The Left Wing: Ireland’s dominance, France’s implosion and Italy’s near miss

The Left Wing: Ireland’s dominance, France’s implosion and Italy’s near miss

Ireland remain on course for another six nations Grand Slam after recording a comprehensive win over Wales at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday and on the latest episode of the left wing podcast we will assess Ireland’s campaign today after three consecutive bonus Point victories has won the CP of back-to-back

Six Nations titles will sty here with you toight to be joined in Studio by Rory Conor and on the line by Luke frr and Ro it’s been dominant it’s been impressive three wins out of three 11 wins in a own the championship stretching back to 2022 you know a lot

To get into tonight as we look back at not only the whales game but you know kind of take stock after the opening three weeks of matches but for you what’s kind of jumped out to you was the most impressive thing of what Andy f side have achieved over the last couple

Of weeks I I think the way they’ve parked the World Cup and been able to perform as if it never happened is is incredibly impressive especially in the wake of Johnny saxon’s retirement and we all know how important he was to the team and right up until until you know

The fact he stayed on until the 80s what was it 83rd 84th minute in in Paris um as they tried to kind of overcome that deficit against New Zealand you know that the Farrell even in that moment never it never seems to cross his mind even to to replace Johnny seon that he

Went down with the ship he was the captain and he’s not there anymore and the ship’s fine you know it’s it’s it’s it’s been really impress impressive and I think if you go back to the you know not many people team sorry not many people were were tipping Ireland to win

This tournament but because I I think we all thought there would be a bit of a hangover we all thought there would be a bit of a transition after Johnny um and the way the team has picked up and and where it left off with Jack Crowley at

The helm has has been super impressive and and I think when you contrast it with France it’s even you know like there’s such a h that the graph has moved in such different directions from those for those two teams who were two of the best four teams in the world at

The World Cup not that long ago one is now plummeting and the other one is still you know right on on course and and kind of looking like it’s going to you know retain its title and win it back toback grand slam so um I think there’s lots to like about irand there’s

Lots that’s impressed me but I think that mental resolve to just park the incredible disappointment of a World Cup H ending the way it did and come back a couple months later and keep performing has been very impressive yeah because it feels like a page has been turned but

It’s like in terms of just days or months since the World Cup it’s been a very short space of time but it it feels like a lot of time has passed but as you say to be able to hit the ground running from from night one when it was it was

Set up for France to hit the ground running it was Marseilles it was this new venue it was a great atmosphere and then irland just went out and laid waste to France and it’s hard to know if Ireland had played poorly and France had maybe squeaked the win would all of a

Sudden have they been able to kick on or if it was almost like the well had been poisoned from a French perspective heading into the tournament I know I suppose well I think what we can I think we can ascertain from France’s ill discipline from their inaccuracy that

They’re not the same team that they were that they that something has been broken within that setup I obviously they’ve lost their best player as well but they haven’t dealt with that in anyway H as well as Ireland have um and you know films getting two yellow cards that

Night it’s it’s almost like a canary in the co mine as as to how the he’s a very reliable solid International Ruby player who’s reliable to get a yellow card as well well sure but like you know I like even there were such there were so you

Know to make the same mistake twice in the same game and I just thought that was it’s spoke volumes about where France are mentally and how they have been broken by that World Cup but um just Ireland didn’t give them a chance Ireland didn’t allow them that

Opportunity they never gave them a Sniff and and they haven’t given anyone a sniff really across the three games probably last Saturday was their least impressive of the three performances in some ways but I think Wales played a big part in that and yet they were still

Able to beat the spread and and you know it took them 81 minutes to to get the four tries but their their record getting bonus Point points in the Six Nations is remarkable so like it’s the best Irish team we’ve ever seen certainly the most consistent Irish team

We’ve ever seen and to be able to do that while kind of making that major change away from seon to integrate a new 10 to use the squad like he’s he’s used a lot of players I think he’s used more players than anyone else in this tournament Andy Farrell as well you know

Using that Italy game to make a lot of changes and there there is such a good spot they’re in such a healthy spot the the great shame I suppose is that it’s three years until the next World Cup until they get a chance to kind of right

That wrong because it’s hard to know what they can like I think the big challenge for him as he you know refreshes the team over the course of a couple of years is also to trying to keep motivation levels High because they’re so far ahead of the pack and

They’re winning the these games so comfortable to keep reframing things and keep that consistency High I guess the All Blacks have have been able are the only team we’ve ever seen who who have been able to do it but their Relentless winning record is is it’s very

Impressive yeah 11 Six Nations wins in a row all of them by double digits as well I think 13 points is the lowest winning margin that they got twice in last year’s tournament so they have as you said not only not giv team a sniff over

The last three match SES but going back to 2022 in the tournament they they’ve been very Domin and comprehensive Luke uh from your perspective like what’s jumped out to you over the first three weeks in terms of what Ireland have done well or what you’ve been most impressed

With in terms of anything Rood said or what you’ve kind of gleaned yourself I just haven’t been surprised but I just think they’re a really good team um the big concern for me was probably how Jack Rowley was going to fit in but just because of how form has been a

Little bit patchier maybe with moner than I thought um but he seems like a smart enough guy to have realized that thing that I was saying to you before the just before the competition started will that he just kind of has to slot in there and there’s actually loads of

Really top quality players around him um so that mental hurdle was always going to be the hardest thing for him was that he wasn’t it wasn’t going to be all about him that he just actually has to facilitate all the r good players around him I think he’s doing that really well

And shown bits of class himself he stay true to his kind of own style of play but also he’s generally looked for the simple thing a few odd ones here and there which you’d expect from a kind of a budding International but um yeah um I

I think maybe I was I was expecting there might be some kind of slump um but at the same time I’m not I’m still not surprised like if you think about the guys in that pack um I’ve just been so impressed them like an open Play they’re

So hard to to contain um and I actually thought Wales did quite a good job with that in the weekend um I know we’re going to get into the game a little more after this like I mean the officiating and us getting two yellow cards yes I actually think we

Probably deserve two yellow cards but how they didn’t get one even though the decisions were poor in the first half and very very harsh at times um that was really kind of amazing to me how they didn’t get a yellow card in the first half it wasn’t talked about at all I was

On r a Welsh radio station for the game um but yeah look that’s I I just feel like this team was a really it’s it’s a it’s like a tale of two different countries and and everything that kind of goes on behind the scenes if you get

Me like if you look at Ireland I think we’ll be consistent for quite a while actually I think we have a way of playing now kind of similar to all those New Zealand teams over those years that’s why you get that consistency and I think a lot of the provinces like it’s

A real strong base that we’re picking from conversely you look at Wales and the regions and kind of how difficult things have become there um for all you know for various reasons I I think it’s I think you’re seeing all that hard work and the real strong foundations

Come through this Irish team and I expect us to be a real threat and one of the top three teams in the world at least um I think for the next 10 years I really believe that I think we’ve got a really good foundation so long story short nothing’s really surprised me well

I’ve been really impressed with them I think we’ve got a great coaching staff too which which does help as well very settled you know um faron’s coaching staff he leads it so well doesn’t he like he’s a real calming presence and seems to have a real good like I you I’m

Looking they obviously are quite good tactically but he has his man management skills I think is what what what it kind of that’s what keeps that’s what that’s what cams me about looking on this team and can he continually reframe this for them I think he’ll be able to do that I

Think his man management skills will be able to kind of bridge that Gap and keep them there for a long time when there’s going to be change over bodies like a sexon goes um or Peter maty goes soon you know you know that kind of way so I

Know I’ve covered loads there but um yeah it’s so good to see it it’s so enjoyable going to watch the team there like even though they didn’t play great the weekend like it’s great like they they still beat them very comprehensively you know yeah just to

Pick up the Andy FR point R because I think a testament you you can pay to him and the coaching staff is that like going into this tournament I was wondering about the form some of the key players you know I didn’t think Lancer have been unbelievably impressive this

Year I know they got that big scap on lar shell but that was kind of a roll up to sleeves performance rather than one when they played you know really well from start to finish and I think consistently you’ve seen when they go into irland Camp as good as they have

Been for l for Monster for conter for roster the collective improves immeasurably I think which says a lot considering how good they generally are when they get into the Ireland camp and that has to be down from the top down from Andy f setting that tone yeah I

Like they do talk an awful lot about how much they enjoy the environment and it’s not just talk you can see it from me like I was around them a fair bit in Portugal um before the tournament started and even just happened to be in the vicinity of their first their team

Meeting just after he he’ uh he he’d um named the team for the opening game against France and Marseilles and I like I I wasn’t with an ear shot of been able to hear what was being said but I was nearby and all you could hear coming out

