Frustrations linger for boss Joe Schmidt

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt praised his players’ successful defensive effort over the closing quarter for securing a second straight victory in the 2015 RBS 6 Nations.

Yet just as the Irish stymied France on Saturday, Schmidt was equally frustrated by both his team’s tryless performance and the refereeing of the scrum by Wayne Barnes.

Ireland’s penalty count had been averaging seven per game under Schmidt until the weekend, when Barnes sent the figure into double figures, penalising the Irish 11 times and the French 14 times in a stop-start game. The victory, nevertheless, sends Ireland into a round three home clash with also unbeaten England and on course for a successful championship title defence.