The biggest question heading into Ireland’s opening test in Brisbane was how would the second-stringers fare?
How would John Ryan cope against the 43 cap Scott Sio? How would Rob Herring go against top-tier international opposition? And what would an Irish team look like if Joey Carbery was given the car keys by Joe Schmidt?
Carbery has not had a great run in his last few games at fly-half. He had a nightmare against the US last summer, he broke his arm when he was given the no.10 jersey against Fiji in November and his lone start for Leinster at out-half this season was a forgettable loss to Treviso. It’s a CV with a lot of holes.
With his high profile and long rumoured move away from Leinster finally over and done with, Carbery entered Saturday’s opening test in Brisbane with a point to prove.
The 22-year-old is a very different player to Johnny Sexton but already you can see how he’s benefited from learning behind the Ireland number one as he plays with the same level of flatness as Sexton.
He holds the ball in two hands, he attacks the line, he varies his passing between long and short runners and he looks for weaknesses in the opposition’s defence.
He has some great core qualities as a fly-half that give him a promising future in green but he also has the footwork and agility that really strays from the archetypal Irish fly-half of Sexton, Ronan O’Gara and David Humphries.
When the IRFU’s Head of Athletic Performance and Science Nick Winkleman was asked which Irish player he thought could best make the transition to the NFL, his former line of work, he nominated Carbery.
“When I see someone that can own space, the way he can, and his lateral movement, how sudden he is (moving) forward,” said Winkleman.
“That is what you need to be successful in the NFL. He is one of multiple examples, but the one that stands out in my mind, especially as an up-and-coming player.”
Carbery showed his open field ability against the Scarlets in the PRO14 final last month and he showed flashes of his footwork against Australia, most notably, catching the ball at full speed in the first-half and immediately looking to cut back in on his inside. He looks to beat players with ball in hand and it’s a trait that could really open up the Irish attack in years to come.
Carbery was well marshaled by an aggressive Wallabies defence but there was enough glimpses there for Joe Schmidt to know that he has a player there that he can mould and work with over time.
Johnny Sexton is still Ireland’s pre-eminent choice at fly-half, and will continue to be Schmidt’s first-choice option until he shows signs of deterioration, but in Carbery Ireland have a future long-term option at fly-half that should only improve with more time at the position next season.
Sky is the limit for James Ryan
Carbery still has a lot of room for improvement but you start to wonder how much better can James Ryan get?
His tackle and steal in the first-half was of the highest possible standard and at 21-years-old he’s already one of the best locks in the world.
Once again, he led the Irish forwards in carries (18) and tackles (16), clearing the double digit mark on both counts yet again, but it wasn’t just his ball carrying and defending that impressed, he’s already starting to grow into a leader for Ireland despite being one of the youngest players on the pitch.
There was a line-out in the second-half where Ryan took the ball down from the throw and immediately started directing the Irish maul. He was constantly communicating with Rob Herring at the back of the maul and was barking instructions at the other forwards.
It may seem like a pretty standard routine for a second-row but it’s a sign of Ryan’s increasing level of comfort in international rugby and the thing with hum is is that this could be the worst he is as a professional rugby player. How many 21-year-old’s see regression in performance as they approach their prime years? He’s only going to get better.
Ryan is playing at such an exceptional level that we almost start to take his excellence for granted. How many superlatives can we use to describe him before it just sounds the same. Brilliant, Exceptional. Marvellous. Superb.
The shoe fits, it just seems it’s getting a little more comfortable with every test.
Ireland’s winning streak is over
Ireland’s unbeaten run comes to an end as an aggressive Wallabies side took the first Test in Brisbane on the back of some brave defence and some great attacking play to bypass the shooting Ireland defenders.
Ireland had a great chance to score through CJ Stander in the second-half and Conor Murray was robbed of possession while there was Wallaby hands all over the ruck, which ultimately killed off Ireland’s chance of a late comeback.
Ireland will be bitterly disappointed by the loss but there’s positives to take from the defeat.
Carbery showed he can play and grow at 10 and that he’s not a full-back masquerading as a fly-half, James Ryan showed his excellence again and is growing into more of a leader in the Irish pack and Rob Herring, John Ryan, Jordi Murphy and Jordan Larmour saw big minutes in a big, meaningful game.
Ireland are very much in a Test series here but we’re discovering who can sink and who can swim as we edge ever closer to next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Next up, Melbourne.
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