Of the room was Galls of laughter like it was just this it was like a standup com comedian was doing a doing a routine at the top of the room and then they went out and trained so there is um like that does help I think they really do

Like that stuff is not kind of try sound bites you’re getting out the camp I think they do genuinely love being there and like that’s half the battle isn’t it like you know being able to obious obviously you also have to have a good sound tactical plan and be very good

Players but they have that as well and I think farell the way he dealt with the World Cup failure and the way he framed it as G I’m already over it you know at the Six Nations launch in comparison to what galer’s been gal has been hanging

On to it and kind of you know I I I think you know the the French it’s kind of there because he hasn’t released it the players can’t release it either and it’s kind of seeped into their whole tournament whereas um even though like I listen to Hugo Keenan talking today and

He’s not over the world cup and a lot of them aren’t over the world cup they’ve been able to channel it into performances rather than let it kind of seep into a negative mindset and the work far’s done with Andy with Gary Keegan I think has been key to that as

Well the bit of a change up in terms of going 6-2 on the bench having crowdy there it’s just a little bit there’s a bit of freshness without you know throwing the baby out with the B bat water as well so I think far’s done a

Magnificent job I think he has done ever since kind of the well obviously he was putting them when the results were going badly the foundations were being laid and we couldn’t see them from the outside and and what we could see was a pretty poor team who appeared to be

Going nowhere and then obviously they had that game against England and ever since they’ve been on a roll and I think what he’s been able to do is successfully reframe um the team’s Ambitions he’s been able to kind of you know he’s never been satisfied like they

Had a good tournament in 2022 when they lost in France and um and he was like that that’s not good enough and the following year to come back and win a grand slam and this year they’re coming back having won the Grand Slam and it looks like they’re going to win the

Grand Slam even better by larger winning margins with more bonus points it’s it’s remarkable you know and I think he has he is key to that like he is the main man he is the alpha in that relationship he’s not alone like Simon is is’s doing a great job with the

Defense Paul Connell is doing a great job with the forwards the line out’s improved the players are performing and they have to take responsibility to some degree for that but farell also has put the conditions in place for them to do so well yeah Luke you know we’re

Touching the defense there I want to get your opinion on it because you’re obvious kind of one of your big things you like to discuss you know I think in the last 13 Six Nations games Ireland have ConEd 13 tries only the next best defense iive record is 28 chice conceded

So almost double what Ireland have conceded like how impressed have you been or or what are you noticing in their defense that’s that’s been so successful for them and even in this tournament I what they’ve conceded three tries and three games so that average it’s going to be very difficult to beat

A team when you’re only conceding one try a game yeah it really is provided of course that your kind of penalty count doesn’t really balloon or whatever but yeah look I think what what impressed me most is like I still think they could be a little bit better um out the pitch but

What I love about them is they really hang tight for each other um like there was a period in that game where Wales if they got a try I think was it was it 177 maybe at one point or 24 so there was a period where like it was kind of in the

Balance and they just really hung tight for each other and they always seem to come up with that big turnover and big moments same thing happens in lots of the big games think of the South Africa win you think of the uh France win at times as well even though I know they

Were to 14 men but there was periods where there was kind of big turnovers that kind of key moments guys kind of you know showing up for each other consistently and it’s that’s kind of hard you it happens so often that I it sticks in my mind when I think of them

Defensively um I think they’re probably putting themselves in positions maybe a little bit more often than they have to I think they’re a better team than that and I think there’s still growth for them in the defense but there it’s it’s one thing that you can’t really quantify

But it happens so often that it’s definitely a thing with this with this team is that they have great fighting spirit and they never give up and they’ve got a realce balance as well I think of guys who can really compete on the on the ground they’ve got about four

Or five guys no matter who From the Bench or or starting in that pack and the two guys in the center generally excellent competing on the ground so they’re bloody hard like I played on teams that I I always feel like it’s something that’s not really mentioned

About the teams that I played on but Gordon Darcy and BR Risco they were like two extra back rowers playing they were a nightmare like they they they come up with three or four turnovers a game if you were loose you know and some backs aren’t great at roing either don’t not

That passionate about it but I think this Irish team has a lot of that too you think of Robbie Henshaw you think of BND a Kei is a nightmare in there as well I think some of the turnovers he had against Wales in the weekend um you

Know particularly in the first half like it stopped them getting any kind of momentum in the game I I think they’ve got that across the pitch um and you got to be tough and hard know to have that but you got to want to fight for each

Other twoo so so that’s what I think is great about this defense and I I still think they’ve I still think there’s a journey for them to go there’s like another I’m going to call it two or three percent you probably wouldn’t notice it on the eye and the stats are

Great um and I think we could be cautious about that because I do think while we are getting we’re very positive and bullish on this team I do think the competition is probably at as weakest for for quite a while um you know I can’t think of an

English player I’d put in a world 15 maybe a to maybe uh you know and that’s usually you’d have one guy where you’d have at least conversations like they’re really weak France as I said not in a good place um Scotland seem to be in a

Good place I don’t know why H but they are and they’re playing reasonably well I suppose um but um I think it’s a weak competition as well so I think the summer is probably what I’ll be looking more closely at I think that’ll be more defining for this team and we can judge

We can judge them a bit more closely about you know have they come on a little bit since the World Cup or are they still in the same place from that but um yeah look really enjoyable watch at the moment and I love seeing them showing off for each other um in in

Defense I think it’s such a good tra to have on a team they’re incredibly fit as well aren’t they like I I agree with Luke about the the tournament is is not strong this year but you know all the teams have been going since what the end

Of June in terms of this this long season and I know the Irish players are managed better than everyone else and like even Scotland have a loot of players based abroad so there’s it’s it’s harder for them to kind of manage and Gregor towns end has has had a big

Spiel this week about how he doesn’t have access to his players in between rounds three and four because of rules Premiership rules but Ireland’s conditioning um the work Jason Cowman and Kieran rck have done with them um is is phenomenal even their injury record you know y keen and ringrose are back

For for twiking them like there’s very few players unavailable M Hansen really is the only of member of the the squad who’s who’s kind of you know or Jimmy O’Brien I guess as well who who they’re missing they’re in great Nick for a World Cup Year and that that’s seven and

A half minute I was critical in the postgame podcast of their game Management in that period where Ty burn was in the Sim but I did think they maybe should have gone to the boot a little bit more played a bit for territory got the ball off the pitch but

Watching them back again today they backed their Fitness and I think we saw that the reward for that in the end game because they were still going and in the buildups of Ty Burns try and Dylan Lewis the poor old replacement tigh head prop for Wales was gone like he absolutely

Gone by the time turong Walts passed him sorry burn was walls pass and scored a try he had nothing left he had nothing left he just he got he managed to nail K and Doris two phases before that and that was his last act that was it he was

Done he got up on his feet and he just couldn’t do it anymore and the conditioning that they have compared to some of the teams they’re playing against like France some of those players don’t look very well conditioned at all um and they’re playing a different sport as well like you know

They’re moving the ball more they’re they’re determined to keep the ball on the pitch they’re determined to keep the ball in hand they’re determined to move the ball they’re determined to to to to go through the phases and they’re they’re they’re the fittest team in the tournament I think you know and that’s

Standing to them as well so um they’re setting a standard for this tournament because they haven’t dropped their standards everyone else apart from I think Scotland are had the same as they were last year and maybe they a more mature team I think Finn Russell is a

More mature player um and probably good point yeah I think they and they’ve bounced back a little bit from the World Cup very well In fairness of Scotland and they’ve probably got more cohesion um everyone else I think has gone backwards to a degree Italy are better

Than they were at the World Cup in fairness but they’re not really in the conversation we’re talking about you know because when we were watching the World Cup I think everyone was kind of consent agreement there was four standard teams France Ireland New Zealand South Africa two of them don’t

Play in this tournament one of them is blown up yeah that leaves one standout World beating team in this tournament and at the moment that’s kind of being born out obviously we’re only halfway through there’s two tough games to come but in terms of what we’ve seen thus far

It certainly looks that way like so maybe we shouldn’t be not that anyone’s surprised as Luke said he’s not surprised and and I am inde theed I suros but no one no one saw France collapsing so I mean I think the pre pre- tournament expectations were that

Ireland and France would have a bit of a hangover but Ireland haven’t had any hangover in France a terrible hangover they still and they still haven’t it might last four years you know like the way things are going so I think there’s there’s a bit think that’s why we’re

Surprised it’s I think no one everyone was unsure with all the retirements and people stepping away everyone was unsure as to where everyone was but like Ireland are the Ireland and Scotland they the only ones the last two years it’s been Ireland and France neck and neck there was no real reason going

