How Ireland deal with this will tell a lot
One of the most decorated Irish sides to represent this country travelled to Paris with serious intent and a genuine belief that they could create their own piece of history at the weekend, but ultimately fared no better than the vast majority of their predecessors.
There was a time Irish teams were beaten before they left home, but this group are hewn from sterner stuff. That is why a defeat of this magnitude is even more difficult to come to terms with. Eighteen months out from the next World Cup, these are the type of challenges that this squad must conquer.
Their exposure to the specific demands required to win on French soil have been honed by innumerable Heineken Cup encounters over the years and positioned them better to cope than most. In the end, though, if you’re faced with a superior force, it is inevitable that you will finish second best. That is what happened on Saturday.
From the moment Rob Kearney dropped the kick-off, Ireland were on the back foot.
After 14 months of unprecedented success, it feels wrong that at the post-match press conference, some were questioning the very future of this team. Sport is far more complex than that. What is clear is that the moment the Irish management team always knew would come has arrived, and challenges of a different nature will have to be faced.
First up is Twickenham in less than two weeks against an English outfit who struggled for long periods in Rome yesterday and will be fighting for credibility. Crucially, however, they remain unbeaten.
Gallant losers for so long, a discernible shift in how others see Irish rugby became a by-product of our recent success. It started on the eve of Ireland’s quest for Grand Slam glory last March when Warren Gatland surprisingly declared that the Welsh simply didn’t like us. This was pursued with venom last week when French coach Marc Lievremont declared he didn’t care much for Ireland’s style of play, merely reiterating a view he expressed at the conclusion of last year’s championship.
When we underachieved, everybody loved us as the passionate Irish. How patronising.
What is clear is that France targeted this game months ago as the one they had to win. With Wales away in Cardiff in two weeks’ time, anything could happen. They are certainly capable, despite their brilliance at times on Saturday, of losing that one, though that is of little concern to Ireland at this stage.
France surprised everyone with their attitude and approach in the opening phase of this game by running everything at Ireland at a time when it was felt that they would seek to bludgeon first – as they did against New Zealand and South Africa in the autumn. Early on, kicking became an optional extra as the likes of Clement Poitrenaud, Vincent Clerc and Francois Trinh-Duc ran everything. It was designed to get the notoriously fickle Parisian audience on their side before the serious business began. It worked.
Their real intent was clear for all to see when Ireland had the ball in the manner with which they defended. Missing 15 tackles against an average Scottish attack focused the mind of defence coach Dave Ellis last week. Where their defensive line was fractured and disjointed in Murrayfield (with Mathieu Bastareaud all over the place), this time it was as synchronised as the Riverdance. Everyone knew their job and they read Ireland’s playbook as if it had been left in a Parisian taxi on Friday night. Brian O’Driscoll was singled out for special attention.
One wonders what damage France might have inflicted if they had a functioning lineout. Carrying on from where they left off against Italy last week, Paul O’Connell and Leo Cullen continued to terrorise the opposition throw. Time and time again they deprived a hungry French backline of the attacking opportunities on which they thrive.
To their credit, Ireland responded to the best the French had to offer in that opening quarter and ran at them with purpose and serious intent. But that attacking menace was diluted by the decision to break up the midfield partnership of Gordon D’Arcy and O’Driscoll to compensate for the loss of Kearney at full back. Multiple changes for one replacement is always a risk and with D’Arcy marooned on the left wing, one of Ireland’s most potent attackers was banished to a secondary role. The decision to opt for both Jonathan Sexton and Paddy Wallace on the bench backfired badly and Ireland were left exposed in the back three, while their midfield threat also disappeared.
THE biggest problem for Ireland was coping with the naked physicality France brought to the contact area, not only from their massive pack but also from a gargantuan set of three quarters. Ireland were simply blown away, with captain Thierry Dusautoir leading the charge. That raw physical prowess is the reason this French team can go to places like New Zealand and win while Ireland still struggle to put away the very best sides away from home. That has to be addressed before New Zealand in 2011.
On the front foot, players like Imanol Harinordoquy are a pleasure to watch. The sheer artistry and vision of his play on Saturday proved too much to cope with. Only Jamie Heaslip of the Irish pack came anywhere close to matching that level of impact. The off-loading and interplay between their backs and forwards had Ireland in all kinds of trouble and as happened in Edinburgh, the French left at least two more tries behind them.
As always, Ireland showed character and refused to yield in the face of an increasing injury list and a major restructure of their back line. That didn’t help – neither did the yellow card for Cian Healy who otherwise had an encouraging away debut in trying circumstances. Jerry Flannery could have joined him and now faces an anxious wait day wondering if he will be cited for a rash challenge on Alexis Palisson.
If France were a work in progress entering this game, they have taken a significant step in the right direction and their half back pairing of Parra and Trinh-Duc are quickly coming of age. For the younger generation of Irish players, they have now experienced that horrible feeling of running in quicksand. They’re not the first to sink in such an environment.
The challenge for the Irish management now is to react in a positive manner and rebuild the damaged confidence of the younger brigade. They must also look at the shortcomings on Saturday and decide what alterations, if any, are required. The easiest way to repair confidence is to go out and win the next match, which is well within their compass.
We are not ready yet to return to the days of patronising platitudes.
When the opposition start patting us on the head, it’s time to start worrying.
