Ireland fail to find the killer instinct
Nor should Eddie O’Sullivan’s side have been peering nervously over their shoulders - they pulverised the Scots for much of Saturday’s throwback to the good old days of rugby, but hadn’t the precision or poise to finish them off.
In terms of power, possession and territory, Ireland should have triumphed by 20 points. With ample possession, a line-out that dominated so completely one wondered were Scottish tactics left in a Dublin taxi, plus a scrum that coped excellently with every challenge, Ireland had the ideal platform for a controlled, and comfortable, success.
However, tactically, Ireland let themselves down. The vision of how to break down the dogged (and often offside) Scottish defence was one-dimensional. There was a predictable look about Ireland's attack from the stands, and Scotland spotted that at ground level.
Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan’s protestations about the “horrible” conditions might have sounded more plausible if his side had varied attacking tactics somewhat.
Nevertheless, there can be little criticism of the pack. Paul O’Connell made his return and was an assured pack leader. Yet Jerry Flannery, not his Munster colleague, deserved the man of the match accolade.
Flannery was superb in everything he did, though Ireland’s demolition of the Scottish line out was copper-fastened by the ball-winning consistency of Malcolm O'Kelly and O’Connell, plus the grunt work of John Hayes and Marcus Horan.
Equally, Peter Stringer put in a huge display, varying his game in much the same way as he did against Wales. When Ronan O’Gara was under pressure - partially due to the liberal interpretation of the offside regulations by Australian referee, Stuart Dickinson - Stringer kept Scotland pegged back in their own ‘22 throughout the second half.
The statistics showed that Scotland had to put in 102 tackles as against Ireland’s 58, but far more revealing was the fact that the visitors spent less than ten minutes in Ireland’s half after the break.
So how were they within a converted score at the death? Undoubtedly, Ireland’s back division never ignited, never made good on their potential or promise.
Brian O’Driscoll occasionally threatened, Andrew Trimble came close to a try and Geordan Murphy broke the gainline on three occasions. But there was a frustrating sense of panic each time precision was called for, a rushed pass each time ball retention was the wise option.
Ireland played all the attacking rugby in the opening 30 minutes yet found themselves on level terms. O’Gara pushed them into a six-point lead with penalties in the sixth and eighth minutes, but mistakes in attack cost them dearly. Scotland hit back on the counter with penalties from Chris Paterson in the 10th and 15th minutes. Then, after O’Gara restored Ireland’s lead, Paterson had another successful kick to tie it up again.
Ireland were fortunate when O’Gara’s pass went awry in attack, and Geordan Murphy rescued the situation at the other end of the field.
However the pattern of the game was set; Scotland launching occasional counter-attack, but Ireland dominating. Ireland held the territory, had the possession, but threw away too much of it. Scotland lived on the edge and finally conceded another penalty to O’Gara after 37 minutes.
Ireland heaped on the pressure in the early minutes of the second half. Trimble was knocked into touch at the corner flag after Shane Horgan, Stringer, O’Gara and Murphy combined. Then Paul O’Connell’s drive was halted before an attempted pass was intercepted.
It was all Ireland, but there was no joy for their efforts as Scotland fought a brave rearguard action - that is, until O’Gara kicked his fifth penalty 15 minutes into the half. The out half had another opportunity late on but he sent his kick to the right and wide.
: G. Murphy, S. Horgan, B. O'Driscoll, G. D’Arcy, A. Trimble, R. O'Gara, P. Stringer; M. Horan, J. Flannery, J. Hayes, M. O'Kelly, P. O'Connell, S. Easterby, D. Leamy, D. Wallace.
: D. O'Callaghan for O'Connell (65)
: H. Southwell, C. Patterson, M. Di Rollo, A. Henderson, S. Lamont, D. Parks, M. Blair; G. Kerr, D. Hall, B. Douglas, N. Hines, S. Murray, J. White, captain; S. Taylor, A. Hogg.
: C. Smith for Douglas (56), C. Cusiter for Blair, G. Ross for Parks (both 58), S. Lawson for Hall (61), S. Webster for Patterson (68), for White (71).
: S. Dickinson (Australia).