Into this tournament to think that wouldn’t be the case again because as you said both teams suffered quarterfinal defeats both teams lost their captains so it should have been kind of reasonably power I was expecting a cracker in Marse and then you know maybe it’ll come down to points

Difference at the end but yeah the French decline has been been startling but nine and 10 guys is is is a big loss it’s a big loss like you know I know Jal bear is good but I think we’re kind of seeing now why that you know that that

That difference exists and why timak has made that Jersey Zone because obviously they were fighting it out they were kind of juking it out at a point you know um to taking those two guys out and I do think like sexon d deont is a different level dond

I like I was having this conversation with someone where like I think he might be the best rby player I’ve ever seen and I thought I just I never thought I’d say someone might be more influential than mcau but I think he might be I think he’s unbelievable he won’t have

The World Cups I don’t think to like maybe maybe he doesn’t get mentioned in that conversation against mcau but I I don’t know like he’s is just so like the stuff he was doing on the same weekend of the opening fixture against arand for to lose like there was a break there was

A there was a phase of play where I thought he he literally has done everything in the game in that one phase of play finishing off with like a Crossfield kick I was like the guy can do everything you know so I think we probably I thought he might I thought

The team actually I think I was given the rest of the team more credit at the start of the tournament I think I thought that kind of similar to Ireland the rest of the players were like really really outstanding you know and that it would just be a case of kind of feeding

Them and kind of fitting into a system I don’t think that’s the case with with with France anymore I think actually Dupont is bloody important for them like and he’s a nightmare like he he seems to occupy so much space in the opposing team’s mind as well because he’s on the

Ball so much and then remember Raj talking about like you know he’s pretty much impossible to plan for because he always seems to be around the ball even if there’s a break and play you know when it’s when it’s kind of loose ball and stuff so I think probably we we that

That we might be underestimating the impact of losing those two guys whereas we only have one and you have the lik a Conor Murray and Gibson Park to kind of mind it through it you know and Gibson park has become such an important part of Ireland’s game plan so so I just

Thought I’d say that just because I do think you know when he comes back in and anat come back in you know things could change um quite quickly for this French team so you know I think maybe NE like next year’s competition for example you

Know I could see the I could see them being back like I think France have fixed a lot of the problems with within the game there and they should I I think we should see them a more consistent outfit going forward but those two guys coming back in we’ll change the game I

Do think but it is funny like before the tournament you know I was talking about Dupont going to the sevens and I saying I didn’t agree with it I thought it was bad for the captain to be stepping away in terms of after the World Cup and I

Couldn’t have foreseen how bad if I thought if I knew it was going to be this bad I would have been raing against it even more I wonder what he what he feels now what his teammates feel what Fabian gal feels I know everyone thinks he’s a you know

Whatever he’s a bit of an but like the captains left him in the lurch like and now the team is is going off the rails what do the French supporters think who pay for their season tickets you know if Johnny Saxon was in his mid-20s and had decided to play sevens

Instead of retiring like didn’t look like it bothered antoan Dupont over in Vancouver as he made his his first steps it looked awesome and I he I think he’s being pretty pretty single-minded and selfish and G like I I missed the chance to win a World Cup in Paris I’m going to

Go and win an Olympic medal and that’s I think that’s the way he’s framing it for himself and and it does it does seem like he’s not really getting the flak over there I think a lot like the focus is on galtier who I think does have a

Lot of enemies H within the French game um I think his look like they were really waiting to pounce yeah like I like there are in my mind there are parallels with Ireland in in 2008 when when 2007 went so badly and then you know Eddie’s last year in ‘ 08 and

Things went really s really quickly and uh you know a very successful coaching um regime came to a very s end on the back of World Cup this the moment but it does sound like the French really can’t afford to get rid of GTA at the same

Time Brendan Fanning in in our jury on Monday had some figures about how much they’re in dead after that World Cup and it’s pretty pretty high so and he’s he’s under contract until the next World Cup so they look like a team we need to get

To the end of this tournament maybe get on tour during the summer and bring in some fresh faces um and obviously get Theon back on board for November and just get a bit of a break from each other it’s uh like it it does look like the ultimate World World Cup hangover

That they’re you know they will get over it at some stage but they look so much like the France of pre 2019 you know Mark Le aon’s France or G noes is France that team that was just so depressingly awful and added so little to the Six Nations and Ireland always found

Difficult to beat all the same but it was H it’s it the the tournament is lesser for them being so poor definitely the to did occur to me that if like galtier all of a sudden you know they lose you know to England or to Wales and

Really he goes pair shap he he leaves R Lara could potentially be the next French coach you know he’s I know L Shel had a sticky couple of weeks but he’s won two Champions cups he could win another Trophy this year he’d be surely one of the stand out candidates to take

It on we’ve seen that he can coach in French you know with a bit of a cork Twist on it like that could that could easily happen like not easily but like that’s that’s not a farf possibility I think it’s unlikely because I don’t they’ve ever had an overseas coach

Before and I’d say they would look at to lose for probably their you know and um UGA UGA thank you will cuz his name had escaped me briefly there but I mean he works with the nine and 10 they’re the books of players I I I agree he is the

Outstanding he’s one of the outstanding candidates for the job and and I think will do a very good job with with that group of players but I I just think the French would probably bulk at the idea of someone not from France still even though it’s quite normal in most other

Countries you never know though I mean England went and got overseas coaches in the form of Eddie Jones in when they were in crisis but what do you reckon Luke um I I think the obvious candid that would have been for them like Joe Schmidt would have been a really obvious

Cand like his French is like he’s got beautiful French you know what I mean um and they didn’t go with him no so he’s got really good french like you know he’s a teacher extremely bright guy like not that Raj isn’t but Schmidt’s on another level um and his French is is

Ridiculously good I think and if they didn’t get him at the time I remember thinking yeah I think you’re proba right is what I’m saying um they seem to go from from within although um you know I think I think they might be looking at this current set up and think do you

Know what like sea Edwards like he certainly doesn’t look like he’s got a a nice SNS on his French do you know like in way so um you know maybe they might be looking I think sorry I think while they’re not doing great in this tournament I think he’s had a big impact

Over the last number of years he’s been there and they might look at that and say you know what actually um you know it might be okay to look you know some somewhere else for for different knowledge for different ideas um but I do think that’s a really difficult job I

Remember talking I think Berard Jackman has some really good Insight on on the process there when he was over um in coaching in France and just into how the ff4 seemed to uh go about their business I think it is a political Beast you know to be the French coach and it’s very

Very difficult to to manage all the different views and some of the kind of old school ideas that were very prevalent before um this kind of setup is going of it’s the last probably the last two setup they’ve been reasonably professional professional you know but I

Think gal has done a massive amount with this world cup to get his hands on the players you know a little bit earlier and different things like that so and I think they’re a good bit more professional um so I think with that you might say they might yeah they might

Take a more ruthless view on it and say well who’s the best coach in the in the country and you’d probably have to say oara has been um you know despite the losses in the top 14 I think the Champions Cup and what he’s done with

Larell um could be a candidate but I I’m leaning towards unlikely I I think you guys are right I think it’s there it’s for whatever reason they don’t seem to want someone outside of France having the top job um certainly interesting I hadn’t thought I know we sorry we’ve been

Talking about G being under pressure but I hadn’t actually considered that they would that that he might the job might be on the line I I I feel like they might stick with him just for a tournament you know given some of the loss he’s had of kind of key guys but

Yeah it would be interesting to see who who who would come into play for that role yeah be his first kind of setbacks he took the job I that jury you referred to I said he deserved another kind of six Nation through another window certainly to to try to write the ship

But like we’ve seen in France you know more so than any other country they are pretty quick to make coaching changes certainly the top 14 anyway so so they’ll watch that space um while we’re on the you know subject to France like the end game against Italy was obviously

Very dramatic P Garb hits the post the last penalty I think we’re all in agreement that that should have been retaken with a p you know g a penalty given the encroachment but like what do it just make of that whole scene like it was just encapsulated so much of the

Drama but then kind of confusion over rules and stuff like it was just yeah it was all over yeah yeah like I I mean it was incredibly dramatic and it was a the the second half had was one of the most dramatic games you’re ever likely to see

In the way kind of the pressure mounted and mounted on France and Italy kept having kind of being conservative initially started to play started to play and they they played a great game itally and France like if you were looking if you were G and you you know

I’m sure they they’re expected points was pretty high on on on Sunday I think they probably created enough game enough chances to win two games in the first kind of 40 50 minutes but as the doubts were placed in their mind and Italians grew in confidence like the way they

Took that try was just superb for katso so um like it’s what we want from this tour we want every game to be competitive really don’t we I know as Irish people Irish fans are quite comfortable with them winning games by 30 points every week but really what you

