There seems to be a “but” about Ireland. They were fabulous against France in Pool D’s fourth round, but it was against a side apparently in the throes of yet another mutiny. They are through to Sunday’s quarter-final as winners of that pool, but at a cost: Johnny Sexton, Paul O’Connell and Peter O’Mahony out through injury; Sean O’Brien through suspension. They are the back-to-back champions of the Six Nations, where they are masters of maintaining a consistently high level of performance, but this is the World Cup, where they are not. Ireland, it has been pointed out to them, have been knocked out twice by Argentina. That’s a “but” and a bit.
It seems to be assumed that to win the World Cup you have to be able at these knockout stages to extract something a little extra. In the quest for this secret ingredient, questions are being asked of Joe Schmidt, the coach whose attention to detail is legendary and whose ability to adjust the team’s strategy is unquestioned. Forensic he may be, but is he an alchemist?
Ireland may well point to the very last game, the victory over France, when Iain Henderson and Ian Madigan came on for O’Connell and Sexton, and the team, if anything, played better. Rather than knocking Saint Joe of Knock and accusing him of having his hand in the reliquary till, how about applauding him for preparing his squad to thrive on adversity? No buts about it, you can shove your “buts”.
This business of taking Ireland to the next level is a sensitive matter. But perhaps it has gathered a little momentum when the evolution of their rugby, even under Schmidt, is compared with Argentina’s. The Pumas, having beaten Ireland in 2007, finished third. If they had a little something extra it was the power of their pack – and that was hardly the biggest surprise in the rugby world of the time. Mario Ledesma, now the scrummaging guru to Australia, a tracksuited mechanic who crawls into the heart of the beast to examine its workings from beneath, was in those days a hooker in white and blue hoops going eye to eye with his opponents.
Beyond this pack, Juan Martín Hernández kicked the ball into the air. It was the ultimate aerial World Cup and Argentina’s use of the sky was bettered only by the space science of the eventual winners, South Africa. That tournament had its moments – the revival of England and the joyous style of Fiji were among them – but passing the ball played a limited role.
Since then, Argentina have been through a revolution. The change has been driven by Agustín Pichot, scrum-half in 2007 and now Señor Rugby in the high offices of World Rugby in 2015, with inspiration provided by Sir Graham Henry, coach of the World Cup-winning All Blacks of 2011 and consultant to the Pumas after that. Pichot wanted the Pumas to play with more verve; Henry told them to score more tries. Simple as that.
And ever since, Argentina have opened up behind that formidable scrum – perhaps sacrificing some of its brute-power in the process – and used a passing game to fine ends. Juan Imhoff, Santiago Cordero and Joaquín Tuculet have been well served as a back three and have scored for fun – more pool points at this World Cup than anyone.
Ireland in the past few years have become more attentive to detail. The midfield has certainly not been more employed, for all the potential of Robbie Henshaw, since the retirement of Brian O’Driscoll. Madigan has an inclination to run, but – there it is again – must remember the Sexton method today and kick for territory first. As a more refined version of the 2007 bombs, he may deliver delicate kicks that give the Irish midfield and back three a chance to chase and compete in the air and hope to be as precise as the master and satisfy the Irish forwards, asking them politely to pick up the pace, from set-piece solidity and short-range driving and mauling to knees up on the rampage.
With such a platform and such a style, Ireland are the old Argentina. The Pumas still have Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe in the back row, Marcos Ayerza in the front and Hernández at centre, but these stalwarts of 07 are very much committed to the new Argentina.
Can Ireland beat them and become semi-finalists without Sexton and without O’Connell and O’Mahony, their lineout aces, and O’Brien, their principal ball-carrier? Can Henderson, Jordi Murphy and Chris Henry join in from the off as if nobody had ever been hurt? Who can lift their heads above the strain and see a way though? Cian Healy is only just back from a serious neck injury; Rory Best will be head down at the breakdown or in the scrum. If he raises his eyes will he think he can steer a maul past the Pumas? Or might he meet the gaze of the outstanding Agustín Creevy, his opposite number and captain of the foe?
Beyond the scrum lie those expanses that Argentina have grown to love. Dare Ireland go there but by air? Conor Murray, who on his day can pull most strings, may have his puppeteer’s hands full with Martín Landajo, a scrum-half of real speed and invention. The task looks ominous, but there’s always a “but”. Argentina are better than ever before but Ireland have a way of taking such assertions and turning them upside down.
