Kidney: Title still within reach if we learn lesson

There were mixed emotions at the end of a frustrating day at the Aviva Stadium when goal-kicking proved the difference and injuries threatened to derail Ireland’s remaining Six Nations ambitions.

Becoming a dad might have been the spur O’Driscoll needed to kick-start Ireland’s challenge but he and his colleagues were unable to add to the celebration and the only news to come out of the Ireland camp post-match was bad news.

Simon Zebo, who limped off having broken a bone in his foot early in the game, will be out for 10 weeks, his participation in the championship done, his involvement in Munster’s Heineken Cup possibly finished too unless the province progress to the semi-finals and beyond.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney is sweating too on the fitness of fly-half Jonathan Sexton, who sustained a hamstring strain. He has little or no chance of making it back for the upcoming match against Scotland in a fortnight and could be out for considerably longer.

Add in injuries suffered by O’Driscoll (ankle), Donnacha Ryan (lower back), Mike McCarthy (knee), Sean O’Brien (hamstring and thumb) and Rob Kearney (dead leg) and it was no wonder Kidney looked like he had trodden on a cat.

“Let’s see who rocks up and comes through. A week ago we had a major concern about Darce [Gordon D’Arcy] and Keith [Earls] and both of those came through. This time it does look way more serious but the thing I’ve learned is it’s an uncontrollable: they have the bang or the knock, the medics will do their job and they’ll confirm who is available or who is not. It is a substantial list, but we work on.”

Kidney lauded England’s game plan built on pressure: “They put us under pressure and took the chances when they came their way that we didn’t. Other than one lineout close to our line at the end, there wasn’t a time we were in danger of conceding a try, but when we were in their half, we probably coughed up balls too easily and let them out. Once we have ourselves right, we’ll always be in a good place against anybody. But if we do those sorts of turnovers it’s damage we do to ourselves.”

Although Ireland coughed up a considerable amount of possession, Kidney declined to blame the dismal conditions, noting: “The conditions were the same for both sides; we were trying to play a little bit [too much], the pressure they put us under, the execution of individual skills under a combination of weather conditions and the pressure probably counted.”

However, he’s not prepared to throw in the towel.

“Yes,” admitted Kidney, “this gives England a little bit of daylight [at the top of the table]. France are in Twickenham next time around, let’s see what they show up with. England have to go to Cardiff as well in the last game, so I would say there is a hell of a lot to play for but there is every time you put on a jersey.

“We do really have to take one game at a time. We have three more opportunities to get three wins. Let’s get to eight points and let’s see what everyone else has at the end of it.

“There is a championship first and foremost to be played for, and we are well in that. We just need to learn from today.”