Want is six teams who are fairly equal and France and Italy being equal makes for a far greater it’s like it’s a game you don’t want to miss anymore you know like the the Italy game next week you you’ll make sure you watch it because you know could they

Take England as well in the first round it’s only got second round game which is the outlier but again it goes back to what we were talking about in Ireland being so far ahead of the pack so the um like it’s it’s much better to see to

Have an Italian team who have a chance and have players like uh manello and and um kabat so and and like they’re down a couple of buddies in their pack as well but they they they were very good and they managed the game very well and it

Looks like I think we all saw how stale things got under crowy from the Netflix documentary we could see how that led into a world cup that went the RO but the new voice um the fact their 20s are winning again you know say the 20s have

Been unbelievable Ro hav they so that’s like it makes such a difference doesn’t it look to have them as a proper part of this tournament now they’re not just a nice weekend in Rome they’re actually a a viable challenge to to some of the teams and you would hope some of those

Because I don’t think this is just I know obviously we’re we’re all talking about this fixture against France in the weekend for the 20s but I think if I’m wrong and I don’t watch the 20s enough to be honest with you uh are keep it close enough eye and particularly the

Other teams anyway but I think they had have they had two or three good teams in their own end that have been kind of competitive so like that is that is always going to be the key for this you know Italian outfit they’re never going to be picking for massive resources um

You know to have some young guys coming through like that’ll kind of you know I think that would create as well that little bit of I suppose an interest for the public there as well you know kind of exciting young talent coming through and I think that would be so good to see

But yeah it is great to see them kind of turn things around you know be an interesting fixture now like be a team that you’re going geez Rome like that’s going to be tough um so you want to have um you want to have these kind of games

Where where it’s kind of tight and I was delighted for them I look goed it in the same breath but delighted that they got a result against France because look I still think France are bloody like particularly like you know home bloody different ult team to to beach you know

That kind of way so um yeah and look it’s a shame that it ended the way it was like even the ball falling off the tea like no one’s really how did that happen like I know how that actually lucky too like you know mean there’s

Like a comedy of kind of like an indoor Stadium can you call it an error if it falls off the tea like so you got the bit of bad look then you’ve got obviously all the panic because everyone has moved on because it’s a penalty as well I think everyone’s being pretty

Harsh on the ref the ball is still in play do you know what I mean so I’m sure in his mind he’s probably okay when he’s taking the kick the ball’s falling off is another thing that’s going of caus you going this is out of the ordinary

I’m not you know what I mean so straight away there’s all these other kind of elements going on he hits the post they’re chasing it down to see if they can force an error uh from the French Winger I think it was Moana like it’s

Just like chaos at the end of the game so I can see why he missed the guy charging the penalty if you know what I mean because there’s so much happening um but I was delighted to see them get like some sort of result you know I

Think it was very pleasing and I think it’s good for the tournament I agree I think worrying kind of Slide the last couple of years with them and probably was a little bit worried about where they were going um but I think the stuff at the 20s and the little bit of

Resurgence this year has been very pleasing and and they seem to be playing a good brand as well you know the few good tries here and there as well uh particularly against England I mean um you know England kind of might be kind of shut off towards the end of the game

England had a strong kind of middle third of the game didn’t they um but uh towards the end you know when Italy started playing like you’d hope that there’s a bit of that belief maybe that they kind of got from that I think that that maybe can can they can sustain for

The rest of the tournament and be a bit of a threat you’d love to see them take another scalp as well I think Wales are there for the taking for them well they’ve sold out um they sold out the game against Scotland this weekend or next weekend in record time I think both

Of their games they s they’ve never sold more tickets for the olympico and I don’t know if if it’s the new coach the or probably the the Netflix effect to some degree and can’t be the World Cup anyway no definitely not the world cup but definitely not the and like there’s

Been signs you know I think crowy did a good job it just ran out of steam you know that wi in Cardiff a couple years ago the beat Australia there have been signs and it looks like like the 20s like their 20s have been way better than

Scotland for the last couple years you know and probably Wales as well so they’ve got consistent results at that level thanks in a large part to the work uh of Steve Abu when he was over there under working for Connor Rocha so there’s a bit more of a platform for

Them to build on and um I think they’re a genuine threat both Scotland and Wales I think Scotland probably are as I said are in good form and mature enough to get over there and get the result and they haven’t had that much trouble with Italy in the last couple years what I

Liked about them in Dublin was that must have been a horrible day you know they didn’t score a point they didn’t play particularly well but they Italian teams have come over to Dublin and it’s gone that way and they’ve they’ve basically just sacked it in after about 50 minutes

But that team was still tackling still defending still organized right until the death and and Ireland had to play some pretty good rugby to get the the score line that they did so there was an attitude there and and a Buy in I think to cassad what Casada is doing and like

Casada like the big obvious thing about the Netflix documentary I know I keep going back to it was like Crowley and Neil Barn talking to them in English the whole time whereas cada’s gone in he’s talking you know he’s he’s Argentinian he speaks Italian he’s speaking to them

In their own language he’s talking about buying into a more Latin kind of culture and stuff and he I I’m sure when crowy first took over it didn’t bother them but towards the end they must have been hang on a second you’ve been here for how long and you’re not even making an

Effort I think that does wear off with players so look it’s you know they’ve got a they’ve got a draw so they’ve got something tangible for this year but they have a chance to finish above Wales if they can if they can get a result in

In Cardiff and um they you know they could run Scotland close as well so like that’s that’s positive progress and it’s good for the tournament like I think was the real full circle moment the garpy almost got timed out considering cassada used to take like three hours to take a

Penalty when he used to play Inter I think they brought in shot clocks L cuz he would literally just stand there for like 45 minutes standing over I just can’t believe there’s no SEC like there’s no camera footages emerged just focusing on the ball like you know with

All the phones in the stadium how no one got an angle put he must have put it at like like just on like the edge of a t you know when he puts on the edge of a table and it’s kind of teetering for ages and just falls off but yeah it’s

Such bad look that that was that was my I kind of was surprised that like because obviously everyone’s talking about it should have been retaken which it should have been no one talking about dropping off the tea like such bad luck or but he obviously didn’t he obviously

Didn’t place it correctly like I don’t what if there was a breeze or something I know a roof from the stadium where I mean there was a lot of Celebration once they won the penalty as well and and did that feed into the fact that did he have

Less time to do it did he rush it a little bit cuz he knew the clock was on you know I think there’s there’s um I’d love to I need to go back and watch a frame by frame but like I think we need someone’s F someone emotional management

Of the moment was so was great cuz it wasn’t an easy kick like it was it was a genuinely tough kick and he missed missed a couple Dublin you know it’s not like he’s been brilliant in in this tournament off the team he actually did a pretty good it was a pretty good

Attempt considering how little time he has but more so that like no one was clued into to the fact that like the the charge Zs were clear or the encroachment was clear like it happened twice and like how the captain the ball falling off whe definitely would have caused

Like chaos everyone’s like oh what’s happening now is he gonna drop kick it is he gonna none of the other players and we’re also seeing a very inexperienced group of officials this six n Six Nations and I think maybe a way barns or loones or someone of

That kind of status would have seen this picture before and would have gone hang on a second whereas Christoper vley is quite a new referee and he he missed it like he I think he’s one of the best referees I like yeah like that was a

Miss that was a Miss Moment Like No Doubt um but yeah provid plenty of dama just to switch back to Ireland for a second road so like we’ve talked about the positives we talked about the dominance two matches left though they haven’t won anything yet they could

Still come second or come third if they don’t take care of business what are the pitfalls what are the things you’re looking at over for the next next two rounds to come thinking this could scoer everything yeah um I don’t really have an answer to that question I mean I don’t

Really I don’t really see anything let’s sorry what are the pitfalls disin their disin hasn’t been great they’ve given away a lot of penalties they’re that’s something that I’m sure they’re working on when they get him back in Camp in Dublin later this week and um if I think

They give England access and if they give England a bit of control on the scoreboard I mean even as they say that I’m thinking that they were tend to up a field and managed to lose by nine points so you know this is not a great England

Team this is an England team that if you read the English media it’s it’s like you know it’s guilty of muddle thinking they’re all calling for about 20 changes you know it’s it’s it’s hard to make a case you’re really looking at clutching at things like twickingham and the fact

That it’s away from home and that that even two years ago the record Pam has been dire for like three or four years absolutely like Ireland won there Argentina Ireland multiple times South Africa you know Scotland twice like it’s like look if they underperform they’re not that good that they can’t they can

Get away with it against good teams and I think Scotland if it was in murrayfield I I would be a little bit more cautious about that one but really from this point if they play to anywhere near their potential in those two games I think they win they might be knocked

