One of the most beautiful aspects of sports is the constant evolution that occurs. From the days of linear running with the ball under arm, rugby has undergone significant change in the rules, stature of player, profile of player role, and most decisively, in the tactics and strategy played out by teams.
As the 3rd best team in the world in the current men’s world rankings, Ireland have slowly clawed their way up the rugby ladder since the sport was brought to the country in the 1850’s from England, against whom Ireland played their first ever international match on 15th February 1875.
While England were certainly the most dominant nation in the world back then, the tables have been turned since the match at The Oval, London, with Ireland emerging victorious in five of the last six matches, with four of those wins coming in the Six Nations. In fact, in this decade, Ireland lead a head-to-head over England by 5-3.
There have been some memorable performances in recent years, most notably the series win in New Zealand in 2022 and the victory over South Africa in the 2023 Rugby World Cup. But what is it about head coach Andy Farrell’s charges and the tactics employed that have made Ireland one of the most formidable rugby nations on the planet?
Playing on the Front Foot
In the past, the Irish national team has been accused of playing safe and low risk rugby, especially under Joe Schmidt. There is nothing wrong with a pragmatic approach and at times, it is necessary. But to entertain a partisan crowd, the way to do it is with quick, attacking rugby, something Farrell has instilled on the current Irish side. Aspects of this approach include quicker ball speed and the utilisation of width to the maximum.
In playing in this style, backs are connected better with the forwards and gaps can be created in the opposition’s defensive line by using the full width of the pitch, performed most recently by Tommy O’Brien and Shayne Bolton in the record-breaking 106-7 win over Portugal. Of course, Portugal is nowhere near troubling the higher echelon of world rugby, but a scoreline for the record books and the style of rugby to run in 16 tries should never be dismissed.
Dogged Defence
While much attention is paid to the swashbuckling attacking style implemented by Farrell, a lot can also be said of the desire to defend. Although there might be less to unravel from a tactical perspective, the need for organisation in defending is crucial and was the difference in the memorable 2023 World Cup win over South Africa (13-8).
In what was a more physical match, Ireland’s doggedness, and ability to hold a late South African barrage at arm’s length allowed them to progress to the quarter finals, where they were defeated by New Zealand. However, in defeat, Ireland stuck to their new gameplan and troubled the Kiwis with more ball possession, territory, while dwarfing New Zealand in the number of metres covered (633-465).
However, with a more attacking approach, there is also a greater element of risk involved, and, in the end, penalties conceded was the undoing of Ireland in their latest attempt to reach a first World Cup semi-final. The win for New Zealand was sweet revenge after losing the 2022 series at home (1-2), but for Irish rugby, they could exit the tournament with their heads held high knowing that they had pushed the best to the limit with their enterprising brand of rugby.
Time to Tweak the Tactics
With a mini break now for the men until the Autumn Internationals in November, the question on the lips of Irish rugby fans might be “what is this week’s top rugby acca?” It is not long though until the Women’s World Cup kicks off, with Ireland taking on Japan, New Zealand, and Spain in the group stage.
For the men, they return in a few months when Ireland takes on New Zealand, Japan, New Zealand (again), and South Africa all in the space of three weeks. Farrell and his coaching staff have time to work on the match plans ahead of the return of rugby to the big stage. Following a successful Lions’ tour Down Under, the aim will be to get back to the number one spot in the rankings. If Ireland can do that while entertaining rugby fans worldwide, even better.