BRIAN O’Driscoll described James Lowe as being a particularly tough tackle because he’s ‘all hips and big a**e’.
The Leinster wing could easily have been given POTM honours on Saturday since he scored a try and set up two others in a rampaging display.
https://twitter.com/offtheball/status/1886906328557478168
His score didn’t look on at all when he received the ball out wide but he was able to plow through Alex Mitchell before making a dash for the line.
While analysing Ireland’s 27-22 success on Off the Ball, BOD admitted: “I wouldn’t love to tackle James Lowe, I can’t lie. He’s all hips and big a**e!
“He’s quite big and powerful with that low centre of gravity.
“Has an unbelievable capacity to go again when it looks as though he’s tripping up.”
“There are certain players that I’d have gone up against like Vincent Clerc where y’know they’re smaller in stature but fast and powerful.
“With the likes of him we used to say you have to hit him and he has to stay hit. And he had to go again.
“Sometimes you can get caught off guard with the smaller guys. You shouldn’t with the bigger guys because that’s their game.
“Lowe isn’t slow but his top-end speed isn’t his sweet spot, it’s that power game.”
Somewhat surprisingly, the 46-year-old then shared that he was always more of a believer that ‘absolute authority’ and commitment to the tackle was more important than technique.
Ireland will have plenty of tough tackling assignments on Sunday since Scotland boast several bruising runners including Duhan van der Merwe, hat-trick hero vs Italy Huw Jones and Blair Kinghorn.
Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham are currently in a race to be passed fit for the Murrayfield clash.
The winger required stitches in the first half and was able to return to the fray but it remains to be seen if he will be given the green light to line out in Edinburgh.
Bealham is also a concern for the encounter after he picked up a leg injury of his own in Ireland’s Six Nations’ opener.
Bealham’s issue is of particular concern given Tadhg Furlong was absent because of a calf problem and it is unclear whether he or Joe McCarthy (concussion) will be available to face Gregor Townsend’s men.
An IRFU bulletin said both had ‘stepped up their rehabilitation programmes and a decision on their availability will be made later this week’.
In the meantime, two uncapped props – Munster’s Thomas Ahern and Shayne Bolton of Connacht – have been added to the squad.
Former Ireland back-row Sean O’Brien and Mark Sexton – elder brother of Johnny – have joined the coaching staff this week.
They will form part of Mike Prendergast’s management team for the Ireland A team for their game against England in Bristol on Sunday February 23.
That will be the day after the third-round Six Nations fixture for Simon Easterby’s side against Wales in Cardiff.