Off their stride for a bit but they’re a much better team than both of them and like Scotland even though I’ve been quite complimentary towards them here you know last year six nations they had the chance of a lifetime to beat Ireland and plan and planed some doubts ahead of

The World Cup and they tanked in that second half and then in the World Cup when everything was on the line for them they didn’t show up until the game was over so it’s hard to take Scotland too seriously from an Irish point of view as well because Ireland seemed to have

Their physical measure and you’ve got Keenan and ring RS coming back so like it’s not like Ireland are going to be weakened as it goes on AR have really you big selection dilemma going into next week as to how they kind of fit those two players into their 23 so

Whereas other teams are looking at dropping their out half like England you know England there’s a big discussion now about whether George Forge continue how did he do they reconstruct their backline whereas Ireland are trying to fit into world class players and figuring out how they can take anyone

Out of the team it’s such a position of strength so um like yeah any team can lose any game and even the greatest teams are vulnerable when they don’t get it right like this England team only a few months ago nearly took out South Africa in a World Cup semi-final so

There is a possibility but I find it difficult to make the case right now if a trenchy Reigns like all day in London potentially they could replicate that but I think that was the key moment for me in that game luk you know from your perspective anything you know from on

Top about R said like any reasons for you or anything you’ve seen over the first three rounds have given you a little bit of pause or anything you need to be need to be tided up um I think maybe the line out was a little bit of a worry on the weekend I

Thought Wales kind of seemed to now they I thought Wales competed really well but um if I was England like with borwick I think okay where can we get into the game and I’d say yeah maybe we’ll have a go with that again um you know and you

Think he’ do a pretty good job they could be pretty disruptive there some pretty experienced guys there um you know that’s very disruptive to this Irish team to their flow like they build so much from you saw what it did against Wales you know they were in great

Positions and anytime there’s open Play you think wow Ireland are bloody hard to contain they’re really really good in open play but if you get out their set piece and gets a little bit muddly a little bit messy um you know they they certainly can can get out of Step

Thought the ref like the scrome will definitely be an area where I think they will be watching it Ireland seemed to get the rub of the green on the weekend against Wales but you think England will definitely Target those so so to my mind you mentioned one thing as well like if

It’s raining like that changes the complete complexion of of the game if that that that Jones that sou Africa style defense will be way easier to implement in wet conditions and will be way more successful and would be way harder to be you know effective an open

Play um you know so there’s like rugby to my mind is like if you can be physical and this is why I’m always worried about a way fixtures if england can keep 15 guys in the pitch if they’re really physical if it’s a wet day and if they can get out your setp

There’s four things there you can do with that’s that’s hard work and organization and basically preparation during the week um and you know bwick is bloody hard worker he’s renowned as a hard worker I I can see them being well prepared for this they’re hurting from Scotland too so emotionally there’ll be

That in the background um so I just feel like this is a real dangerous fixture for Ireland I think Scotland less so um I think we have their measure I’d agree with you guys sorry agree with r not sure you made the point but I’m pretty

Sure willfield the same um I think we have their measure um but England could cause US problems and I’d be worried about this one I still think that’ll be a one- score game I know it hasn’t been in Fortress tck them for quite a while

But I still think it’s a it’s an away fixture um you know they’re not playing well they’re not a great team but they’d be hard to beat if they defend well and if they’re good at set piece it’s just rugby isn’t that complex that way H and

I think they’ll have a good kicker on the pitch if Ford is playing like he still is going to be in the high 80s off the team probably still is a drop gold threat as we saw and so there’s all these factors that make this a possibly

Sticky Wicked type game you know I I thought Wales probably gave them a little bit of a template as well and I know like South Africa and Jones Jones has a bit of a template because South Africa have probably slowed Ireland down I know they haven’t beaten Ireland in

Either of the games in recent years but they’ve they’ve been low-scoring tight games that have come down to miss kicks really like you know both the game in Dublin and the game in Paris you know paard wasn’t playing and South Africa didn’t take chances and and we’ll

Probably feel like if Pard was on the pitch they would have won those games so there’s there’s a few things there but I do think arand I thought they were a little bit I complacence a strong were but I think they were a little bit off

Last weekend and I don’t think they will be going to tck them I think they’ll get to the level that they they were in Marse watching back some of the line outs like Lads were missing lifts petery misses a lift and actually in the build

Up to I think was Calvin Nash’s try but the they nearly didn’t win that line out because ommani was slow to the lift which is really unlike him I thought Wales um kind of when they were defending were quick onto the so when the ball was

Pulled back by the front line to the second line they they they were almost anticipating that and were sliding onto it they weren’t um Annie farell said they were passive in attack they weren’t selling the dummy Runners to to to the Welsh defense and Wales knew where the

Ball was going to go I think if they tighten that up and they’re more convincing if they if sometimes they go through the front door rather than the back door they’ll they’ll find ways through England I think Crowley showed against exiter um in Europe that he he

Can find his way around the blitz defense as well and also you got like Felix Jones is is basically dusting off a template that was designed by lancer’s defense coach so those players have have got about seven or eight good weeks and Robbie Hena said this in today’s paper

There’s seven or eight weeks of work under Jack neber and now they’re facing Jack nber’s defense I don’t know if you saw Charlie Morgan’s tweet at the weekend but the first minute and a half against Scotland England did exactly what’s like exactly what South Africa

Did in the first minute and a half of the World Cup game against Scotland in Marseilles like by to in terms of where the players replacing where they kicked the ball everything was exactly the same they’re basically trying to copy what South Africa did so Ireland should be

Ready for that as well so I find the angles to which if Ireland aren’t a bit off at as they were against Wales and having faced what they faced I just don’t see I can see them being knocked off a St but I don’t see them losing the

Bench would give you comfort as well guys we probably haven’t mentioned that like the bench was like anyone who asked me about the week the game of the weekend I actually just felt like the bench would be the difference um cuz I thought will be tighter if I’m being completely honest

Around the kind of 50 to 60 minutes so I was wrong on that um um but I do think that the bench like what like the the the impact that you get like all top of the ground like few top of the ground type players too which are beards and

Conan like not not necessarily poachers on the ground but God like if you were tired coming up against those athletes like absolute nightmare youve got James Ryan who just chunk through the work Keen Healey as well so experienced I think he had 11 did he have 11 tackles

Or something when he was on the pitch like couple huge carries yeah a couple of big carries too like so um yeah I just think like yeah like even moski was excellent wasn’t he like like there there’s everyone’s kind of playing like reasonably well and like that the bench

Would give you comfort that you know it’s the one thing I’d say Ireland have is kind of a bit of an ice card against England I think is that like if the game is tight and you would expect with irand starting 15 that the game would be tight

Like I don’t think it’s going to be like they don’t look like a team that’s going to be kind of blown out if you know what I mean um provided they don’t have a like a a catastrophe with the red card or talking about Ireland getting blown out by

England that no that’s what I’m saying I think regardless even if they don’t play well I think it’d be tight is what I’m saying and I think off the back of that once you bring on your bench I just think there’ll be a difference and that’s what’ll give you that little bit

Of extra comfort that Ireland win the game no matter what against England you know what I mean they’ have to play really really badly for that for them and play great like the last time they played tck 2022 like Charlie hes got sent off after a couple of minutes but

Remember England got back into the game with those scrum penalties I think it was only 15 12 maybe and the bench came on Conor Murray Jack con and had a really big impact they ended up winning by like I don’t know 20 15 20 points

With a bonus point but it was the bench that day he really stepped up and the point of discipline I think Luke touched on like the last three times England and Ireland played England have had someone sent off twice that was in the first half and in that grand slam game it does

Kind of get a little bit glossed over Ireland were very nervy and not playing well at all in that game before that really contentious red card I still think they would have had enough to get over the line but they they weren’t playing very well in that game and

Obviously the Charlie hules one came after was it five or six minutes so that obviously changed the complexion there and the other one was a World Cup warmup game so like it’s not as relevant but they’re at a they’re at a much better stag of their development now I think

They’re not as H I think like 2022 they were still kind of learning how to win and and had had a pretty difficult day in Paris two weeks beforehand or sorry four weeks beforehand where they talked about how they kind of got freaked out by the occasion and by the noise and

Twickingham was unbelievable that day I know it gets a bit of a bad rep for its atmosphere but that day they were so annoyed about the red card that they they they were on their feet they were loud they were they were and England really rallied and their scrum was

Excellent and Ireland was were in real trouble and you’re right the bench came in and won it um and last year like I don’t think he can draw parallels with last year really because they’re not going to be as nervous because it’s not a final and they’ve been through that

