at home that he had some kind of bet with

Them or something like that his post match very good but um Andy farell deserves a L of credit for this positive environment he’s created and there was no sign of this World Cup hangover that we thought they might have after their quarterfinal defeat to New Zealand and

He said that they’re not they discussed that they spoke about it they moved on it’s always on to the next job yeah again it’s and Lindsay mentioned there it’s a gr mindset of parking it you analyze it you deal with it and you move on because you can’t live in the past

You got to keep going forward and I think with Andy farell been involved in four World Cups being around different coaching staffs and and line sides he’s learned an awful lot and he can see what works and what doesn’t work and what he feels work and what players buy into and

Don’t buy into and then you create your own uh your own brand I guess of what he wants to do and he’s instilled that in his team and he goes okay from all these high performance teams I’ve been involved in that works this is work let’s combine them together and you see

What you’re getting with the r side and everyone’s buying into it and everyone’s happy they know their game plan doesn’t phase him if someone comes in and drops out and that’s what you want to have you want to that competition for players you want him to be so comfortable to go up

To a player before a kickoff and go Jesus see your nervous there you know and some players are go oh my God like you’re highlighting it is it that obvious you know you’ll over things but for him it’s just like no just go there and it’s backing the player to to do

What you’re doing for your club and just produce what you’re doing and Calvin Ash is certainly the one who like he doesn’t stop running for stuff you know runs down kicks he make he can make a bad kick into a good kick with a great Chase and he certainly did that and deserved

His chance it was an almost perfect performance but they’ll no doubt have work on that they’ll be looking at and they’ll want to build on this performance now the scrum and the amount of penalties they gave away they gave away 11 penalties in total three of them

At this scum what was your read on that Lindsay is it just the perception of the front row now when it comes to Ireland being in a front row myself like three penalties not ideal but considering two years ago when we were absolutely destroyed at scrum time and

Antonio gave us so much hassle Porter giv shifting a lot of penalties that day I think tree isn’t bad um it wasn’t perfect John fogy will want to work on that but when you have a hugely big pack now I know Von would have been a big

Impact for them for his size uh been a lock in in there but um I still think it’s still not bad it’s not ideal it’s a work on but it could you see the thing is when you’re not confident and you’re giving away penalties at scrum time it

Can actually compet youate so the fact that again it was inconsistent but they said a in the fight they got some good ball off it we’ll take it it’s not it’s not ideal but but we will have to have improvements with the likes of Italy won’t pose us that many problems but

Against the likes of Scotland um who have experienced front row against England depending on who they play but they still marer GJ Don Cole there’ll be jam George like so they’ve experienced front rows but I still think uh I still think we can kick on probably one key

Area we talking about a lot of young players playing up I think now we really have to start unearthing uh like our hookers are great we’ve we’ve loaded them but probably now props wise we need to start unearthing uh a few more do you buy into I guess for the front row you

Buy into the whole narrative around the front row now everyone’s Saw made of Porters bringing the attention of referees and um like you know something goes down and they’re going okay that’s against Porter because I’ve seen them do it but because there’s loads of analysis online now and you see your Alex corero

You see um BJ voters put like and obviously front rowers who can analyze it and okay great when we can watch it back and go Hing in here yeah but it like cuz referees do work on on the front rows okay this is what this fell

Does and I’ve got to keep an eye on him it is about pictures and I was a very aggressive uh loci head and uh so if I got a good hit I’d naturally you’d naturally kick you say then some teams they’ll start letting me take the hit

And then you’re Wheeling yeah so if they’ve done their homework uh so there had to be like thankfully Al Shan was very experienced with me as a toy head and that’s a very people don’t understand the relationship between tight and loose so if I if I’m dominant

My side I’m really going to put a lot of pressure through the toe hit so then Al like L back off there in the hit so she because you want to promote your tie hit so um also it’s pictures so is my elbow short I need to go for a Long Point um

It really relies on like I put so much pressure on my flanks I’m like you absolutely better be perpendic to me because Porter like myself I’m sure you know when your hips are out they’re they’re m essentially are a big big product to look at so they’re easy to kind of you

Know so it is about pictures and that’s what referees are looking for especially xpros who might be in the backs and and they are not they’re not inside the head of being in that position because it’s very different it’s like a wrestling move so it’s pressures and you’re trying

To negate and you’re trying to keep the scrum up so there’s a lot to it to be honest but yeah I do agree I think that I entally I mean the amount of referees I had to try and Border up was ridiculous you know because I was in

