Interim Head Coach Paul O’Connell says that Ireland’s training matches with Portugal ahead of the Rugby World Cup back in 2023 opened a lot of coaches and players eyes to the capabilities of the team they will face on Saturday in Lisbon.
“The players still talk about that training session because we probably didn’t expect them to be as good as they were. And then, on the back of that, we really enjoyed watching them at the World Cup together. Some of the guys whose names we didn’t know, we knew after that training session, and we really enjoyed following them.”
“I thought they were excellent at that World Cup and I’ve enjoyed following their progress since. It’s great to see them playing the likes of South Africa and doing quite well, playing the likes of Scotland and doing well, certainly scoring tries.
“So when I watch them anyway, I like what I see. I like their attitude to the game. I think a little bit similar to us, they want to play to the space and they want to play to the space as early as they can. I just hope from that World Cup they can kick on and keep developing as a team.
“They’ve very good backs, nippy backs. I was onto Jerry Flannery, they obviously conceded three tries when they played them with South Africa, so their backs are quite a threat.
O’Connell also spoke about the opportunity to give three more players their international debut. Hugh Gavin, Shayne Bolton and Alex Kendellen will win their first Irish cap when they take the field on Saturday in Lisbon.
“We saw an opportunity to give guys a go, who can come in and add.
“We’re not giving them a go and hoping that this experience will kick them on. They’re quite good players in their own right and they will add in their own right and the experience will be good for them as players. I don’t think it’ll effect the team’s performance.”