| Venue: Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse Date: Saturday, 2 April Kick-off: 14:15 BST |
| Protection: Watch on BBC Two Northern Eire, BBC Pink Button & BBC iPlayer; dwell textual content commentary on the BBC Sport web site & app. |
In her BBC Sport NI column, former captain Ciara Griffin explains why Eire should enhance their self-discipline if they’re to take something away from Saturday’s daunting journey to France.
There can have been some residence truths in Eire’s post-match evaluation after the Wales defeat.
Shedding a Six Nations opener is all the time powerful, however Eire can be disillusioned with the way in which they let the Welsh again into the sport within the second half.
It had regarded promising for Eire for some time. Within the first 20 minutes, Eire absorbed numerous Welsh strain, their defensive set was fairly robust and so they regarded settled after Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe’s opening strive.
However finally, Eire conceded too many penalties and their ill-discipline price them the sport.
You all the time speak about preserving the penalty depend in single digits so giving freely 14 was asking for hassle at occasions and, consequently, stopped Eire from constructing momentum.
The energy of the Wales bench was a giant issue, too. Donna Rose got here on at tighthead and scored two actually vital tries.
Sioned Harries got here on at eight and stabilised the again row. Harries was scientific at preserving the ball in at scrum time, forcing referee Kat Roche to name these scrum penalties in opposition to Eire and provides Wales good attacking platforms contained in the Irish 22.
There have been constructive takeaways for Eire, too. Sam Monaghan had a unbelievable sport at second row. She’s actually dynamic and bodily in her work-rate, but in addition her offloading sport, she has sensible palms which permit her to maintain the ball alive.
Eve Higgins did effectively at 13, too. She made some actually good gainline, her carries actually fought by contact and received the ball in good platform.
Katie O’Dwyer did effectively in her first begin at tighthead and made some good tackles and stored the road, whereas Nicole Cronin added completely different points to the assault and put gamers into area in numerous methods.
And it was a proud day for Nichola Fryday and her household after main the crew out for the primary time. I assumed she carried herself rather well, had good communication with the referee and her crew and actually tried to drive Eire on.
Now it is on to France. There is no such thing as a two methods about it: travelling to Toulouse and getting a result’s a giant ask.
As I mentioned, there would have been some residence truths after the Wales sport, however the Irish gamers would have been holding their palms up that they let some areas slip in opposition to Wales. They will not be hiding away from that.
France love being at residence, they’re very pleased with their residence grounds – and so they look a strong unit as soon as once more this yr.
However Eire simply have to concentrate on enjoying their type of rugby, tighten just a few areas in defence and neutralise the areas in assault extra. In the event that they do this, they will get some factors on the board.
Eire can be line-out time in defence, and dealing to nail down clear system for defending the maul. France will goal the maul as a result of they will have seen the change Wales received from their rolling maul. Eliminating that risk can be key to Eire’s possibilities.
Additionally, in opposition to Wales, numerous the penalties got here from Eire gamers not rolling away. While you see the ball uncovered you are going to go for it, however you must learn the scenario that in case your participant is not rolling away, you must know to depart that ball, fan out and set the line of defense.
‘France are filled with playmakers’
In assault, Eire will perhaps look to snap down the road extra. There have been choices on the weekend, the blind was on and there have been just a few overlaps at occasions, in order that’s one thing they will do to maintain the French sincere.
Set-piece execution can be one other vital issue. Eire will hope to safe round 80% execution in opposition to probably the greatest groups on the planet, and they’re going to even be cautious of the French pack.
Bodily they’re very robust however they’re additionally dynamic for his or her dimension. They’ve excellent ball abilities and practically everybody’s a playmaker, whereas their again three are dynamic, cowl the sphere effectively and are adept at drawing out defences and placing the ball into area to get that gainline.
Italy did effectively within the first half in opposition to France, however Les Bleues’ high quality ultimately shone by.
Emeline Gros did rather well and captain Gaelle Hermet was robust once more. France have a lot to select from and have gamers getting back from harm, in order that they’ll be trying to construct on their win over Italy, come out firing and put down one other strong efficiency.
Defeat in France will surely dent Eire’s title hopes, however for this group, the marketing campaign is about chasing collective enchancment.
Eire would have been concentrating on three residence wins. Now they have to guarantee they win their two remaining residence video games in opposition to Italy and Scotland whereas attaining collective development away to France and England.
Ciara Griffin was chatting with BBC Sport’s Matt Gault
