Ireland hang onto improbable dream
The most fitting individual moment must be the reception afforded to Brian O’Driscoll on his arrival on the pitch on Saturday to mark his 100th Irish cap – heartfelt recognition and appreciation from both sets of supporters who, as one, got to their feet to acknowledge and applaud a genius of the game. Only John Pullin, leading out England at Lansdowne Road on that landmark occasion in 1973, has experienced a greater entry.
How fitting it was that this Irish team should produce a performance where all the captain’s best attributes were replicated by his colleagues – unwavering commitment, bravery in the tackle, clinical in attack and impregnable in defence.
Declan Kidney’s adage of learning more in defeat than victory has stood up to scrutiny if Ireland’s performances since the loss in Paris are analysed. Since the defeat to France, this Irish team has conceded just one try (and that from six inches by England’s Dan Cole) in the two games since.
Ireland’s defensive performance was superlative and despite the shortcomings elsewhere – trailing in the possession and territorial stakes and conceding 16 penalties – denying this fleet-footed Welsh backline a try is a notable achievement.
The worry once again in the wake of Twickenham, is that Ireland were forced to defend for long periods and while proving that they were more than capable repelling the onslaught, the feeling remains that if this team is to take the next step and seriously challenge the top four sides in the world, they cannot afford to spend so much time on the ropes, relying on their ability to counter punch with sporadic attacks. The better sides will not be so accommodating.
Equally frustrating is the intervention of the IRB and their insistence in changing the interpretation of law around the tackle area in the middle of a major international competition. Only last Wednesday on these pages, I highlighted the potential difficulties for southern hemisphere referees adjudicating in next summer’s tests but the problem came home to roost far quicker than anticipated with the insistence of IRB’s referee coordinator Paddy O’Brien during the week that the change be implemented forthwith. David Wallace was penalised under his posts – resulting in three points for Wales – for executing a perfect steal while on his feet which would have been perfectly legal at the outset of this Championship.
This in a tournament where points differential is used to separate the final placing of teams. Ludicrous.
What is very noticeable, however, with this group of Irish players is a collective calm when the opposition have the ball. This confidence and self-assurance is particularly noticeable with the younger set and is epitomised by the increasing aura surrounding Jamie Heaslip. I observed him closely while the players were presented to President Mary McAleese and rarely have I seen a young athlete as comfortable in his surroundings, happy to savour the moment yet focused enough not to lose sight of the immediate challenge on hand. It is very obvious that Stephen Ferris, especially, is feeding off his positivity.
BEHIND the scrum, the newer generation are also flourishing. Those who looked for the head of Tomas O’Leary after the French reversal must feel a little silly given the scrum half’s man-of-the-match performance when all his best attributes were very much in evidence. In every sport, pace is an invaluable commodity and O’Leary uses his to best effect especially around the fringes of ruck and maul. Defensively he also performs the role of a back-row forward.
The other player how has come of age on the international stage over the course of this Championship is Keith Earls. Once again, he was forced into a change of roles when Gordon D’Arcy was forced off injured and for the third international in a row Earls had to adapt to the demands of a different position mid-stream.
In the company of so many Lions in the opposition back line, Earls had no inhibitions, aware from his summer sojourn that he was every bit as good as them and demonstrated what a class player he can become.
For Wales, things have changed immeasurably since their last visit to Croke Park two years ago in their Grand Slam season and the handicap of having to perform without half of their pack proved a bridge too far. Once again, their cause was not helped by the concession of a yellow card courtesy of Lee Byrne’s crass stupidity.
To surrender two tries when down to 14 men underlined that this Welsh side learned nothing from the binning of Alun Wyn Jones in their opening game against England when they coughed up 17 points in the second row’s absence.
Indeed Byrne was extremely fortunate to stay on the field when conceding a further penalty in the second half for throwing the ball away as Ireland sought to take a quick throw.
He should have seen yellow for a second time thus culminating in red. Some teams learn from their mistakes, others seek excuses and refuse to see the light. This Welsh squad needs to take a serious look at itself.
The most satisfying aspect of Ireland’s performances at present is their ability to score off set-plays. With defences so well marshalled, the capacity of this team to make the right calls at the right time is massively encouraging. For the second game in a row, Ireland produced two tries off lineouts, the first from O’Leary when a brilliant offload from Paul O’Connell exposed the Welsh naivety in failing to withdraw a forward to cover the space left in the backline after Byrne’s sin-binning.
The second was a product of a brilliantly-executed move releasing Earls for his second try.
Quite how long Ireland can keep producing that type of game-breaking and defining moments is a matter of some conjecture but the most intangible benefit is the belief that no game is beyond winning, no try line beyond reach.
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