Simon Easterby says failures on both sides of the ball cost Ireland against France

Ireland interim head coach Easterby refused to question referee Angus Gardner’s decision to allow Pierre Boudehent’s 45th minute try despite a clear tackle off the ball on Peter O’Mahony. He said they will reflect on the incident and may offer some feedback to Gardner and his team of officials. 

REGRETS: Simon Easterby said Ireland "certainly felt like we didn't take our opportunities" against France. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Ireland’s heavy Guinness Six Nations defeat by France was due to shortcomings on both sides of the ball, interim head coach Simon Easterby admitted on Saturday.

A 42-27 loss at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium represented Ireland’s first home championship loss in four years, ended their Grand Slam ambitions and has placed their hopes for third title in a row in serious jeopardy after handing the initiative to their conquerors, who will now head into the final round and a Paris appointment with Scotland two points ahead of the defending champions.

Ireland, playing first next Saturday against Italy in Rome, are relying on the Scots to do them a favour and upset the odds at Stade de France in the final match of the day, while their defeat has also brought Scotland and England into the title equation and as far as Easterby was concerned, it was all of his team’s doing.

Ireland had failed to capitalise on a strong start in which they dominated possession and territory in the opening 15 minutes, only to concede the opening try to man of the match Louis Bielle-Biarrey in the 21st minute.

They were also left to rue two yellow cards, with Joe McCarthy sin-binned for a needless pull back of support runner Thomas Ramos in the first half and Calvin Nash following after 45 minutes for a high head hit on Pierre-Louis Barassi. 

France had led 8-6 at break but trailed 13-8 after Dan Sheehan’s 43rd minute try. Nash’s yellow-card offence had come in the build-up to the visitor’s second try and Les Bleus would take full advantage of the wing’s absence with Bielle-Biarrey striking again, Ramos kicking two conversions and a penalty against their 14-man hosts. 

When replacement Oscar Jegou claimed the bonus-point try on 58 minutes the game was up for Ireland and Damien Penaud would add a fifth to make it a run 34 unanswered points. Late tries for replacements Cian Healy, on his final appearance for Ireland on home soil, and Jack Conan on his 50th cap, were mere consolations.

“The game was disappointing, obviously,” Easterby said. “We felt like going in at half time 8-6 down we were well in the game, and we were confident that if we started well - which we did - in the second half, we could kick on and make them pay, in terms of our fitness and our ability to go well in second halves, which we have done in previous games.

“But, unfortunately, we probably didn't take enough of our opportunities in their 22, and vice-versa, we conceded too easily ourselves.” 

That 28 of France’s points came against an undermanned Ireland during those sin-bin periods was telling, Easterby admitted though he refused to question referee Angus Gardner’s decision to allow Pierre Boudehent’s try on 45 minutes despite a clear tackle off the ball on Peter O’Mahony. The Australian official said the try would stand because O’Mahony was retreating backwards from a ruck and his decision was met by anger and puzzlement from Ireland fans.

“You don't want to reflect on those things which... We didn't defend well enough in our 22, but certain things that happen in a game, in an instance like that, which are going to prevent someone from potentially making a tackle, and being in a position to try and stop that.

“All teams try and do it to a point, they try create a bit of space through the ruck and that allows the next person to pick. It's to judge whether that contact on Pete was close enough to the ruck for them to feel like it was legal, which is probably about three or four metres from the ruck.

“That's something we'll reflect on and feed back to Angus Gardner and his assistant referees, and obviously the TMO came in and felt like it was legal.” 

The interim boss added: “I think we were down a man and they probably got themselves in a position where they took advantage of that 15 against 14. We had it in the first half as well where we conceded a yellow card.

“Calvin's one is just... it happens. It could have easily just gone as a rugby collision and it could easily have not resulted in a yellow card, but I think the incident with Pete happens in the same set of phases, so that's not reflective of that try, being down to 14 men.

“We certainly felt like we didn't take our opportunities. We didn't put them under enough pressure, and when we did, it wasn't until the last 10 minutes of the game where we showed that we could score a decent number of points. The game was gone by then.

"I guess just being patient and making sure that we don't have to score off the second, third or fourth phase. It might take five or six to get there but listen it's probably a little bit of credit to them in the way they defended in that situation and managed to go up the other end themselves and score.”