Ian Madigan

We didn't see enough of that in the game.

And it's just so important at the top level.

You have to be able to create a bit of doubt into the opposition.

And that can be as simple as putting your hands up late as a player is going into contact or a subtle change of direction.

And that's the difference between getting hit really hard or maybe just being a passive tackle.

And then that results in quick rook ball, which Ireland's attack is so dependent on quick rook ball.

And you could see it at the game against Wales, and full credit to the Welsh, when they tackled us and drove us back, they slowed up the ball.

And then the only option really for Gibson Park then, he just defaults back to the short side.

And then you're trying to regenerate your attack.

And there was definitely an element of Ireland thinking it was going to be a bit easier than it actually was.

And you could see that in particular in the first half when Ireland are going to width, when they hadn't really earned the right to go to width.

They hadn't

got over the game line they hadn't created quick rook ball they hadn't shortened the welsh defense yet they were still going there thinking that the space would be there but it wasn't and that's why you saw the ball on the on the ground uh on numerous occasions in particular in that first half

You can definitely go in with a more simplified game plan, but my view was always that you want to show as many strings to your bow of your attack because you want to put as much seed of doubt into the opposition going, I wonder what they're going to do this week.

If you go out with kind of blunt force, yes, you're not necessarily showing your hand, but you're not exactly filling the opposition with fear either.

I think that the reason why we saw the one-off carries, I think they thought that they'd get over the gain line with those one-off carries.

And I don't think they expected the Welsh defence to be as good as it was.

And you score that second, you know, the try that was disallowed, you score that, the game starts to free up because, you know, Wales have to start chasing it at that point.

They can't play that kind of rope-a-dope defence.

And that's where we were dangerous against England when we got those opportunities.