The Ireland I’d like to see

To dwell too long over the legitimacy or otherwise of the penalty awarded against Stephen Ferris in the last play of Ireland’s Six Nations defeat to Wales on Sunday is to miss the point.

Even if Ireland hung on at the death to record a one-point win, it would not change the fact that there are issues to address in the way Ireland are playing at present.

The problems that contributed to Ireland’s defeat in the quarter-final of the World Cup were still in evidence on Sunday and that is a worry. As a game, rugby keeps evolving with different trends emerging for a period until they are either countered by tactics or the lawmakers. The 2007 World Cup was characterised by endless bouts of aerial ping pong which continued until one of the sides blinked. It was turgid stuff and something had to be done about it.