WATCH: England Come Up With Peculiar Training Method For Dealing With Ireland’s Kicks
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Aerial battle.
A key area for Ireland has always been their kicking game. Conor Murray is arguably the best box-kicker the game right now, while World Player of the Year Johnny Sexton’s kicking game out of hand is up there with the very best.
The last time England took on Ireland at last year’s Six Nations – Jones’ men were unable to deal with Ireland’s aerial ‘bombs’ from the get go. A Sexton kick sent skyward inside the opening 6 minutes wasn’t dealt with by Anthony Watson, and Ireland had their first try.
And it appears England have adopted some rather peculiar training methods this year in a bid to avoid a repeat this weekend at the Aviva Stadium. A clip posted by England Rugby on Twitter sees one of their coaches using a pool noodle, to replicate what – we’re not entirely sure.
A distraction perhaps? Not quite the same as having a 6ft 3in, 16 stone Jacob Stockdale running at you.
INBOUND 🏹
High ball practice ahead of #IREvENG.#WearTheRose 🌹 pic.twitter.com/mL5nr7n0AW
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) January 28, 2019
I'd say Ireland will be afraid to turn up after witnessing that awe-inspiring wobbly-foam-stick spectacle 😐
— DumbartonOne (@DumbartonOne) January 28, 2019
More unseen footage of the training session 🤣 pic.twitter.com/SV2uoGuzQU
— JackieMc (@Jackiem23) January 29, 2019
Irish lads raised on aerial warfare from the age of 6 onwards. How the f**k did we not know about pool noodles? #IREvENG #SixNations2019 pic.twitter.com/fmPjvO1EiL
— Clonycavan Man (@Clonycavanman) January 28, 2019
Cuts to Saturday….minus 2, sleet, a spiral bomb and not a pool noodle in sight.
— The Real Ray Niland (@realrayniland) January 28, 2019
I THINK the Irishmen are a tad more distracting than a wobbly foam stick.
— Rob thompson (@Robertt17047286) January 28, 2019
This is cutting edge stuff. Portugal, 18degrees, no competition and basically a feather boa. Clive Woodward never even thought about this. Wow!
— Colm Daly (@GBullsJBulls) January 28, 2019
Can we just ignore the pool noodle and note how shit both their leaps actually are.
— Jamie McCauley (@JMcC_77) January 29, 2019
That drill has got to be fake news – just about as far away from Dublin on a damp evening , with the kickchase about to hammer the catcher into the deck as can be imagined
— Colin Matthews (@Colin931) January 28, 2019
Shit they're onto us. pic.twitter.com/UJt0EX5g33
— Rob O'Hanrahan (@RobOHanrahan) January 28, 2019
Not sure a purple piece of foam can replicate the distraction caused by a snorting Irishman on the hoof?
— Jon Wells (@jon_kat) January 28, 2019
