Disappointment? Yes, but this was a defeat with difference
Irish teams have never had a problem getting up for games at Twickenham but after the narrow failures that left the back-to-back Six Nations champions winless after the opening two games, this contest represented the last chance saloon. Our championship aspirations may have ended with that one-point defeat in Paris and, on the face of it, an eleven-point defeat to England leaves us propping up the table with perennial Wooden Spoon contenders Italy. Yet in the immediate aftermath of this defeat, it was difficult to feel anything but a strong sense of pride in a group of players that battled the odds and gave everything to the cause.
That England were the better team on the day was never in doubt, but as we know in sport, the better side doesn’t always prevail in the battle of wills that dictates who emerges on top in contests as tight as this proved to be.
A four minute second-half burst of excellence from the hosts, resulting in two excellent tries for Anthony Watson and Mike Brown, ultimately decided the clash but, even then, this Irish side refused to accept its faith and fought to the death.
Robbie Henshaw was denied what would have proved a magnificent counter offensive try by a superb cover tackle from Jack Nowell in the corner and Ireland’s race was run. Disappointment, yes, but this was a defeat with a difference.
From the outset Ireland called England’s bluff and played with a width and continuity that caught the hosts by surprise. Ireland’s much criticised kicking game was held in reserve for long periods as Johnny Sexton orchestrated a series of attacks through the hand rather than the boot.
Unfortunately, despite five line breaks — their most by far in this championship — England’s scramble defence proved up to the task, save for one break from the outstanding Conor Murray.
Unfortunately that wasn’t enough.
How Ireland reached the dressing room at half-time only three points in arrears was a minor miracle. Pummelled in every conceivable measure of rugby dominance — territory, possession, metres made, tackles made — yet somehow they combined to keep their line intact. Defensively Ireland were heroic against a constant wave of English attackers, with last-ditch tackles denying Dylan Hartley and James Haskell when they appeared certain to score.
The one thing Ireland had to do was keep possession away from the bulldozing Billy Vunipola but that proved impossible as the explosive No 8 was like a magnet to the ball. Wherever Ireland kicked, he seemed to be standing underneath and carried the fight back to Ireland every time.
When he chose to take the ball into contact it took a minimum of two green shirts to halt his progress with CJ Stander putting in some monumental hits on him. In the first half alone his multiple carries yielded a gain of 75 metres, just four short of the total metres made by the entire Irish side in that period.
Cleverly England used him as a decoy on occasions while he was also adept in sucking in defenders before off-loading, prior to contact, to England’s most dangerous broken field runners, Jonathan Joseph and Watson.
Eddie Jones has invested massively in the younger of the two Vunipola brothers in his short time in charge of English rugby and is already reaping the benefits. To think that Stuart Lancaster constantly removed him from the coalface with half an hour left on the clock in the vast majority of his games in charge. How Ireland would have loved a similar exit on Saturday.
If Ireland were to have any chance of winning, they had to stir the demons that must still be lingering in the deep recesses of the English minds after that harrowing defeat to Wales at the World Cup, having once again dominated for long periods. Ireland were in the perfect position to do so but will rue the set piece inaccuracy that derailed their chances of registering a stirring win against all the odds.
On three occasions — once in the opening half and twice after the break — Ireland had attacking lineouts within metres of the English line but turned over possession each time. On another occasion it was the scrum that failed to function when Dan Cole mined a penalty against Cian Healy to lift the siege.
To win at this level those opportunities have to be converted into points and the psychological edge garnered from that scrum penalty energised England sufficiently to close out the contest without too much stress.
Ireland’s kicking game has come under intense scrutiny, not least from Jones himself who jibed about preparing for a game of Aussie Rules in the build-up to this one, but, if anything, Ireland could stand accused of playing too much rugby in their own territory for vast tracts of this game.
The wind, which was swirling and difficult to get a handle on, must have had a big role to play in this but, by and large, England were able to contain Ireland’s improved attacking prowess.
Nevertheless it was a step in the right direction.
he biggest plus to emerge from this gruelling test match was that all three new caps looked comfortable at this level of rugby.
Stuart McCloskey’s initial impact was confined mainly to defensive duties where he denied Hartley a certain try. After the break with more attacking opportunities presenting themselves, he looked composed and threatening.
Josh van Der Flier competed manfully in the breakdown battle, carried and linked effectively and didn’t look in the least fazed by the pace of the game.
The biggest positive for me, however, was Ultan Dillane’s 15-minute cameo which was quite spectacular for a player who only carried limited Guinness Pro 12 exposure into his international debut. Ireland have unearthed a gem in an area in dire need of young talent to emerge.
After two championship-winning seasons on the trot, to be without a win after three games is hugely disappointing.
If there is a silver lining, it’s that the multiple injuries suffered over the course of the campaign and the season in general has fast-tracked the elevation of a number of players who may not otherwise have been exposed to international rugby.
Stander has been superb in his three outings to-date but may not have been handed a start if Peter O’Mahony and Seán O’Brien were fit.
Jared Payne’s recent knock opened the door for McCloskey to show that he has a role to play while van der Flier and Dillane have added greatly to the next generation of young players pushing for regular starting slots as they work their way towards making the next World Cup in Japan in three years time.
