Dempsey Looking For ‘Complete Package’
Ireland’s stirring second half comeback against France two Saturdays ago has Irish supporters hungry for more of the same against Scotland this weekend. Girvan Dempsey was thinking along the same lines when IrishRugby.ie caught up with the experienced full-back at the team hotel in Killiney.
GIRVAN DEMPSEY…
ON PUTTING TOGETHER THE COMPLETE PERFORMANCE AGAINST SCOTLAND:
“Looking at it and going back to the first game against the Italians, we put a lot of ball down and we created a lot of chances but we weren’t clinical enough and didn’t finish them off.
“In the first half against the French, we got caught on our turnovers, our ruck ball. Then obviously in the second half we started to play some rugby – the rugby we’re know we’re capable of doing.
“We strung together some really good phases, we started to put together a lot of good movement and strong running. It was very encouraging but it’s crucial this weekend that we put it all together as a complete package – defensively and in attack and put those passes together to create scores.”
ON WHAT HE EXPECTS FROM SCOTLAND:
“You look at the Scottish teams in the Magners League and Heineken Cup, both Edinburgh and Glasgow have been going very well.
“Obviously at international level, they’re going to be ruing the losses they’ve suffered so far in the Six Nations. They’re going to be coming over here with all guns blazing and looking to put that right.”
ON CHRIS PATERSON’S SELECTION AT NUMBER 10:
“With Chris in there, they’re looking to move the ball around and try and play the game that they’ve been trying to play – the offload game and trying to move teams around. Whereas Dan Parks is more of a kicking 10, Chris is going to try and get things moving.”
ON SCOTLAND’S BACK ROW:
“Their whole front eight are normally very impressive but especially their back row. They’ve very physical and very good on the ground.
“If you don’t secure your ruck ball, they can cause you loads of problems with turnovers and also slowing down your ruck ball and making it very hard to play against them.”
ON TOMMY BOWE’S INCLUSION AND THE YOUTHFULNESS OF THE IRISH BACK-LINE:
“It’s exciting. Tommy coming in, he’s been playing some superb rugby over the last few months and he’s a top quality finisher. He’s going to bring a new dimension, a new to our attack. It’s a very exciting team with Andrew (Trimble) and Rob (Kearney) in there.
“Rob has slotted into the role on the wing very well and he’s taken to international rugby very well.
“It’s good, we (the older players) feed off them (the younger ones) and they feed off us. We try to get the confidence from there to try and move the ball around and attack and show what we’re capable of in the back-line.”
To listen to the Girvan Dempsey interview in full, please click here.