Bring it on.
Don’t doubt it for one minute but Ireland’s upcoming clash with Wales could be their most challenging game of the Six Nations so far, at least from a physical point of view.
Wales are a wounded animal.
Media and fans alike have been highly critical of Rob Howley’s side. The unwanted attention and scrutiny will only add to the players’ motivation to get a result against Ireland.
Mix this with the claustrophobic and pressurised atmosphere which the Principality Stadium will create and you know Ireland are in for a hellish 80 minutes.
But of course, the Irish players know this, the management know this and the Irish fans know this too.
As long as Ireland can match the inevitable physical onslaught which the Welsh will bring, then their superior game-plan should see them home.
Shane Horgan, writing in his column for The Times, believes that Wales’ high-pressure defence can be unlocked and thwarted by Johnny Sexton.
Horgan believes Howley will stick with Dan Biggar at out-half, ignoring the clamour for Sam Davies to be included in Biggar’s place.
The main reason for this is the role which Biggar plays in Wales’ defensive pattern.
‘Wales should not drop him (Biggar), though because he is a feisty competitor and fulfills the important ‘rabbit’ role in their defensive blitz pattern. He comes charging out of the line to put pressure on the opposition 10 and panic him into a decision he doesn’t want to make.’
Horgan, however, is confident that Sexton is the perfect man to deal with the pressure that Biggar will bring.
He believes Sexton has the technical capacity to avoid being affected by this attention, with the ultimate outcome being that the Welsh defensive line will have offered up unwanted space due to Biggar’s failed attempt at putting Sexton off.
‘This is a high-risk strategy because if that opposition 10 has a cool head and a good step then he can exploit the space created by the lack of ‘integrity’ in the rest of the defensive line. Johnny Sexton has the attributes to do just that.’
Irish fans were buoyed by just how seamlessly Sexton made his return to international Test rugby, putting in a commanding and dominating performance to guide his side to victory against France.
With another week of Sexton getting further up to speed in Carton House, expect the 31-year-old to be at the fore in the hope of continuing Ireland’s championship dream.
