Brian O’Driscoll insists that Ireland’s current problems are not just limited to one area following their disappointing end to the 2025 Six Nations.
The Irishmen were looking to become the first side to win three titles in a row during the Six Nations era having claimed back-to-back triumphs in 2023 and 2024.
It started well enough with wins over England, Scotland and Wales, but their hopes were brutally ended by France, who thrashed the hosts 42-27 at the Aviva Stadium.
Simon Easterby’s men then followed that up with a subpar display in Rome as they edged to a 22-17 victory over Italy at the Stadio Olimpico.
Ireland’s issues
Ireland were very close to succumbing to a shock defeat and O’Driscoll felt that the campaign exposed several deficiencies.
While most people have focused on the attacking side of their game during the Six Nations, the 46-year-old also reckons that they should be worried defensively.
“I think it’s not just the attack, defensively there’s definitely an issue between the Leinster defensive system and having so many players involved, and the lack of correlation between what they’re trying to do defensively at Ireland,” he told Off The Ball.
“It almost feels as though they’re nearly retraining themselves into the Ireland system, but yet muscle memory has them doing some of the Leinster components.
“For instance, that really hard defensive line – and we saw it against Italy at the weekend – where some people are coming up hard, others a little bit softer.
“As soon as someone makes a read through; with Leinster, everyone heads to the sideline, the scramble is on, and actually that leaves you susceptible back on the inside.”
O’Driscoll used Italy’s first try to explain what he was referring to after the hosts managed to cut through the Irish defence rather easily.
“The [Monty] Ioane try, [Tommaso] Menoncello goes back inside [Mack] Hansen, comes back inside [Garry] Ringrose and then accelerates really hard inside [Dan] Sheehan, who is also corner flagging it, rather than keeping the connectivity of the line on the inside – the hustle as it’s called.
“That’s definitely an issue. As much as we talk about the multiphase being a problem and the cohesion and timing of running and the passing quality – all those aspects – I definitely sense that defensively we’ve regressed as well.
“It’s 14 tries conceded in this year’s Six Nations. Before the Italian game, it was the worst defensive display in the Six Nations since 2002 – most tries conceded.
“We’ve always in the last six, seven, eight, nine years been defensively very strong, making it very difficult for teams to get try bonuses.”
The Leinster defence
Most of the Ireland team comes from the Leinster set-up and that should ordinarily help with continuity, but O’Driscoll believes that there is now a slight disconnect since the arrival of Jacques Nienaber at the province.
The double Rugby World Cup winner has looked to implement a Springboks-like blitz with the URC outfit, but the former centre is concerned that it is hindering the Test team.
“It doesn’t feel as though that certainty is there anymore. It’s no shock that when your defensive coach (Easterby) goes to head coach, the ball is going to be dropped in some capacity, you just can’t be over everything,” O’Driscoll added.
“That’s why we have specific coaches for each section. When Simon is trying to double and triple job, it makes sense there is going to be a fall-off.
“[But ] I do think the change of system at Leinster over the last couple of seasons has impacted the national team as well because they’re not defending in a similar way.
“They’re looking for big line speed but none of that doubling under stuff that we’re seeing from a lot of those Leinster players.”
👀 READ MORE: Ireland great claims Simon Easterby’s side in ‘dangerous’ position after being ‘forced’ down Springboks route
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/brian-odriscoll-offers-jacques-nienaber-theory-for-irelands-struggles-after-worst-defensive-display-since-2002
