RONAN O GARA has said he is still surprised with how positive Ireland was against Japan last weekend. The former Munster man had spoken with former teammate Paul O' Connell about Ireland's different playing styles. O Connell seemed to have an ace up his sleeve that he didn't let out.
"I'd chatted to Paul a little bit, not necessarily about Ireland, but about rugby, and what they were looking to do, and what teams are looking to do," said O'Gara during the announcement of his new Benetti partnership.
Ireland beat Japan 60-5 and have the All Black to come this week.
Dublin , Ireland - 6 November 2021; Joey Carbery of Ireland (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)"You could see that it all came together for them really well in that attacking kicks [were used], threatening backs behind forwards were running great lines, backs were putting forwards through holes, backs were putting backs through holes, backs were putting a kick through for backs, backs were putting kicks through for forwards.
"The interplay was really good. The capacity for the forwards to play the ball out of the tackle.... There were statistics that you wouldn't associate at all with an Irish team.
"It's hugely, and pleasantly surprising. It caught an awful lot of people, me included, off guard, because I was expecting more of a structured game. It just shows that when you get buy-in, and belief in another way of playing, it makes it so interesting to watch."
O'' Gara is expecting"very few changes" to the line-up for this weekend's game against the All Blacks with Andy Farell going for the safe option.
They have been looking to play like that for a long time," said the former Munster out-half
"Obviously against Japan they got so many of the elements right, and they were probably aided by a team that maybe underappreciated Ireland, the fact that the last time they played them they said, 'We have these guys, and we can put it up to these guys'.
"Like, Saturday was such a mismatch on so many fronts that Japan were humiliated in most departments of rugby. You can pick them apart, but that would be an error on my behalf, because they put it up to Australia.
"Australia are a good team now, and they've improved, and that was the second last game for Australia, so Japan had something about them, but didn't show it in Dublin.
"They weren't allowed to show it because Ireland got their approach spot on, but it clicked with the idea of hitting space.
"So many coaches use that, but I think for me it's a perfect example of what the coach is looking for. He's looking for the players to back their instincts and back their decisions and play that ball at the space.
"That was probably epitomised best by James Lowe running great lines outside his 22, but that's probably an irregular line for a lot of wingers, but he's been given free reign by management to go get as many touches on the ball and run holes as much as he can."
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'Gara added: "It's important because I think we all have a stomach full of box kicks.
"That was probably the most pleasing aspect of last week, the fact there are other options to exit with, there are other ways of playing the game.
"The box kick doesn't need to be the solution for everything and I don't think that's been the Irish mentality, but it has certainly been a factor for a long number of years.
"We could see last weekend that you can shift the point of attack or defence in numerous capacities to play at the other people's skills, especially with left-footers, right-footers.
"I think it will be very interesting because I don't think there will be a shift away from this. This is what they've been looking for, but I didn't think they expected to get where they are as quickly as they did, and that's a credit to the work going on behind the scenes.