Experience as well and I know they didn’t really show up for the first 10 minutes new against New Zealand in the quarterfinal and you you know that is you know there is evidence of this team not necessarily you know when it’s at its biggest maybe not kind of maybe not

Pitching up although they did for the third test in New Zealand in 2022 so um like they I don’t see even it’s 15 on 15 I don’t see them getting on top in scrum in the same way I think if England picked their scrummaging props then Ireland will try and make them tackle

Now I think they’ll try and move Joe Marler and Dan Dan Cole their starting prop in 2024 or it seems a bit like if there’s 20 scrums brilliant but if they have to kind of try and defend Ireland’s multiphase attack then they’re going to be in a bit of trouble so like Mar

George and Cole is not a mo like compared to the Irish R in terms of mobility and what they had around the pitch and the Irish guys I think can can well they’ve certainly pitched up on the tight so far in this Championship I think it’s no contest yeah the question

I have over the bench is if green Rose is fit and you an Keenan’s fit and you put froley into the 23 Jersey or the 22 Jersey do you go back to 53 and put ring rolls in the 23 Jersey or do you stick with 62 and he doesn’t make it what you

Think Luke I’d be leaning towards 62 away from home so would you leave ring Rose out yeah fair enough it’s hard to leave him out I think but I I I the power you get off the bench with you know having con and be and James Ry if you’re presuming

They’re going to go the same composition like that that’s such a weapon especially as L mentioned in twick and with and be’s line out Pros the way he’s going after like the opposition line outs I know he he didn’t make the most of those two breaks but like no one else

In the r setup or even there’s very few players in World Ruby that could make the breaks he’s making like you know and I think have they ever converted into scores I feel like they just to the end of the game and a high but I’m actually

Like do they actually ever lead to like he almost got the off I think if he one of the W Defenders did it I maybe dord Jenkins I think but he he went the wrong way on one of them he lost Gibson Park yeah well I think he should like he

Should have backed himself and just gone a Sam C cost but then he reloads and goes again which was so impressive physically and he’s just about to give the offload to Rona Keller who’s in but the the hand the wel Chan comes in in this position but I think yeah they need

To convert them a bit better he needs to get better at converting them but like God it’s not something training that often like what to do after making a 50 meter open field break CU he he got one in this in the URC semi-final against monster it was

Disallowed for like a knock on in the build up but he I don’t know if remember just the year go the one the monster won I think he made it a big break and scored a try but then I think he got called back for a knock on but yeah got

His hat against Glasgow all those years ago didn’t he but uh I mean Craig Casey kicked the one away against Italy which was frustrating um but look he’s doing the hard part he’s doing the part that no one else can do you can coach him how

To finish them off I think and uh I I think would be really or you can coach him to not have to think him to finish them off on that phase yeah you know I mean there’s another way of thinking about like normally when a forward goes through because they haven’t got the

Pace and everyone obv everyone else is running after them doesn’t have a ball so they’re even they’re even that little bit more quicker if you know what I mean so they catch it quicker you’re always saying you know cool the Jets look for support whereas to him I’d nearly say

You know what you know you just keep going it’s on everyone else to Resource that Rook you just keep going and I think it’ll become obvious for them you know when you simplify that simplify it for them a little bit sometimes where you’re like look don’t be worried you

Just you take whatever you wherever you see the biggest space you go for that it’s on everyone else to catch you and then it kind of becomes obvious you know look in away no one saw coming like like Gibson Park’s the first man on to the

First break but Kieran froley is kind of running away from him he can actually see his faceal expression going oh and he tries to catch up with him and he’s actually on the shoulder that bear turns into but he’s just not quite there F so fast they couldn’t get with him but

I mean again they’re only learning to play with this guy at International level and look you can’t as you can’t plan for these breaks but what a I think it would be cruel to drop him at this point because I think he’s been really effective in all the games that he’s

Played but ringrose is such a compelling it’s such a compelling case for picking ring rows as well but I think you have to have if you’re going 62 you have to have frol and so it’s whether yeah it’s it’s B I think it’s B it’s one of the

Most unusual like presuming they’re not going to break up the sener partnership I think that would be very unfair to do that you’re in this really unusual situation of having to pick between a center and and a and a kind of a number six you’ve also got the thing of om Mani

Hasn’t gone through ad80 yet in this tournament and they’ve kind of taken him off reasonably early in all the games as well even though he’s the captain so there’s um like it’s a big dilemma I think for Farrell to kind of work through this week and I my go will be to

Stick with what stick with the winning formula yeah yeah and it’s been like another thing that we has been discussed a lot but like the configuration of the bench has been a massive kind of new feature of this six Nation like it it hadn’t been done under any F like we

Talked about 62 spits seven ones eight zeros at the World Cup but like that’s kind of not that it’s underrated because it has been discussed a lot but that was that’s a big call now to be going for it in big games and and to be comfortable

With it and seeming to be be the new Norm depending on who you’re playing yeah I would have called for it a few times I think sexon was the barrier because they were never sure that they could get seon through and if they lost them early or they lost him you know

That that they kind of felt like they had to have a lot of backline coverage and now because crowdy can cover a couple positions he’s younger they’re more confident that that he can get through the 80 obviously Fry’s also given them a lot of comfort as well um

And also they’re it’s a sign that they’ve learned something from the World Cup now you could argue that they didn’t need to lose a World Cup quarterfinal to to figure out that this was a way of playing to your strengths maybe didn’t Jimmy O’Brien had a good game though I

Actually the best I’ve ever seen him play he was he had an unbel at theal today be like is is the most important point for me there like just because you have all those kind of soft tissue background you know he’s pulling calves pulling groin things like that just things that happen

To you as you kind of become an older player you know I I think that’s the really sorry you might be making another point on it but to be honest with you that to me encapsulates why you had to have the three you know you couldn’t just have CU then you literally couldn’t

Have one more injury outside of your nine and you obviously have to have a specialist nine there unless of someone else who could kind of play it but they never did so and I think that’s the most important point about the whole thing is that that that has now changed you now

Have a is he 24 like a 24 year old uh like in that position and I think is fry 24 as well he’s maybe he’s 28 is he 27 or something yeah yeah yeah so like you know two young guys there at the prime of their career you don’t have to worry

About them going 80 and pulling a hamstring you know that kind of way so that really does help yeah well it’ll be a big by the way fory was outstanding on the weekend I that was another thing I did not see I we we I know we probably

Won’t get a chance to cover it in dep but that was unbelievably impressive I thought he was brilliant at fullback I really didn’t think he would have the specialist skills to to thrive there but he looks strong and quick some lovely bits of handling in there too and the

Kicking game it’s nice to have it was it took a lot of pressure off Crowley I think it was nice to have another ball player there because if you pick Aki and Henshaw you probably lose a little bit there you know just in ter and and you

Look I know Keenan’s excellent there but fory I thought he was really good I don’t know if you guys yeah I agree I thought they were smart as well I thought they they because he’s the center you know half of the season they decided well why don’t we put him in the

Front line and put Crowley in the back field where he’s comfortable enough as well so actually even the bombs that went up very few of them for all he was there for because he was up defending so I thought they kind of integrated him into the team and protected him a little

Bit that Wales didn’t go after him in the way that Gatlin kind of said he would he had to wait a long time to get into the game that’s I just say that’s what impressed me most when he got his touches he was still super sharp cu the

First half I think he touched the ball properly for the first time like in the last couple minutes of the first half yeah absolutely and no I agree I thought and your first start like you nervy but yeah I thought I thought it it will give

Them great comfort as you know they have now a backup like we want to see him again in a bigger game against a better opposition will test them but there’s you know he is a valuable backup for for hug now good chance he might start TW

Twied him like I was reading the Keenan quotes that was that Keen sent in earlier and it was like oh I haven’t trained yet like I think he going be okay he probably will be but I remember what Joe Schmid saying one time Chris popped straight up and he he tore his AC

No no no that didn’t happen like you know we’ve heard them say updates before my understanding like because we like the first Keenan Keenan came out today and said he hopes to be fit far the set and like I always take these things with a pinch of salt but from a fairly good

Source I’ve heard the Keenan’s on track for for twick him and so is so is ringrose so unless there’s a setback and like it was a four to sixer and we’re looking at four weeks so um but he’s so fit and so healthy and looks after himself so well I think he’ll give

Himself every chance and like if if he is fish he has to start yeah well there’ll be does ring Rose come in ahead of moski as well well that’s what I’m say cuz for all you if I think so sorry I’m thinking of Keenan’s injured S I

Should have prefaced by saying so so say Keenan doesn’t get back and you pick froley what do you do with that other slot I think you got ring been very very good very harsh ringrose and and Robbie hencho were both covering the wing slots and H Robbie did a post match interview

