We check out how Eire clinched the 2024 Six Nations title, and after back-to-back championship wins, ponder can they maintain such success going?
A Grand Slam slipped from their grasp late at Twickenham in Spherical 4, however Andy Farrell has now guided Eire to Six Nations titles in 2023 and 2024, to sit down alongside a Triple Crown in 2022.
Additionally in that point, Eire received a Check sequence 2-1 away vs the All Blacks, beat the Springboks twice, held a world No 1 rating between July 2022 and October 2023, and went on a 17-Check profitable run.
Beneath, we take a look at how Eire received the 2024 Six Nations title, and the elements and storylines that emerged by the championship, which pose attention-grabbing questions going ahead…
A surprising begin in Marseille, with a post-World Cup assertion made
Eire started life within the post-Johnny Sexton period in very best style, as a terrific efficiency noticed them to a bonus-point 38-17 victory over France in Marseille on the opening night time.
Jamison Gibson-Park, Tadhg Beirne, Calvin Nash, Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher scored tries on the Stade Velodrome towards a French facet who noticed lock Paul Willemse proven a purple card in the course of the first half for 2 yellows – each excessive tackles.
Eire made a post-Rugby World Cup assertion with a shocking bonus-point win over France in Marseille on the opening Friday night time
Jack Crowley began nervously however grew in confidence and into the competition, kicking one penalty and 5 beautiful conversions, whereas additionally producing a stunning strive help for Beirne in a file factors complete and profitable margin for Eire in France.
Whereas Les Bleus had been clearly nonetheless hurting from a house World Cup quarter-final defeat to South Africa, Eire – who themselves had suffered a devastating quarter-final loss to New Zealand – seemed to barely skip a beat, in among the best performances below Farrell thus far.
From then on, Eire had been large Six Nations favourites, and for a lot of, Grand Slam favourites.
Excellent type noticed Italy destroyed and nilled in Dublin
In Spherical 2, Eire stored up their very good type as they stormed to a 36-0 victory over Italy in Dublin in a wholly-dominant show.
Tries from Crowley, Sheehan (two), Jack Conan and wings James Lowe and Nash despatched Eire to the highest of the standings after two rounds, having picked up the utmost competitors factors on provide of two bonus-point wins.
Jack Crowley pulled the strings beautifully as Eire nilled Italy 36-0 in Spherical 2
Italy, who narrowly misplaced 27-24 to England in Rome every week earlier, and would go on to beat Scotland and Wales, and draw with France in a recreation they need to have received, had been completely outclassed and struggled massively for possession and territory within the contest, with Eire trying very good.
Crowley, whose strategy work and attacking touches verged on chic at occasions, added two conversions with the boot in victory, with the one fear for Farrell a second-half leg harm to full-back Hugo Keenan.
Victory over Wales retains Grand Slam quest on, however assault visibly stunted with out Keenan
At dwelling to Wales in Spherical 3, Eire’s quest for back-to-back Six Nations Grand Slams remained on, as they secured a 31-7 victory over Warren Gatland’s facet in Dublin.
Eire noticed off Wales in Dublin, however their assault did not attain earlier ranges
Sheehan, Lowe, Ciaran Frawley and Beirne scored tries within the bonus-point success, with Crowley ending 100 per cent with the boot, touchdown a penalty and all 4 conversions.
But, for all that the ultimate rating was comfy, Eire’s assault with out Keenan suffered and was visibly stunted.
It was a good summation that Eire failed to achieve the heights they displayed vs France and Italy within the opening two rounds.
Grand Slam goals die at Twickenham vs sensational England
In Spherical 4, Eire’s hopes of historic back-to-back Grand Slams had been ended by England with the ultimate kick at Twickenham, as Marcus Smith struck a last-gasp drop-goal to seal a 23-22 win.
Marcus Smith’s last-gasp drop-goal crushed Eire’s Grand Slam goals at Twickenham
England, who produced their greatest efficiency of the championship by a substantial distance, scored tries by Ollie Lawrence, George Furbank and Ben Earl.
Eire scored their factors by 4 Crowley penalties and two Lowe tries, however fell behind from a place of 9 factors forward as England acquired the higher of their lineout, two accidents to backs pressured scrum-half Gibson-Park to the wing and skipper Peter O’Mahony was proven a pricey yellow card.
England had been sensational, and put of their greatest show with the ball for the reason that 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-final win over New Zealand in Japan, however Eire had been nicely under their greatest ranges on the day too.
James Lowe scored twice for Eire leads at Twickenham, however they had been deserved losers within the contest
A 6-2 bench break up got here again to chew them, however a possible blueprint to beat Eire was maybe laid out by England: play quick, extraordinarily precisely, and go after the breakdown and lineout as onerous as attainable.
Eire finally see off cussed Scotland to seal back-to-back titles for third time ever
And so to Saturday, the place Eire needed to choose themselves up from the frustration of Twickenham and exit to win a championship at dwelling to the Scots.
Ultimately, Eire secured back-to-back titles for simply the third time of their historical past as Farrell’s facet finally noticed off a cussed Scotland 17-13.
Second row Joe McCarthy has been an awesome discover for Eire throughout this Six Nations
Tries from Sheehan and Andrew Porter, added to by seven factors through the boot of Crowley noticed Eire to victory, with Finn Russell notching two penalties in response for Scotland, and Huw Jones a late strive.
Repeat outright championship victories in 1948 and 1949 and 2014 and 2015 have been added to after Eire received a Grand Slam in 2023, and although last-gasp defeat at Twickenham denied them the prospect of historic repeat Grand Slams, the title was duly wrapped up once more.
Removed from excellent, Eire spurned plenty of second half possibilities in assault, with Jordan Larmour – a late call-up with Keenan dominated out in the course of the warm-up – Tadhg Furlong, Nash and Robbie Henshaw both knocking on or being held up simply earlier than or over the try-line.
Crowley (left) has stepped into Johnny Sexton’s sneakers brilliantly, profitable a title in his first Six Nations
They have not ended the championship of their greatest type, however finish it by lifting the trophy. There are query marks as as to whether skipper O’Mahony will retire or not, with extra readability on that but to emerge, however with England and France to go to Dublin in subsequent yr’s Six Nations, Eire, on the face of it, have a very good probability to go on and make it three in a row – which they’ve by no means executed.
Earlier than that, there’s the matter of a two-Check tour to world champions South Africa in July, and an autumn schedule towards the likes of New Zealand, Argentina and Australia.
