"Scoreboard flattered Andy Farrell's team but bench-impact is a positive That the better side won convincingly - on the scoreboard at least - is beyond dispute but that the better side deserved to win convincingly is not. Before Saturday's game against Japan, Andy Farrell had declared his pre-match mantra as "a lot needing to be better as far as accuracy is concerned but our intent in how we play the game, we need a reaction to that"."
"That the better side won convincingly - on the scoreboard at least - is beyond dispute but that the better side deserved to win convincingly is not. Before Saturday's game against Japan, Andy Farrell had declared his pre-match mantra as "a lot needing to be better as far as accuracy is concerned but our intent in how we play the game, we need a reaction to that"."
Ireland's scoreboard result against Japan overstated their superiority despite a convincing points margin. The performance showed clear positive impact from replacements, boosting momentum and effectiveness. Accuracy and execution remained inconsistent and required improvement across phases and discipline. The team's intent and patterns of play were evident, prompting a need for reaction and refinement. Pre-match focus emphasized correcting accuracy while maintaining attacking intent. Bench contributions offered tangible uplift, suggesting depth strength even as starting combinations and overall precision require further work to justify a dominant scoreline.
Read at Independent
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