Jacob Stockdale insists Ireland will get to grips with their kicking and contestable game, after being dominated both in the sky and on the ground in Paris on Thursday night.
Andy Farrell's side shipped a heavy 36-14 defeat to France to open their Guinness Six Nations campaign, as their worrying run of performances continues.
Their porous defence grabbed the headlines, missing 38 tackles, but it wasn’t helped by a kicking game that played right into the hands of the French and their electric, energetic backline.
Both sides kicked a whopping 39 times, a mix of long and short, with Ireland constantly coming out second best in the aerial contests. On the occasions the visitors kicked long, their decision to keep the ball on the pitch allowed France run it back and play with green grass ahead of them.
Of the five French tries, three came from kicks on either side.
Louis Bielle-Biarrey's first came following Sam Prendergast’s volleyed clearance which, while an impressive piece of skill, ultimately gave the French the broken-field possession they crave.
The third, for Charles Ollivon, arrived after a Matthieu Jalibert nudge over the top, before the French swiftly moved the ball. Bielle-Biarrey's second was off the back of Antoine Dupont identifying space for a short chip in behind the line of defence.
Tadhg Beirne lamented how Ireland were so often second best to the scraps of possession that followed a kick, that third try was the prime example as Thomas Ramos beat Jamie Osborne and Tommy O’Brien to the bounce.
Thursday wasn't a once-off. Ireland’s struggles to adapt to the current kicking trends were a talking point back in November, while several figures in Irish rugby have expressed their frustration with how the game is being played, with a perception that the kicking team have an unfair advantage when it comes to competing in the air.
Watching Ireland last night, that certainly didn't seem to be the case, but Stockdale insists Ireland will fix their aerial game.
"We back ourselves," the Ulster wing (below) said.
"We have a very good transition team as well, but France, that’s an enormous strength of theirs.
"We're always trying to improve in every way and the scraps transition game is no different.
"I mean the contestables are obviously becoming a much bigger part of the game because of the rule changes.
"It was certainly something we went after leading up to this game. Whether we'll go after it again against Italy, you'll have to ask Faz [Farrell]."
It was a bittersweet night for Stockdale, who was making his first Six Nations appearance since 2021 after close to five years out on the fringes.
Like several Irish players, Stockdale (below) endured a tough night defensively, failing to keep Bielle-Biarrey out for the opening try of the game, but showed some flashes in attack during Ireland’s mini second half revival.
And he admitted there were mixed emotions, personally, after the game.
"It was great to be back on the pitch. It was awesome to play at this level again.
"But yeah, probably the emotions are disappointment, a bit of frustration in there as well. But it’s good to be back.
"There will be a few meetings, so there will, to try to figure out exactly what happened there.
"There are things you can look to and probably not holding onto the ball well enough. There is maybe a bit of a lack of intensity. There are different things, but ultimately we will have to go back and review it properly to know exactly where we let them in."
The 29-year-old had won just six caps since that previous championship outing, all of which came in rotated Irish teams during summer or autumn Test windows.
But this was the first time in that period when the Lurgan man was part of a first-choice Irish side, selected ahead of James Lowe after an impressive season of form for his province.
"I wasn't entirely expecting it if I’m being honest," he added.
"To be honest, I think the main feeling was just relief. I've come into the last four Six Nations now hoping to be able to play a game and I haven't.
"To be able to put on that green jersey again in the Six Nations was really special to me. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a number of years.
"On one hand you feel the frustration and sometimes you want to go, 'Do you know what, it's not worth it,’ because of the constant disappointment. But the wee glint of hope that you might play international rugby again just keeps drawing you back in.
"Don't get me wrong, there's definitely periods of doubt and frustration over the last five years without a shadow of a doubt. But I'm really glad I kind of stuck at it."
Given Farrell’s withering assessment of Ireland’s first half performance, and the impact made by those on the bench, it’s likely the head coach will make his feelings clear in selection next week, as Italy come to Dublin on Saturday, 14 February.
Ireland have never lost to the Italians in Dublin in the championship, but Stockdale believes Gonzalo Quesada’s side have to be taken seriously.
"Italy are a brilliant team. Both Zebre and Treviso in the URC have shown real form and they're getting better and better every game.
"Playing Italy is not like how it used to be five years ago. They're a very, very good team and they definitely deserve the utmost respect," he added.
Watch England v Wales on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 4pm on Saturday, with France v Ireland in the Under-20 Six Nations to follow from 7.50pm on the RTÉ News Channel and RTÉ Player.