Their bad books because if I wasn’t arguing I was then painting poor pictures I wasn’t asking what they needed me to do and he probably needs to do that now like okay uh fair enough you you’ve seen what you’ve seen what what you need me to do to get back in your

Good side and I think that’s the relationship now he has to build and this comes from someone who had to put their tail between their legs because what you feel is a good job it doesn’t matter you’re not the referee at the end of the day and if you’re costing your

Team penalties in key positions we really need to look at it so yeah many scrums in the game though thank God yeah so Ireland were focused on the line out and keeping the ball alive as well but um France they’ll be very disappointed with that run out where does this leave

Fabian galtier now that was the heaviest defeat under galtier um do you see them improving they’ve brought in seven new players after that defeat on Friday night um for next week’s game how do you see the rest of the competition play out for them now um look I expect them to

Bounce back to be honest with you you know I think that group just because of one game I wouldn’t throw everything out you know I think it’s a case of just getting back in it was a tough game a quality R side they lost and there’s no shame in that

You know I think they’ll just be frustrated with how they played at home um and it’s a quick turnaround and that’s the good thing about them and that’s what I’d be saying in in the in the dressing room this week is that’s still focus on this week because we can

Change narrative and perception within the week we don’t have to wait it’s not the Gap week we don’t have to Stew over this for two weeks it’s folks in the next one change that and get the momentum back again and get a win how much did France miss the key players

That they didn’t have at their disposal how much did that impact the game or was it a complete underperformance uh no I mean the the the players are missing I mean Dupont alone like he played he played the weekend didn’t he at 10 for too um and

Final game before show his class I mean all right you know you’re work last night we were just going to slot you in a 10 and he did exactly the same things and and you know he was I just saw Clips on on social he’s just ridiculous do you

Know he’s absolutely ridiculous but I said this last week on the show like what I think was the biggest thing for him is his energy and his belief and he does all that kind of dirty work or turnovers or these offloads he should get off that you know bring all the

Players around him into that game and not enough of the French did that for me on Friday night now as I said I think they got an absolute slap in the face will villon and the the red card it did impact cuz you could see on the fault

That’s where there was gaps and and arand just moved the ball so quickly that it was just they were always you know they really exploited that man down but at the same time in when they were a full compliment there I still saw enough from Ireland to say we’re winning this

Game I thought they were you know from of the yes I’m not going to give them that out but um like the thing about they don’t travel like they’ve not great history against Scotland they don’t travel well so they’d want to be bouncing back pretty quick but um uh

Yeah they’ve the players are they’re missing now they’re they’re big they’re experienced and I know he took a a gamble on on vson bringing back a couple but yeah I don’t I don’t think the pack the pack will get you gain line ball there’s still great players there but

Like comes back to me for luk jber like um like you’ve Gregory aldre who was um like B Player of the Year and or nomination anyway but and you didn’t get him in the game he’s one of your best carriers so where are you going to manage this game that’s that’s where I

Think now they have to look at how how are they going to exploit Scotland where are their strengths where are their weaknesses and they have to look at that so I think there’s enough depth now in in France to you know to not have excuses to be honest like there was such

High hopes and winning that home World Cup like they just can’t be extinguished overnight like as it’s not it’s not that big a hangover three months is enough time for them to get there and they’re playing well in Europe so they have exceptional worldclass players they just

Need to get them singing off the same I think as well with the individuals that you can go out and play a game you can have two or three players who might and play to their best and you can kind of get away with it just too many players

Didn’t didn’t perform at all and whether that happens again it’s probably doubtful you know that you’re going to have so many players who don’t step up on the day and yeah look like fully expect them to back back but it’s a tough one going to Scotland yeah um

Ireland now we’re in the driving seat the players and the coaching ticket won’t be getting carried away but we as supporters can backto backs Grand Slams has never been done in the Six Nations era you know you know we we have this competition in our control now don’t we

Lindsay absolutely um the thing about six nations and a competition that’s so well firstly it’s a test M like it’s a war of attrition every week There’s very little turnaround it’ll depend on injuries um but certainly right now from what we’ve seen from Oreland I’d be very

I think you know we were typically Irish weren’t they were like no one mentioned the elephant in the room and everyone was a bit like wey and then we won we’re like yeah yeah yeah back to back grand slams and we’re we’re confident now and saying it but I’m not certainly going to

Lose the run over ourselves be interested to see what what he goes does he go for consistency or does he now give uh young men who deserve an opportunity and opportunity um I still think now after the performance for Jamie George to come back and say they could still win this Championship now

