Praise all round for Stringer after difficult day for Ireland

IT MAY have been Peter Stringer’s opposite number, Samoa’s Kahn Fotualii, who claimed the man-of-the-match award, but Irish players and management were effusive in their praise of their scrum-half in the aftermath of their Test win.

Stringer’s vision was critical in helping to secure a hard-fought victory over dogged south sea island opponents and his intervention was the turning point of a tight game.

Support for Stringer came from within the camp as coach Declan Kidney, captain Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Fitzgerald all made a compelling case for the in-form Munster man.