Card counting: Discipline key for Farrell's Ireland

It's no coincidence that during Ireland's impressive run to the top of the world rankings, they've consistently been able to keep 15 players on the field at all times.

Since the 2021 Six Nations Championship in which Ireland picked up two red cards, their discipline, or at the very least their ability to avoid the referees reaching for their pockets, has been exemplary.

Across 15 Tests in that time, Andy Farrell's side have given up just two yellow cards, both coming in this summer's series in New Zealand, with James Ryan and Andrew Porter picking up sin-bins in the second and third Tests respectively.

By contrast, their opponents in that time have picked up a combined 12 yellow and six red cards, and while there's no doubting the steps Ireland have taken with their gameplan in the last 18 months, their discipline has played a major part.

You only have to look back on the last week's World Cup final between New Zealand and England in Auckland to see the impact a red card can have on a game, with England's Lydia Thompson sent off after 18 minutes of the decider, and the Black Ferns coming from 14-0 down in her absence to retain their title.

While last week's thrilling game between France and South Africa was further proof that red cards don't ruin games, there's no doubt that they can change it.

With that in mind, tackle and rucking technique has never been more important.

"We're constant with that," Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said of the emphasis he places on technique in the contact area.

"We know that some teams live on the edge with that stuff and sometimes it falls over the edge, they think that it influences the game.

"We're a little bit different to that, we go hard on discipline.

"We go hard on things that we got away