Was a bit I don’t know a bit too confident for me however England away are never easy regardless of how they perform and so I still think there’s banana skins but if Orland plates their potential and are consistent and build on what we saw on Friday night then uh

I’d be very very confident to be history made yeah the question is of course as you said what will he do when it comes to team selection Andy far isn’t known for making wholesale changes but will we see a few new faces come in against it

Le this weekend um I expect a few not too many though again his his history shows he doesn’t like to make too many changes he likes to keep that momentum I think he would like to keep it especially given there’s a week break post Italy so and there’s not

Opportunity for players to kind of rest up and come back in as opposed to okay do we look at the at the Welsh game and I don’t think they need to do that now I think it’s a case of keep it going give one or two players maybe an opportunity

Um but yeah I wouldn’t I wouldn’t like to see too many changes boys want to keep that momentum going as I say and it is it’s so exciting really when you kind of before the game you’re so nervous after then the grand slam of course pops

Up because fixes kind of fall in your favor a little bit as well okay the England game is going to be you take each game game one off expect to win this week have a break regroup and then you come in and you go okay let’s have

Two massive weeks here you know and look each team are going to pose a different problem you know and everyone’s at a different stage each country is at a different stage but I think the Ireland are ahead of where the other countries are and we need to be confident now and

Back ourselves to go we should we should do it onto the other two games Italy had never beaten England in the Six Nations it remains thus after the weekend but they certainly gave them a good rattle in Rome what did you make of that oh God

It was lovely to see the Italian flare confidence uh back you know they outscored try wise in the England um so I thought their tries they scored were absolutely exceptional um Yani they’re like the I think Freddy steuart never completed his tackle and up he gets and

He made it in so I just think the thing that lets me down for the Italians is they’re just their Endeavor their enthusiasm their flare is brilliant to see but they just can’t manage games when they need to like you know they’re never afraid to give an offl you’re like

No you’re like you see it happening before it happens you’re like roaring up the Telly but H hugely pos positive start and I was yeah just roaring them on and yet to be leading a halftime and leading throughout the match um they just they were deserving of their win

But it just comes back to just always the brides made never the bride I’m just like if they could just get the game management side of things slow it down they need to whether that’s kick for territory use your set piece uh just keep the ball put it stick it up your

Jumper your granny jump or hide it if you need to just get yourselves over the line so yeah I I just hope it’s not the same narrative again for them but yeah they were definitely glimpses of probably that confidence we’ve seen um with benon and Zeb just coming in you

Know and some of their big players coming back yeah they were 1713 ahead at halftime as Lindsay said and they played some great attacking exciting rugby what do we learn about England they were strong enough to see it out did you see any um of their new attacking game

Plan coming to the four um not really when you hear bowick come out and say I think they were on the pitch um three times before they played a six nations game was quite interesting because they’re obviously doing a lot of um school work or in behind doing a lots of

Prep so with Felix Jones coming in as well and everyone trying to input all this new new coaching staff it’s going to have an input and it’s going to take time to embed the strategies they trying to implement into the side because yeah they just kind of looked a little bit

Disjointed but look what they’ll say is look we came way the win and we’re just going to grow and you’ll hear all those words coming out of them but yeah I just don’t know where England are going to go I I do I will take the England game for

A once off later on in a couple of weeks because who knows what’s going to happen regards the form or anything irand England always huge um but I just don’t know like England were lucky I think you know they just did enough um it’s going

To take a while well they Chuck the game plan out after half time didn’t they yeah and I’m like all this about your new sty of rugby and look I absolutely agree with James like you can’t like you can’t just all of a sudden change your philosophy your EOS

And these players like the lik uh Mario toj marer um that it’s not say they can’t play but like Mar be used to it with say have Marcus Smith as his 10 and they just play an open expansive soil and it’s just like whatever is out there they’ll just play that’s the style

They’re going to go but then you’ve George Ford in at 10 and I couldn’t understand then why you left Finn Smith on on the bench like if you’re going to make a change you’ve time now you this Six Nations no one really expecting anything for you you’re going to have to

Let the lads just let the shackles off and play but you did it for the first half and then you’re like uhoh we could lose this match and you reverted the kind of Orthodox style that you are trying to get away from so look easy for

Me to sit here and say we know it even the new defensive system with Nina bar and lenser it takes 14 games it takes so you’re asking them to change something really really quickly with not not an awful lot of time but the best time to change this is during test matches where

