Ireland’s 2025 Six Nations dreams crumbled partly as a result of Jacques Nienaber’s Leinster defensive overhaul, according to Brian O’Driscoll.
After snagging titles in 2023 and 2024, Ireland aimed for a historic three-peat. They kicked off strong, toppling England, Scotland, and Wales, but France delivered a 42-27 gut punch in Dublin.
A sloppy 22-17 win over Italy in Rome followed, narrowly dodging an upset. O’Driscoll, the iconic Ireland centurion, sees more than just an attack misfiring – defensively, they’re confused. He points to a disconnect between Leinster’s aggressive new system under Nienaber and Ireland’s setup.
“Defensively we’ve regressed,” O’Driscoll told Off The Ball, noting 14 tries conceded in five matches. “Before the Italian game, it was the worst defensive display in the Six Nations since 2002 – most tries conceded.”
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Leinster’s Springboks-style blitz clashes with Ireland’s integrity-first approach, leaving some players caught in limbo. This was evident against Italy where some players pressed hard while others hung back, and the line cracked wide open.
“It’s 14 tries conceded in this year’s Six Nations,” he said, hammering the point home. For a team built on cohesion, Ireland’s plan has been exposed by the Leinster defensive system bleeding into the preferred system of interim Ireland head coach Simon Easterby.
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