Improvement needed for Wales clash, admits Eddie
Because Scotland enjoyed 53% of the possession, Ireland had to put in the unusually high number of 153 tackles while they also lost five of their 13 line-out throws. Eddie O’Sullivan and forwards coach Niall O’Donovan agreed a repeat of those statistics could end the dream of a fourth Triple Crown in five years when Wales come to Croke Park on Saturday week.
Said O’Sullivan yesterday: “The area we were most disappointed in was our discipline in the first half. We got in trouble with the referee at the ruck by not rolling away. We had six penalties against us and the referee was right. We were sloppy and got on to the guys at half time about focusing on that.”
Wales have more of a cutting edge than Scotland and Shane Williams, Gavin Henson and Dwayne Peel will be licking their lips at the prospect of winning a similar amount of high-quality ball on Saturday week.
“We had to be mentally prepared to go through those phases and defend. That was crucial. And then we got one field position and skinned them. That must have been a huge blow to them because they had done nothing wrong. Wales are running with the football so it’s going to be more of the same. If there are 150 tackles to be made, you have to go and make them. The ones that kill you are the ones you miss.”
The failure of Bernard Jackman to hit his jumpers may cost him his place although O’Donovan refused to lay the blame entirely at his door.
“Both line-outs were disappointing in that both lost five of their own throws,” he said. “We started off poorly. Two of the first three or four were undercooked and the line-out became jittery. They settled down in the second half but it’s an area we have to look at. It’s a collective thing. One or two of the calls could have been better, one or two of the jumps could have been better so it’s a collective thing when it comes to line-out and scrum.”
O’Sullivan was full of praise for Andrew Trimble whom he described as “having another big game” and was also pleased with the contributions of Tommy Bowe and Rob Kearney and, above all, Geordan Murphy.
“Geordan hit the ground running and I’m delighted for him,” said the coach. “It creates a selection headache but it’s the kind of one you like to have. The selection of those players and also the likes of Jamie Heaslip and Mick O’Driscoll was made on the back of those guys pushing their names forward.
“A lot of people would have expected Paul O’Connell to come straight back into the team but you had to reward Micko for his performance in Paris. He had taken a knock to the head early on and we reeled him ashore to give Paul O’Connell his chance.”
There are no injury concerns with O’Connell successfully completing a half hour of game time. “He found the adjustment up to the pace of Test rugby a shock to the system for the first 10 minutes before getting his second wind in the last quarter of the game and he felt great afterwards. Paul still needs more game time, so he will probably play for Munster against Cardiff in the Magners League next weekend.”
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