You’re in this cldr where you’re you can’t replicate that in training so just stick by it and you know what stick to your guns and if it works it it can only Buton proove but you have to let the lads play the system don’t have a Wubble

And get it you know Chuck it out the window then because I just think it’s counterproductive for me personally if George Ford is out until for the or sorry Marcus Smith is out for the rest of the Six Nations will he stick with George Ford and because of that will we

See them going back to the old guard again I I don’t really know I like personally I’d like to see Finn Smith have a crack because he’s been unbelievable um for Northampton this year and the back end of last year um I’d like to see it’s it’s year one of a

World Cup cycle as well if you take it like that and Lindsay’s right that you kind of if you’re going to change you change now and you stick with it because now is the time because we’re we are so far out you’ve got summer tours you can

Kind of build on it if you kind of start like the first half and you’re trying to play a different way and then go back to it that’s fine to do maybe to close out a game if you’re well ahead you can kind of shut down you can have George Ford in

The bench for that to come on and just game manage kick Corners slow the game down kick three points whatever play conditions but for me I’d like to see them like stick with that style we’re going to change it right let’s do it now and we might get some bad results yeah

But that’s part of it and normally England own Panic you know and and Ireland wouldn’t necessarily do what England do and and make wholesale changes and and play the way six they would do a six nations England don’t mind coming for it you know because it’s World Cups that they’re looking at

Initially and as I say year one of a of a fouryear cycle it’s perfect time to embed a new style of play yeah there’s so many T so many talented players at their disposal so if it clicks for them it might be too soon this Six Nations

But they could be a real Force no they could and probably just to build on that point before we move on is that I don’t understand why he had an opportunity to go for a Northampton Saints backline partnership that are used to playing together do you know it was a no-brainer

For me do you know if you’re going to take a chance like like they’ve been playing exceptionally well for and they’re used to each other so that’s a very important pairing you know and like for Crowley with Gibson Park they don’t play at Province together but if you had

Conor Murray and Crow you could kind of see if if that had been the choice just to to help that part parip and and stability but um yeah I think if england get it right they have the athletes to to do it like Freddy Stewart isn’t another man Mountain like and you’re

Thinking oh he’s a back you know he could play in the second row as well so um Ethan ruths got um man of the match and and he was he was excellent you know so there’s um there’s a lot of uh positives from England but I just think

They’re going to take time and I I just think it’s patience is going to be the key for them um and like Felix Jones you know hopefully he won’t come to haunt us but he he will take time but will it take 14 games which would in international would be what two

Years yeah potentially year and a two six nations anyway you know and that’s they need to get some good test games in between um the six Nation cycle because that’s the difference and I think you unearth a lot of like we spoke about Calvin lash who took his time we talked

About Jack Crowley you actually um went down on that that tour in New Zealand we were kind of gone why you taking you know players from our our provinal setup our URC and yet now we we look at it now but it was a chance for the coach and

Staff um to have a look at them and bring them back and give them a chance in the senior Camp so it is about now how Steve borwick manages that and gets good test games and give players a chance to to just play because it’s confidence is you know there’s no way

You’re a professional and and getting an in England setup if you’re not worthy of it um but yeah you’d still be worried about round three though and twick him you just you know what yeah there’s always that so finally onto the game which had the most exciting

Half of rugby the second half of course of Wales and Scotland Wales were 270 down in the principality at 43 minutes but then they scored four un unanswered tries and just came back and could have nicked it in the end could have nicked it in the end I think looking back I

Would have kind of said what would I be happier with getting the win been Scotland or been the wellsh going behind and coming back I think could be happier being a Welsh supporter because I guess you look at that side they’re such a beautiful side and you expected them to

Didn’t think they were going to get that much of a relic and they did first half but then it suited them when Scotland’s just defense went out the window looked like a super rugby game and and there’s some decent attack and threats coming from the Welsh back there and just to

Put them under pressure I’d be so happy been a been a Welsh supporter but Scotland I’d be pretty worried because that’s a strong experience side you have out there and to concede that many tries and pretty poor defensive uh efforts from Scotland you’d be worried I know

The French up next you know so I’ll be at at home but there’s going to be a lot of tough questions asked this week in the Scottish Camp yeah that was their first win in Wales for 22 years so they’ll look at that as a positive but

It was almost a complete capitulation in the second half what side do you lean on would you be happier in the Welsh camp or in the Scottish camp this week definitely happier in the Welsh I watched that game and I have my nephews over so I had the three kids and I was

Like I’m sorry we can’t start the movie until this game because it was so exciting and I was going to turn it off to be honest and Wales came alive uh Wayne Right today just got them uh shees got them so much from football he was

