Donal Lenihan: The new normal looks all too familiar for Ireland

Ireland have slipped back into the middle ground with Scotland and Wales

France winger Gael Fickou dodges past the despairing tackle of Conor Murray of Ireland at the Stade de France. Photo by Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images

Nine months to the day since Wales launched the 2020 Six Nations tournament with a resounding 42-0 win over whipping boys Italy in Cardiff, England confirmed their status as Europe’s leading international side.

Then again, we knew that all along.

The fact that Eddie Jones’ men were able to fluff their lines — they only led 5-10 at half time against a stubborn Italian resistance in Rome — meant they didn’t have to be anywhere near their best to clinch the title on what was once again labeled Super Saturday.

In truth, the rugby on display over the weekend was anything but super. Scotland accounted for Wales at a windswept Parc y Scarlets in a dour encounter to record three wins in the championship for the first time since 1996.

England eventually secured the bonus point that everyone knew in advance was coming to propel them to the top of the table but not with the margin one might have expected.

The shenanigans surrounding the cancelled Barbarians game the previous weekend denied Jones the warm up game required to hit the ground running, the net result of which was that Ireland knew in advance of kick-off in Paris that a four try bonus point win was no longer required to lift the title.

A victory by a margin of six points with a solitary try in the scoring mix would now suffice. While that was a far more achievable target than the one Andy Farrell might have expected to face in advance in order to be crowned champions, it was still going to require a monumental performance to achieve the spoils.

At our peak, the two wins in Paris, in 2014 and 2018, against French sides nowhere near as organised and skilful as this one, were both by a margin of two points.

When it comes to results and consistency over the course of any tournament, the table rarely lies and that is the case with the final standings after five elongated rounds of action.

England and France are stronger and better-balanced sides than Ireland at present.

We have slipped back into the middle ground with Scotland and Wales due as much to the well-flagged improvements made within the international set up in France as they prepare to host the next World Cup as to the fall in standards in Wales since the departure of Warren Gatland.

Paris in the spring has proved problematic for a variety of Irish teams over the years. Now we know that it’s no more forgiving in the fading embers of autumn. 

Had this young French side, which has won back the love and affection of the large rugby fraternity in the south of the country, the facility to play in a packed out Stade de France you feel they would be even better. The adoring pockets of brass bands that normally grace the stadium are tailor-made soundtracks for this exciting and talented group of players.

Yet, Ireland have cause to look back at this game with regret. With the quality the French have from broken play, the approach this time out was to revert to a lot more kicking than was the case against Italy in Dublin, with a view towards controlling territory. Ireland succeeded in that respect, dominating territorially and controlling possession to the tune of 58% and 54% respectively. Ireland led by three points approaching the half-hour mark before a calamitous piece of defending from Jacob Stockdale, fumbling his attempt to pick up the ball which led directly to a penalty try and a merited yellow card for Caelan Doris.

The fact that Ireland matched the French when scoring three points apiece when Doris was in the bin highlighted their ability to absorb pressure at that stage. However, the failure to take a very kickable penalty and reduce the French lead to a point at the break was an error of judgment.

Ireland captain Johnny Sexton consulted with James Ryan prior to making that call and the consensus was to go for the corner. When you make that decision on the brink of half time, you have to register points.

The evidence prior to this suggested France were defending Ireland’s trademark five-metre line out maul with ease, opting not to compete in the air, instead concentrating all their energies on the deck by blitzing the Ireland maul towards the touchline. With the same outcome on this occasion, it meant the hosts were the ones pumped up heading towards the dressing rooms.

That dubious call was compounded by a really poor period immediately after the break with France registering 11 points in as many minutes. The fact that their third try came courtesy of a poorly contested kick, fielded by Anthony Bouthier who immediately ran at the fractured Irish defence resulting in a great try for Romain Ntamack, signaled the beginning of the end.

Ireland failed to grasp the lesson that you roll the dice when you kick away possession to this French back line. Despite scoring two tries of their own — a superb solo effort from the excellent Robbie Henshaw, the other a pure consolation effort in stoppage time from Stockdale who had yet another mixed bag of a performance — Ireland were all at sea in that second half.

In recent times we have become programmed to Irish teams maximizing their return from visits to the opposition 22. The fact that 23% of Ireland’s overall possession was spent camped in that area of the field (the French had only 9%) but failed to capitalise on it will surely be a cause for major concern for the coaching staff.

On too many occasions Ireland’s composure and execution under pressure was not what it should be. In a very difficult second half Sexton’s men will rue the fact that, having worked so hard to secure two attacking line outs in very advantageous positions, both opportunities were lost.

Sexton admitted as much immediately after the game when conceding that Ireland were neither ruthless enough or accurate enough to punish the French when the opportunities arose. There is also a question surrounding how you go about your business.

Ireland were clearly worried about the attacking creativity of the French and chose to keep them pinned in their own half for long periods. The problem with that is it takes just one flash of genius from the likes of Virimi Vakatawa or Gael Fickou, who would be even more influential operating in midfield alongside Vakatawa, to unlock defences from broken play.

It boils down to intent. This French side have a game plan which enables them express themselves and showcase their skill set and talent. The quality of their offloading — they made 14 offloads in total, Ireland had 3 — helps them break down even the best organised defences while their handling skills are superior to ours, Ireland’s 14 errors in this department testament to that.

This championship, with away trips to England and France, was always going to prove demanding, even before the arrival of the pandemic.

A return of three home wins against the sides placed below us in the table offers a fair reflection of where we stand at present.