And we were asking how did that work and he goes well neither of us have ever played it before so it was basically the depl so ringrose I think comes in partly because he’s Gary ring Rose um partly cuz he’s more versatile and you have 12 coverage from both Crowley and froley

And you have then 13 14 I think that that makes he played with the wing this year recently with ler and and I think you know it’s it’s harsh on MOSI ml’s whole career and looks like he might go to Bayon at the end of the season so

This might be the last raer CH MOSI in a green jersey but and God he’s making every minute he’s out there count looks like such a comfortable like he must feel like he’s been robbed of 60 odd caps by just the being born in this era

Yeah and he some big impacts on I know the game was warm but in the the fourth try bonus points could win the title if they lose if they slip up like that all came from his tackling Conan and then he got in on the counter rook and they win

The penalty and that’s what builds up to the fourth try and he’s been superb and he was great in last year’s championship as well he was a real key player in that grand slam last year so yeah it was great like not that it really matter in

The end but I’m glad he got to play against Scotland the World Cup he would the only player I think who didn’t feature if I’m right in saying had there not been that little light injury to Bund Yaki but there’ll be plenty of selection dilemas and talking what to

Get into next week before we finish up I want to touch before we do our moment of the week D MC Farland gone from you mentioned St mclusky there looks like there could be a pretty Mass Exodus at the end of the season remains to be seen

Exactly who’s gone but you know not for the first time they’ve kind of lurched back into crisis Richie Murphy will be in in a couple of weeks until the end of the season then who knows after that yeah I mean it’s it was kind of you

Could see the writing on the wall as we kind of talked about them you know when when we have done you know it’s been a fairly Grim couple of years um I think d m Farland did a very good job stabilizing that club and and putting

Them on the right track and you know it’s it’s only but just before he took over Brian Oris was describing them as a baset case and you couldn’t really argue with them um in the wake of the trial and everything and I think he built a

Team that was very very good and and nearly took lster out in his first season in Europe and you know got close to a URC in in certainly a USC final over in Cape Town that time and really that was the moment if Manny liok or if

That late try hadn’t happened or if F were able to hang on in that game then they would had a home final a week later against the Bulls and at least even if it gone s he’d have a trophy to to to look back on but they were kind of just

Ended up being Nery man and they plateaued after that lost j a pain and like they were just so bad this year apart from like two weeks where they beat rasling and lster and there was like a dead cat bounce and I think you know from what you hear like at rfu

Level it was a it was a big uh inquest into what we going to do with this place cuz it’s not pulling its way like for the first time in the history of Irish Rugby they went to Marseilles and they played International without one player from oler like the first time ever in

The history of our Ruby they’ve had players they’ve had the squads with no oler Ruby player but they’ve had players who were from from olster like who played for Trinity or who were based in England this was the F like that’s like of the it’s supposed to be a four

Province model everyone pulling their weight well right now oler is not really doing that it’s certainly not fulfilling potential and the fact that David Humphrey is starting his job next month as the rfu performance director who is probably most not one of the people in the world is most Anonymous to to rugby

And this is top of his like along with party fixing women’s rugby and keeping the show on the road on the national level top top of his of his uh things to do can I ask you something because I I was actually uh you know a video came up

My Instagram feed it was you talking on off the ball it was a snippet about oler and it was um you know a lot of people always say oh why doesn’t ler player X go there L player y you were just saying that they don’t want to go they’re being

Offered it and they’re just saying I’m not going well I think luk could probably speak to this more than I can but like you know players have gone both the lster from lster to other provinces hasn’t worked out like Jordy Murphy went and you would have thought like so he

Had a good career with olster but his Ireland chances kind of dried up after he left I mean uh other players have gone and it’s kind of just never really happened for them I think players in ler see it as and like we we could talk about froley you know Scott peny there

Are a number Max Dean players who you think God get out of there and get some games somewhere else but they feel well I’m only one injury away from getting a good good run of games at lster and if I’m playing well for lster then I get

Into the IR setup but I think Luke maybe can speak to from a players point of view as to what your motivation would be in terms of going or staying but it’s I think when you’re looking at what’s going on up there and they talk to each

Other as well obviously they’ve been in they’ve all been in National camps with players from olster so they can always ring and go what’s it like up there and if the word on the ground is that it’s not great coaching wise then that’s going to be a problem maybe Richie going

Up there who has a great knowledge of the under 20s of the last couple of years and a good relationship with those players and even some of the national players he might have a better um kind of relationship to be able to to leverage to get a player up the road but

I think it’s a big It’s A Hard Sell especially if they’re losing all of their Frontline players or a lot of their front line not all that’s very dramatic but a lot of kind of you know they starting 10 you know their Talisman and moski if he goes there’s a lot of

Players out the exit door this year um so and like filling the uler squad full of ler Lads is not going to fix things either like it has to be a bit kind of kind of it has to come from within a little bit and they need to get more out

Of their Academy and more players through so it’s a massive job I don’t know like if Richie gets it or if they bring in someone I know Brendan has Brendon Fanning has floated Ian Foster’s name as kind of a t kind of an overseer to kind of come in but whoever it is

It’s a huge huge job and the finances don’t sound great either so it’s like the it’s it’s not going to be easy yeah I don’t know how they pay for and Foster if their finances AR they pay for stepen kids off somehow yeah do you want to

Come in luk on that or any of that yeah look it’s it’s it’s a tricky one you know like I’m not sure I’d ever been able to bring myself to qu and play for them to be honest but um I think if you were stuck for a

Um if you weren’t playing in your position like I was always I thought like if I was if I was fit I was going to be starting in in a in a position in Lancer which straight away like what why would I move so it’s hard for me to

Speak to it um personally right but I think if I was in different situations though certainly will be considering it like if I think of like fry is the one I’ve been calling for FR ages because I feel like they’ve got a big problem at

10 um you know Burns is kind of he just he’s just not going to take it to the top table I don’t think and I think look he’s a good player and he has some nice touches a nice short kicking game Etc but not a big guy and I don’t think he

Gives you enough around the pitch I always think froley that is made for someone like him he and if he could come in alongside a do cuni on his inside and then he’s got MOSI uh Hume OB hasn’t really kicked on but like he’s still quality you know I think and has you

Know certainly got potential um and then you add one or two things into that pack you get Henderson playing week on week um and I think it look it would look quite different there because I think they have a dangerous back three they’ve obviously had some bloopers in the last

Like the hunting Cup fixtures like Jesus like that was or sorry the the Champions Cup uh fixtures you know moski and obviously a few other bloopers there from their back there but generally speaking they’re pretty exciting and they’re pretty good players back there um I always feel like if you can sort

Out the pack and sort out 10 I think things could look very different very quickly up Ander um I do think you know the academy is very important up there I think if you think about the crowd and what it’s all about up there you know having one of having their own having

Guys that they can kind of cheer about I I don’t think plugging loads of lenser players is the answer I think you’re right on that but I do think it would be a shame to lose out on some of the talent in lenser which is why I always

Say it there’s definitely a couple of names where I going to say that guy’s not going to play week in and week out for lster he might play you know you know and there’s less League games when to play playing there as well he’s definitely not he has he that guy’s

Relying on two injuries to get into a Champions Cup slot you know maybe even one and that’s never a situation you want to be in you want to and you need to show more of yourself to to even come back to a situation if you were to come

Back to ler to get in ahead of those people or to get into an Irish setup so there’s definitely a case there for a few people in certain situations that are really really Top Class rugby players that just haven’t been able to show their where um

So there’s a balance to be struck there in terms of that because you do need to have local guys I I do think if you sort out a few of those things and you like a good head coach in rugby it’s already anywhere it’s right anywhere um you know

Any sport like it’s so important like it’s so important you can think of it like you need someone that can get everyone moving in the right direction and it’s smart um you know and I just I think Dan did a good job but I think at some point his man management skills I

Think seem to have let him down somewhere as well I think his relationship with the Press wouldn’t have helped there’s obviously Financial stuff and all those kind of things that are going on bubbling in the background which don’t help but I do think personality is quite important like you

Need people to like going into work every day if you look at Farrell like even Schmidt who’s not unbelievably like he can be wearing because he’s so demanding like he’s interesting and he’s smart and you can go in there going you know what like this guy win your rugby

Games um if you don’t have that if you’re not on another level like Schmid is in terms of the detail which I don’t think mcf far is he’s very good I hear but if you’re not at that level you need to be kind of a nice guy at least with

Your top you’re you’re you’re you’re not a nice guy but you need to be a need to be a good really good man manager I think and I’m not sure that that’s always been the case up there I think he can rub people up the wrong way so um I

