Irish players take Cup road to redemption

DESPITE battered bodies and bruised egos, it’s back to work for many of the Irish squad.

The Grand Slam dream is over but the Munster and Leinster players must now focus on the Heineken Cup to help heal the wounds. In some cases Lions candidates will use the next big game to salvage damaged reputations.

Paul O’Connell is still a certainty to tour, but he reflected bitterly on a few mistakes that turned Ireland’s season sour in the space of a week.

On Ireland’s 20-32 loss to Wales, O’Connell said: “We played well in parts but never exercised control of the game. We made silly mistakes, a couple attributed to me, and copped too many penalties.

“We left them off the hook at crucial stages, particularly in the first half when I felt we played most of the good rugby. Yet we found ourselves 10 points down at the break; I’m still trying to figure out why that happened, it did put pressure on us to change the game plan.

“All credit to Wales for taking their chances. Maybe it could have been a different outcome had Girvan (Dempsey) or Axel (Anthony Foley) got over for tries. They were close but unfortunately didn’t quite make it.”

He felt the biggest disappointment was Ireland have slipped from second to third in the championship table.

“We’ve won four out of five games in each of the last two seasons and we felt this year we were ready to take the next step. Instead, we have fallen back. We might need to stand back and take a look at ourselves and find a way to get ourselves moving forward again.”

O’Connell sees no need for panic measures.

“I don’t think there is any need for a rebuilding process, nobody is talking about retiring. We have had some injuries in crucial areas this season and there are some good young guys coming through.”

While the game marked the return, as a substitute, of David Humphreys, it was still disappointing for the Ulster man, who is not involved in the latter stages of the Heineken Cup.

Watching from the stands for 50 minutes, Humphreys believed Ireland would enhance their unbeaten run in Cardiff over 22 years.

“I thought we started well, took the sting out of them in the early part of the game and snatched a couple of their line-outs. That opening Welsh try was a bit of a sickener and didn’t help at all.

“Once Wales edged ahead they appeared to get every bounce of the ball and the scores kept coming. I suppose we reached the end of the line when Anthony (Foley) was deemed to have put his foot in touch and they scored immediately afterwards. These are the kind of incidents that turn a game.”

Wales, he conceded, were worthy champions.

“Anyone who wins all five games deserves it because we have seen over the last few seasons how hard it is. They will have to work hard to hold on to their title. From now on they will be the team everyone wants to beat and they will have to learn to live with that pressure.”