Players come to defence of Billy Burns following online abuse

The Ulster player was hammered on social media for his last minute penalty kick.

Ireland's Billy Burns dejected after the game

Rugby players tonight have jumped to the defence of Billy Burns who faced a barrage of criticism in the wake of Ireland’s defeat to Wales in Cardiff.

With the visitors trailing by 5 points, Burns had a late chance to set up an injury-time five-metre lineout but his penalty to touch was too long and went dead over the in-goal area. The final whistle blew seconds later.

The Ulster man was castigated on social media in the aftermath of the match despite both Andy Farrell and Jonathan Sexton giving their backing to Burns’ Ulster teammate John Cooney said he felt ‘sorry’ for those who were heaping abuse on the Irish international.

John Cooney said: “If you’re the type of person who has to berate another individual in order to feel better about yourself, I feel sorry for you. Think before you write stuff online & look internally first. We are all fallible. It’s the man in the arena!

He then attached a screengrab of a famous speech which former US President Theodore Roosevelt delivered in Paris in 1910 where he challenged critics and cynics.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Former Ireland and Munster star Simon Zebo also came to the defence of Burns for not shirking the responsibility of attempting such a risky kick in an effort to gain as much ground as possible for Ireland.

Zebo tweeted that Burns “did not shy away and hit the 22 like many others. Nobody died Allez les verts.” Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll admitted that the incident was a “very very tough pill for Billy Burns to swallow. International rugby can be brutal as there’s no hiding place but big test of character now as to what response is given....” Former England international Ugo Monye also tweeted: “Irish fans will be deeply frustrated/disappointed... Twitter please don’t show your worst side. Seen some awful comments already.”