We should learn valuable lessons for World Cup from Six Nations loss to Wales

It is sometimes said a team learns more from its defeats than from its victories.

For example, the lessons gleaned from the Ireland rugby team’s gut-wrenching extra time defeat to New Zealand in 2013 helped Ireland subsequently to a national record-equalling 10-match unbeaten run. The recent Six Nations defeat in Cardiff may prove beneficial by the time Ireland enters the cauldron of the Rugby World Cup next September.

If we had cantered to a Six Nations Grand Slam this year, it is possible the Irish players and management might not have been fully cognisant before entering the World Cup of how Ireland could be beaten. In my opinion, Ireland lost the recent Test in Wales primarily because we failed to match Wales’ power game. The Welsh dominance on the gain-line, particularly in the first half, set the tone and meant that Ireland could not impose its game on Wales. Our failure in this regard was compounded by inconsistent refereeing throughout by Wayne Barnes to the detriment of Ireland. If Ireland’s power game improves as a result of learning the lessons of the Welsh Test and it means that we do not suffer a premature exit at the 2015 World Cup, then our disappointing recent defeat in the Six Nations will have been worth it.