Coaches back Carbery’s ‘surrender kick’ to save bonus point

Joey Carbery’s decision to kick the ball dead and end the game when a draw with Japan was still possible has been defended by Joe Schmidt and assistant coach Simon Easterby.

With the Japanese gong having marked the end of 80 minutes in Shizuoka on Saturday and the host nation leading 19-12, Ireland were pinned behind their own tryline and facing a drive up the entire length of the field to scrape a draw with a converted try but Carbery launched a long kick that found touch and ended the game, settling for a losing bonus point.