Making line breaks um Rio Dar then on the wing he probably he made a break uh oh God and I thought he was going to finish it but Jes his Meander his run his game line his meters made um they just stood up and I think it was how the

Experienced player years that they retained at over 400 caps and everyone else had just the bare minimum like and they’re missing um JY lake is one of them anyway so the players missing George nort should be back this week for for England is that who they’re playing

Um so he should be back which will add hugely but you know what the the the young men stood up and they weren’t afraid to play in the second half and that would give them huge huge confidence you know no one would begrudged them if they lost to Scotland

Considering all they’ve been through where they’re starting they really are starting with a clean slate um and I think they have to be very very proud the principality was rocking you could see the passion in them um they were probably a little bit Chell shocked in

The first half but but they came to life yeah it’s the beginning of a new era for this webside Warren Gatlin said after the game that 40 that first 40 minutes was the worst 40 minutes that he has ever seen or coach and so they they look

At the second half and they’ll take a lot of confidence from it as Lindsay said um where do you think this weals side can go in this competition um well I think the next game is going to be huge for them you know against against English to see because they’re both kind

Of starting to Fresh although the English are probably a little bit ahead of them in that regard but that’s going to be a big challenge because I think the English should be a little bit more ruthless than the Scottish if they get their tails up as as the The Scholar

Said I just think that’s going to be a test of character they obviously they Shan they can’t fall asleep or be quiet or be too slow to start an International game because all of a sudden you’re 20 points behind if not if not more and you’re chasing the game and they’re fine

Chasing the game but I think they need this side needs to learn to grow um I think if they come mid table if they come third or fourth they’ll be happy enough really came third would be brilliant if it came forth that’s where I’d see them around fourth Scotland

Showed a Frailty of course in that second half and they conceded 14 consecutive penalties so they’ll have a lot to work on how do you think they’ll turn up against France well they’ll have to be disciplined um I think it just still relies on the which is terrible to say I

Mean they were only missing Hugh Jones really like I don’t think they were missing too much they still to me looking on paper the fagerson were still there um Richie gray um yeah they just still had F Russell plays a big impact on on how he controls

The game do you know and they were Sublime at times and he he is Sublime at times do you know what I mean but um he just has to be consistent through that game because I think when he’s in control Scotland are in control um and

Then he can turn on when when he needs and we saw that in the opening rounds last year you know when they got wins and and that’s very tough to say to put all that pressure on one player but that’s how good he is you know um I

Think Scotland will have you know Gregor towns and I’m sure did in Alex Ferguson and abolutely choked whatever he caught at the wall and absolutely let it because um when you’re 20 points ahead and you should have put your foot on the jugler and really just killed them off

You didn’t and that’ll be the difference with Scotland potentially winning third or hanging around fourth fifth with which they C and that’s how inconsistent Scotland are I think there’s a lot of chaff from them about how good they are as always as always but you know what

Lads you kind of need to back that up now with a performance and I think that’s where they need to step up but yeah I think it’ll be interesting to see you know we’re CH about the fr the French she will come very very wounded

But like I’d like to see the pride of Scotland stepping up and taking a scalp off France if they’re really you know haven’t reviewed and really feel bad about their second half performance cuz because I’m sure we all seen the meme where Finn Russ is like well we got we

Got over that line by the skin of our teeth yeah I think G ‘s and will read the right that completely it’ll be a hard week it’ll be a lot of hard conversations with players this week and I expect them to to be very focused this week and and the challenge ahead you

Know and and they’ll there’ll be pressure on them you know it really will because if you have like if you lose to France at home you’re okay you’ve beaten the Welsh away for the first time in was it 22 so which is great but your performance you know and it’s only a

Startat really to lose at home that’ll be tough because you’re you’re remembered for that last 40 really of we just held on but je we’re a terrible second half and Gregor certainly won’t like that and he as I said he’ll read the right act and they’ll be under

Pressure this week well we’ll leave it there for this week my thanks to Lindsay and to James we’ll be back on House of rugby next week the Six Nations is up and running and round one was very exciting from an Ireland perspective we’ll be expecting more of the same next

Week before we finish up a bit of news there’s a new podcast dropping on joe.ie this Thursday it’s called you must be joking it’s a comedy podcast with Willa white the hilarious Willa white and our very own Eric Lawler and the first episode features Dez Bishop so be sure

To subscribe that’s it from us on House of rugby until next week long aold Sports show presents House of rugby