Page 22 - Irish Examiner USA

sportsexaminer
22

2019 Dangers Face Ireland In Pre-

21st,

August World Cup Warm Ups

|
EXAMINER By Barry Coughlan INPHO

n a recent edition of
the Sunday Times, the
Rugby
IRISH Ipaper’s Stephen
Correspondent
Jones warned of the dangers
facing Ireland, England,
Scotland and Wales in the
build-up to the World Cup in
Japan.
Once upon a time, teams
preparing for World Cup
tournaments would have
been banned from going any-
where close to a competitive
and physically demanding
rugby match.
Nowadays the participat-
ing nations certainly won’t be
undercooked, but some of
their number could be
crocked.
Ireland’s preparations for
the 2019 event began at the
Aviva Stadium on the first
weekend of pre-World Cup
matches. It ended in a satis-
factory if uninspiring 29-10
win over Italy, but Jones’
words of warning were well- began, competing teams behind an aggressive defense Conway, who got a try but taking in terms of keeping
timed. were forbidden to play games and he also scored one of contributed much more the players safe from physical
With Johnny Sexton ruled anywhere close to the tour- Ireland’s five tries. through his aggressive in-the- harm before Japan.
out of action for another nament. This time, most of In front of 26,000 fans, air fielding. Things are not so good
week or more because of a the nations competing in the Ireland had to work hard for Another Munster player, with either Wales or England
thumb injury, Irish coach Joe World Cup are playing victory, but they managed to Chris Farrell put his hand up either. Wales lost the
Schmidt chose Joey Carbery Mickey Mouse friendly repel the opposition with a to make Schmidt’s 31-man Twickenham clash 33-19 to
in the pivotal number 10 games two weeks before kick team that would hardly be final cut for the World Cup; end an unbeaten 14-match
position. off. Practically the only regarded as Schmidt’s first his powerful runs and slick run before hitting back to
Schmidt had the worry of injury from which you can choice unit. handling were features of the beat Eddie Jones’ side at the
seeing Ulster hooker Rob recover in that time, should The coach was able to game and it was his perfect weekend in Cardiff.
Herring depart with an injury you suffer one, is a headache reflect more happily on pass that set up Carbery for More serious for Wales
after just 17 minutes and then and a nose bleed. Hamstring? things other than that injury his memorable try. was the tournament-ending
must have cringed when his Goodbye,” observed Jones. to Carbery, amongst them Others, such as Jordan injury to Gareth Anscombe,
star-turn Carbery had to be Carbery’s injury is being the performance of Larmour, will be disappoint- whom coach Warren
helped off the pitch with an undoubtedly the big worry Jean Kleyn, who only became ed that there was no chance Gatland had probably
ankle injury after 50 minutes. he had to face a medical pro- eligible to play for Ireland last to display his dazzling pace installed as his first-choice
He faces up to six weeks out cedure last week, making Wednesday and who was in and he still has lots of work number 10.
of action. him a big worry as to for his first cap. to do to convince Schmidt he It now leaves Gatland with
Jones observed ten days whether he will play a mean- Schmidt was impressed, should be on the plane to his three out-halves in Dan
ago that while it was all well ingful part in Ireland’s early particularly by Kleyn’s contri- Tokyo. Biggar, Jarrod Evens and
and good to have match-time matches of the tournament. bution to Ireland’s dominant If Ireland survived the Rhys Patchell.
before the World Cup he Carbery had put in a great scrum, something Ireland physicality of the battle Further casualties were
believed there were inherent performance before injury haven’t always managed to against Italy, there is more to Justin Tipuric (ankle) and
dangers in relation to the struck, keeping the gutsy achieve against the Azurri. come, they're on the return Adam Beard (wrist), while for
well- being of the players. Italians on the back foot with “Our scrum was very from Portugal warm-weather England there is a serious
“When World Cups a series of delicate kicks in good, particularly in the first training. worry about the well-being
half, we probably had four But then they face into of star-flanker Tom Curry
Ireland’s upcoming friendly games scrums and got penalties off two away fixtures against (shoulder).
them on the back of some England and Wales, the two The English-Welsh games
August 24: v England (A) really good power that we teams that beat them badly in were friendlies in name but
put through it,” said the last season’s Six Nations, certainly not in nature. It can
August 31: v Wales (A) coach. before finishing preparations never be between these two
There were other impres- for the World Cup with a sec- countries, in the same way as
September 7: v Wales (H) sive displays from individu- ond game against Wales at England v Ireland and Wales
als, not least from Andrew the Aviva. That’s a lot of risk- v Ireland. C