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Bernard Jackman confident Ireland will largely eradicate errors

Ireland sealed second place in the Six Nations 18 months out from the next World Cup
Ireland sealed second place in the Six Nations 18 months out from the next World Cup

Bernard Jackman is confident that Ireland will have eradicated the errors that punctuated their Guinness Six Nations campaign by the time next year's World Cup comes around.

A more expansive game-plan in attack from Andy Farrell's side means more risk and consequently an increase in the error count.

But four wins from five means Ireland finished second only to grand slam winners France after a largely positive championship.

And, speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Monday, Jackman said that while errors come with the territory of a new approach, the more it is honed the more issues will be ironed out.

"If you look at Ireland, we've developed a style of play now that the players openly say they enjoy playing," said the RTÉ rugby analyst.

"It's still not perfect and there were quite a few errors against Scotland but that's the challenge. It's built around high tempo, playing fast and moving the ball quickly.

"I think we have to understand, there will be more errors, once you're more ambitious. But the more we do it, the better the combinations get.

"I think by the time the World Cup comes around we should have cut down a lot of those errors and be a real challenge for any team."

The scrum, which was troubled by England, will be a "priority" in terms of improvement, Jackman added.

"I think some of that is down to personnel - obviously losing (Rónan) Kelleher and (Andrew) Porter who are two of your first choice front row - but the big thing is to develop more depth there," he said.

Ethan Coughlan and his Ireland team-mates celebrate with the U20 Six Nations championship trophy

"And it's better to get exposed now to know going to a World Cup that we have to be stronger in those areas because the reality is of we come up against a France, England or South Africa, they're the three teams with the best scrum in the world, it'll be difficult to win no matter how good the rest of our game is.

"Andy Farrell is bringing 42 players to New Zealand, (they're) looking for two extra games and there will be a big push now to find more depth in that front five so that in certain games we can pick a more scrummaging focused pack and don't have that as an Achilles heel for us."

While the senior side finished a comfortable second in the championship, the Ireland Under-20s sealed their Six Nations grand slam success with a nine-try triumph over Scotland on Sunday.

Jackman tipped up to half a dozen of the squad to make the step up in the coming years.

"There's a lot of talent in that squad. It's amazing, before this competition this group weren't flagged as being exceptional but the way they've gelled together, the way that certain individuals have stepped up, now there's probably four or five at least in this group who may have the potential to go on and have big careers for the provinces and for Ireland," he said.

Watch analysis of the final round of Six Nations action on Against The Head on Monday night, live on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 8pm.

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