Without precedent, Ireland now enters a Six Nations match against England at Twickenham as the overwhelming favourites. This follows their historic run of 11 consecutive Six Nations victories and four straight wins over England, leading to odds of 1/5 in favour of an Irish win and predicted a 12-point handicap.
The well-functioning Irish team of 2018 under Joe Schmidt brought a similar vigour when they played at the freezing Twickenham in the 2018 St Patrick’s Day match. However, the favouritism this time is causing unease, especially to those familiar with the bitter taste of defeat at English rugby’s home ground.
Yet, a key factor in Ireland’s remarkable record of winning 20 out of the last 21 Tests stems from their ability to brush off external discussions and distractions, thereby preventing any potential complacency or lack of respect towards the opposition.
Responding to questions on the current favouritism, Peter O’Mahony expressed his indifference. He reiterated the importance of the imminent Test match between Ireland and England, arguing that nothing else mattered compared to how they perform on the field.
O’Mahony emphasised that top-notch performance from them could earn them a victory. However, he acknowledged that the highly talented English team could defeat any opponent on their best day. He made reference to their recent participation in the final two games of the World Cup, indicating that Ireland’s match at Twickenham would be an intense encounter as always.
His comments follow his first stint as captain at Twickenham, where his record against England stands at seven wins and eight losses, including a mere two victories and six losses out of eight trips to England’s rugby union stronghold.
“Sure, playing a match in an away stadium and securing a win is always difficult, regardless of where you are in the Six Nations. It is especially challenging when it comes to Twickenham, which clearly serve as a stronghold for English rugby.
In our previous victories, we had to perform outstandingly well. Some of the rugby we’ve displayed has been remarkable, and that’s exactly the type of performance we’ll need to pull off tomorrow. Winning at such a challenging venue as Twickenham needs more than just extraordinary gameplay.
Particularly in terms of England, their renowned set-pieces are impressive. Their disruption skills during the set-piece are truly commendable. When it comes to disrupting the breakdown, the quality of the roving players they possess, counter-ruckers, it’s really impressive. They have an incredibly potent power game, with their forwards securely positioned around the corner and their backs maintaining a fine balance of execution timing. This calls for a massive defensive responsibility on our part in tomorrow’s match.
However, this is an exception for the Irish team. You can’t deny it, and the statistics prove it, albeit there isn’t an overarching element or aspect responsible for it.
The issue here is that there isn’t a singular aspect to focus on, there are numerous components at play, a lot to improve and work on, both in terms of opposition and ourselves. It’s all about compiling everything into a complete game plan. We’ve managed to do this to a certain degree in the past few matches. However, every time we regroup at camp, we always find more areas to work on. Every team strives for a flawless performance, but we all know that it’s impossible to achieve.
In my view, the constant determination and drive across the group to persistently improve is what sets us apart. Yet, there isn’t one distinct element that can be singled out, all the factors need to work together.
But when asked if this was the best Irish team I’ve ever been part of, I hesitated, even though surely this must be true.”
Well, I’ve had the fortune to contribute in some top-notch teams comprised of truly talented players. If you pushed me to make a commitment, my answer would be affirmative.
Comparisons can be intricate as rugby has evolved profoundly over time, and the framework of the game has undergone alterations. But, if you were to demand a succinct response, I’d lean towards supporting my claim. The caliber of the players and the rich, encouraging, intellectually stimulating, and entertaining atmosphere certainly adds value, but it’s ultimately the performance standards and outcomes that solidify my argument.
Although drawing comparisons isn’t straightforward, I would definitely rank this experience exceedingly high.