Feel for him I think it’s a tough it was a really tough job and it is still a tough job um but I think the right decision was made we talked about it will the night before like literally broke the next morning on the podcast that that week we were saying yeah yeah

It looks like it’s kind of becoming untenable up there so um bad look that we were talking about just the night before weren’t able to give any Clarity but I I feel from him I think he’ll get another job somewhere else hopefully the situation is different for him when he

Can make an impact because he’s definitely a good coach um but obviously he’s kind of a Gruff guy I think he can tell that from his interviews after the game so I think he can rub people up the wrong way so he might need to have a

Look at that and see if see if that’s right um yeah so look that’s probably all I have to say on that one it’s a tough job it’s an unenviable task I think at this point isn’t it just with the finances in the background as well yeah it’s like tough you know Richie

Murphy coming in I think like couple of days after the uh last 20s game he’s off to South Africa for a two- match tour that won’t be easy like the record for the province is going down there hasn’t been great since the USC brought them in and then there’s the knockout games in

Europe which they might ultimately need to win that tournament to get into the Champions Cup well they’re both conic the monster in the table aren’t they like they’re not they’re not in the doldrums as such like they’re still firmly in the playoff race they’ve been a consistently a playoff team and there

Are good players there so so like like if if there are a lot moving on I think there’s a bit of a rebuild to be done at the end of the season but if Richie can come up go up there and harness what they have and give like even just the

Fact that a lot of those players haven’t been playing for the team or the coach I think for a while and there hasn’t looked like a cohesive um everyone pulling in the right direction so like I think there could be a bit of a bounce from having a

Fresh voice you know like you know Luke could to work with Richie like he’s done a very good job at the 20s he’s if he puts together a plan that they can follow he goes on tour to South Africa gets the players together like not a lot

Of them will be involved with Arland over the next couple of weeks so there’s a chance to bring them all get a bit of Feelgood a bit of Siege mentality come back you know CH they can even either sack off the challenge cup or give that

A right C go or and and go for the URC playoffs and and get themselves in a pretty healthy position I’m not saying they’re going to win everything but in the short term there’s that you can see you can see a path to them being very competitive towards the end of the

Season because there there’s not many teams able to go and win in the odds and they’ve done that under D McFarland recently during a low point in their in their kind of cycle so I think the long-term prospects are probably where I’d be a bit more Doom and Gloom I

Actually think this season if he can kind of galvanize them and get them playing there’s a there’s a team there if they can keep Henderson fit and a couple of others to to at least give it a bit of a run for the rest of the

Season and get a bit of field goal going yeah we discussed with johnon Bradley when at the time when they were kind of pushing into the challenge cup like you know it doesn’t have that much cache in terms of winning it but there’s good teams in it like it would actually be a

Good rugby achievement to go through that win it like there’s some quality teams in it so like that would that that’s still something to play for and as you said the URC is still alive proposition albeit last couple of weeks Haven been great results we’re going to

Finish up now with the left wing moment of the week in association with Bank of Ireland I’m going with Duan Vander murva try the well which one you might ask the second one the long range one along the touch line and to be fair to be fair to

Do V mura like when he’s on form with front football he is an absolute handful like two really good tries against Wales three really good tries against twickham I know Luke you’ve you’re I don’t think you’re a big fan of this he gave away the first try he was out of position for

The first try like he’s all over the shop for the F for the English try so like he’ll give you one two you know what I mean if you can contain him he but a three to one ratio if you’re giving one and and getting three like I

Think you can do uh well yeah no sry the one of them sorry I think it’s a if you ask me personally it’s one for one like I think the one he makes is Magic the one he gets um where the the England dropped the ball I think isn’t it and

They turn it over and he goes he goes 60 that’s the one you get you’re like okay well he’s sare for me for the day the other ones were kind of good team play I think as well you know no yeah no fair Finn Russell like put one on the play

From with a lovely kick and the other one was just like good Ruby generally but no just to be fair when he’s in full Pro like he got a good one against Wales in the first round as well where I think he beat a few Defenders as well so yeah

That’s that’s my moment of the week you know give one to Scotland I’ve I’ve given them enough grief over the year I didn’t mean to burst your balloon there sorry he’s magic when he’s in full flow sorry yeah like he he’s like a broker field Runner So Strong Quick good

Footwork like he’s class in that but he he’d get I’d be nervous now if he was if I was the defense coach I’d be thinking oh don’t go down that side but even his his finishing style when he’s like he’s trying to it’s obviously was so stupid

He he almost went at the touch like he was trying to get right in the corner taking out the flag as part of the celebration isn’t it that’s that’s what he’s trying to do I think so cuz otherwise he deviates from his line and puts his left foot closer to the touch

Line and then hurls himself into the flag and puts it down it’s so like it just gives you Shivers about what could happen wonder how much is going on stairs you be you be You’ be kind of going like well that would that would make sense with how bad he is

Defensively you know what I mean but um but it gives you like fredd Freddy burns like Freddy Burns against too all the the that you know was it I don’t know was it dominici years ago players who celebrate before they they put the ball down it just give you heie jibbies yeah

God R what’s your moment the week H I’m G to go for Calvin Nash’s Troy and probably the the two moments in James Joe mcc’s carry like in a first half where Ireland kind of struggled penetrate he just found the the the right line and took out like he left

Rain r for dead and then follows it up with calanas just drawing his man and and producing a brilliant pass for James low was um was a high quality try know to Burns TR was pretty good as well but I think that was the probably the moment

Of the game and it was the game I was at so I’m going to go for that one yeah we haven’t we didn’t really get a chance to talk about Cav Nash he’s had a really good tournament like stepping in for Mt hon who we would have seen as a huge

Loss and C has sled in very seamlessly so fair play to Him Luke you could sign us off what was your m the week mine isn’t a positive one really it’s the kick the Italian kick caresi one I just love the drama was aable drama to be it

Was just drama wasn’t it yeah I know um I know it didn’t work out as probably all would have hoped but I still think it was yeah it had everything didn’t it it was like a six nations moment was that last pick of the game Sorry say it

Was funny because like was it last week we my moment of the week I think was a TMO Fran Scotland moment so if you’re a French supporter like you’ve had we week one you probably went down to Marcel as a big trip big trip got absolutely

Hockey by Ireland week two it comes down to that ridiculous play and then week three have that ridiculous play it’s it’s been a it’s been a it’s been a funny tournament it’s just drama isn’t it like look I know I said the quality hasn’t been great in the Six Nations but

Like things could all turn upside down if england beat us at home in kind of you know 10 days or so um which is not is unlikely I think but um not beyond the Realms and I think um you know to my mind the competition still has these

Kind of big moments you know at the end of games it’s still a great competi even the France Scotland one you know what I mean they’re kind of those I know there’s a few contentious ones and the officials have made a few mistakes but it still keeps you on the edge of your

Seat I just love this competition I think it’s brilliant so yeah that’s my moment of the week I think we should give a consolation prize or or shout out to had to look up his name but peni that was that was my original I’m not I’m not as committed I’m not I’m not

Going to lie and say I watched the game live but I’ve watched the clip about 100 times in this stage what a try that’s 105 meter try isn’t it it’s incredible I honestly think it could be if anyone doesn’t know St FR wrestling at the weekend Google like you know you’ll find

The try on YouTube the the St Winger course I think I I actually think it could be the best try I’ve ever seen just in terms of like an individual effort like taking it along your own touch line like kind of sprinting across getting away from the cover a little

Chip ah no team you got to go the The Barbarians in the 50 years ago people touching the ball like the pace he comes out individual tro maybe your best individual try potentially but with the kind ofen um YouTube re that I’ve watched obsessively over the years that’s he’s

Making people look absolute silly in that isn’t he like that’s rouer and his pump and yeah few other top quality guys he got he makes them look like nothing that K his best was Unstoppable well look we we can debate these all night but going like 20 years for moment of

The week now moment theur here someone turn off Luke’s mic I we’re we’re I think we’ll leave it there thank Luke and R for joining me on this week’s episode of left R podcast we’ll be back next week with another show looking ahead to Ireland versus England in the

Meantime you can subscribe to us on Apple podcast Spotify or listen on independent.ie so until next time thanks so much for listening and goodbye

Rúaidhrí O’Connor, Luke Fitzgerald and Will Slattery assess Ireland’s dominant start to the Six Nations on the latest episode of The Left Wing podcast.

The lack of a World Cup hangover, navigating the post-Johnny Sexton era and a stingy defence have all been impressive hallmarks of Ireland’s three bonus-point victories to date.

There are two games to go but already it looks like another Grand Slam is on the cards for Ireland.

France’s implosion, Italy’s near miss and the latest crisis in Ulster are all up for discussion too.

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