Nov 21,2024
Last week, the big message coming from the Ireland camp was "intent", following the sluggish nature of their defeat to New Zealand.
This week, the focus is on discipline.
For several years under Andy Farrell, Ireland were squeaky clean. With just three yellow cards over a span of 29 games, they had by far the best disciplinary record, in terms of cards, in Test rugby.
In 2024, that standard has slipped.
Having previously averaged one card for every 9.66 games, they have had nine yellows in their last nine matches. In each of the last two games they have given up 13 penalties apiece, and while their average of 10.6 penalties conceded per game in 2024 isn't remarkable, the nature and cost of those penalties is.
In terms of the cost, no team is conceding a higher portion of their penalties in a kickable range, with more than 46% of Ireland’s penalties conceded this year being between halfway and their own 22. The result is that Ireland’s opponents have scored 54 points just from penalties off the tee across the last three games.
The second issue around Ireland’s discipline is that they’re giving up their penalties in flurries, which is contributing in a major way to the number of yellow cards they’re picking up, with a good example of that being Joe McCarthy’s sin-bin for repeated infringements against Argentina.
After last Friday’s game, head coach Andy Farrell said their discipline was "desperate" against Los Pumas, and captain Caelan Doris says it’s been a big focus this week, ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Fiji.
"The game became a different game in the second half," Doris said.
"Some of that was down to our discipline. I was chatting to the coaches there - from the 37th minute to the 60th we conceded seven [penalties] versus zero. That was a similar story to our five consecutive ones in the second half against New Zealand.
"At the same time, I don't think there's any panic stations going on here because our discipline has been a key strength over the last number of years. We're playing against top class opposition, playing on the edge a little bit and we're getting some of them wrong.
"There's avoidable ones. I'd two offsides in the 39th, 40th minute in our own 22 which gives them more opportunities to take energy away from us having to defend repeated sets, they're different things but it just comes down to our smarts, our focus, and maybe wanting to be on the edge but reining it in a tiny bit at times.
"That's going to be a big thing for us to get right this week against Fiji because if we give them opportunities to attack and field position, they're extremely dangerous with some of the threats they pose."
It’s been a big week on a personal level for the Ireland captain.
On Monday, the 26-year-old was included on the four-man shortlist for World Rugby player of the year alongside Springboks Cheslin Kolbe, Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit, while on Tuesday night he claimed the player of the year title at the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland awards.
"Given it's such a team sport, it's more of a reflection on the two groups, the two environments and the success we've had with Leinster and Ireland.
"I'm a product of the environment I feel, but at the same time I hope a lot of the people from Ballina, from Mayo, my family and friends take a bit of enjoyment from it as well. It's pretty cool, I am happy with it.
"I love coming in to train every day, I love being in camp. I love being with some of my best mates every day and getting to do what I do. It's a very enjoyable thing.
"I also feel like my friends and family outside of rugby keep me pretty grounded, I'm still just Caelan the normal person to them. That's nice as well," he added.
The number 8 was natural successor to Peter O’Mahony as captain, given his age profile but also his importance to the team.
While he missed time in 2020 and 2021 due to concussion, Doris has now played 38 consecutive games for Ireland dating back to the summer of 2021, with 37 of those coming in the starting team.
And the Leinster back row says that level of durability requires a lot of work behind the scenes.
"I think from 15 or 16 my hips caused me a bit of bother if I don't stay on top of them, so I learnt pretty early on that I need to do x and y in order to be able to train, to be able to perform well.
"So, I probably got into good habits at a young age in terms of warming up well, doing extra hip motivation.
"I got into quite a good routine in terms of recovering well, also prehabbing and rehabbing well, spending quite a bit of time with physios. It all adds up."
Given how highly he’s clearly rated by Andy Farrell, Doris has naturally been touted as a potential British and Irish Lions captain for this summer’s tour of Australia.
But he insists he’s not allowing that talk distract him from the here and now.
"It’s beyond my thinking. When I’m setting out my season goals, of course it comes up about making the Tour – I’d absolutely love to – but I always set out my goals for the season, then have them in the background and then focus week on week, which I think is the only way you can do it.
"You don’t want to get lost in something down the line and not perform each week and you end up losing out on it. I’m very much week to week at the minute."
