McGrath: We've been looking back to look forward
Ireland prop Jack McGrath has said that Ireland have been studying last year’s defeat to Australia in their preparations for Saturday’s game against them.
That defeat came in the November Tests and was Jack McGrath’s second game of his international career, his first being the win over Samoa the week before the Wallabies game.
McGrath said: “It was the second match for Joe (Schmidt) and the second match for me as well and it brought me back down to earth after a good start to my international campaign.
“We learned a lot from last year and we’ve been doing a lot of work over the last few weeks on these guys because they are very dangerous when they get going.”
The Leinster man may face Australia’s Sekope Kepu or Ben Alexander at tighthead on Saturday, and he said the fact that the Wallabies have a very similar squad to last year means the Irish squad have been studying last year’s defeat as well as Australia’s recent games against Wales and France.
He said: “You have to look back because most of their squad that came last year is here, so obviously there is going to be a lot of similar players.
“So yeah definitely, we have been looking back to look forward”
After two wins out of two in this year’s November Tests, Ireland will want to continue the momentum this weekend against Australia to give them confidence coming into a World Cup year.
McGrath said: “Any game you’re playing you want to back up a good performance and I think we’ve built two good performances now and it’s time to step up another level.”
