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11th March 2024
02:46pm GMT
Ireland are still in pole position to retain their Six Nations title, but Saturday's narrow defeat to England has clipped some wings.
Andy Farrell's men lost 23-22 to England and were ruing a missed Jack Crowley conversion, some porous defending off England's lineout strike-play and concession of late penalties that gave Marcus Smith the chance to be a drop goal hero. Farrell paid credit to England, who he said deserved the win, and sought to switch focus to this weekend's championship decider against Scotland.
Ireland are four points clear of their nearest rivals, England, and would need to lose to Scotland without picking up any sort of bonus point to realistically miss out on the title. It is conceivable that Ireland could lose to Scotland and still retain the championship, with England away to France in the final game. Ireland's three opening victories were won by such a distance that their points difference tally is nigh-on impossible to eclipse.
Ahead of this weekend's 'Super Saturday' in the Six Nations, the RTÉ panel of Stephen Ferris, Jamie Heaslip and Bernard Jackman debated how Ireland bounce back. Jackman even suggested a starting XV change that could leave Peter O'Mahony out in the cold.
"England answered a lot of critics with that performance," said Stephen Ferris on RTÉ, "and I'm sure it's been talked about during the week also.
"That's rugby, that's what happens. That's why we all love sport, because Ireland were everyone's favourites, every English fan was saying how good we are. Upsets happen, look what happened with Italy and Scotland.
"We want a reaction next week now. We're going to have to get a reaction because if we don't perform again and Scotland turn us over. England have a chance to win the championship."
Former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman did not mention Ireland captain Peter O'Mahony by name, but his suggestion to bring in another Leinster player to the pack could see the Munster legend miss out.
"Realistically when I look at that squad," said Jackman, "I think there has to be an argument that Ryan Baird needs to start now.
"We need to get our biggest, most athletic players into the team, because when you come up against a team like England, power is massive. It's very hard to just play fast all the time, you have to earn the right to play fast, and having big, powerful men is a key part of that."
"It shows you why it's so hard to win a Grand Slam back to back," Jackman added. "No one has done it in the Six Nations because you come up against a team like that who have this emotional charge, a point to prove, and some talent as well.
"The best teams in the world can lose a match, that's the reality of it. Rarely in our sport has anyone been 100%. I think he will demand a reaction now. That Scotland game now is absolutely massive to fix the issue that were pretty evident today,
In our team selection for the Scotland game, we brought Garry Ringrose back into the starting XV while naming Oli Jager and Robbie Henshaw on the bench. Calvin Nash and Ciáran Frawley are both injury doubts after shipping concussive blows, against England.
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