Ned Kelly
11-02-2008, 09:16
Can't even beat a bunch of babies!!!!
Looking on the bright side of defeat
By Donal Lenihan
THE secret in Paris on Saturday was to hang onto French coat-tails until the last quarter.
With a bench full of inexperienced kids, the hosts were always going to be vulnerable in the vital last 15 minutes. Unfortunately the 20-point lead they had amassed with half an hour to go just proved too big a hurdle.
How often in sport is the clock your enemy? Had this contest ticked on for another 60 seconds, Ireland could have pulled off the result few thought possible. Instead of an attacking five-yard lineout from which Ireland had already profited with a well-worked try from David Wallace, referee Nigel Owens blew the final whistle. But one must also ask why with time up, did Geordan Murphy kick away possession?
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If the margin of defeat was closer than had been anticipated in some quarters, it was clear from the faces of the Irish players that it offered scant consolation. Mercifully, we don’t do glorious defeat anymore.
During the build up to this game, new French coach Marc Lievremont wondered how his new charges would react when put under pressure. He got his answer: not very well.
Ireland will rue defensive lapses and cheap turnovers in the opening half that offered destroyer-in-chief, Vincent Clerc, a hat-trick of tries in 35 minutes. When he was re-instated to the side after the withdrawal of Clermont wing Julien Malzieu, you sensed he’d return to haunt us. In the first-ever rugby international in Croke Park last season and in the World Cup four months ago, Clerc has done more than anyone to shatter Irish dreams.
They say the best coaches are born lucky. From the moment that Lievremont substituted front row forwards Lionel Faure and Dimitri Szarzewski five minutes into the second half this game turned on its head. The former Dax coach seems to have a soft spot for his club prop Julien Brugnaut. On the evidence of his first two caps over the last fortnight, his international career will be short-lived.
Full marks to the Irish front row, and John Hayes in particular, for exposing the French scrum in the second half. It’s not often that you see the sight of a French eight on the retreat in Paris and the penalty try awarded by referee Owens was a timely if somewhat fortuitous reward for the ruthlessness of Ireland’s front five in this key sector.
Immediately the body language of the Irish players changed for the better as the French were in disarray up front. Donncha O’Callaghan’s form is a revelation and his physicality in the close quarters was phenomenal.
For the second week in a row France will be thankful that the unpredictability of a bouncing rugby ball worked very much in their favour, particularly for Cedric Heymans’ try 10 minutes into the second half. It was the game’s most important score.
Right from the start the French underlined their new found belief that, in the words of Bruce Springsteen, they were born to run. From the very first contact, out half David Skrela, despite receiving a pass 10 metres from his own goal line, threw an audacious skip pass. It set a pattern of unstructured, heads up rugby that defined their new approach to the game. The French public loved it. When you see the Mexican wave in the Stade de France after 20 minutes, there’s trouble ahead.
Of equal significance from an Irish point of view was the fact that their off-loading, continuity game was back in vogue and seen at its best for some time.
Despite getting the run around for long periods, Ireland sprinted to the dressing room at the break only 13 points in arrears. It could have been worse.
However, Lievremont remained true to his promise to test his entire young bench at some stage. When France blew Ireland away in the last quarter of the World Cup encounter four months ago, they did so by introducing Rougerie, Szarzewski, Yannick Nyanga and Yannick Jauzion off the bench. This time with the exception of William Servat, the six replacements had only six caps between them.
Consequently, when the game was in the melting pot in the last 15 minutes, Ireland’s greater experience was key. The pity was that France were offered too much latitude in the opening half.
There was reasons to be cheerful. The most significant was the raw enthusiasm and lack of inhibition that Bernard Jackman and Jamie Heaslip brought to the mix up front. Unfortunately Jackman had problems with his throwing in the opening period of each half but showed character in coping with his difficulties.
Heaslip more than justified his belated elevation with an all-action display characterised by a tremendous work rate at the break down where he was responsible for generating several turnovers. Denis Leamy profited from the move to the side of the scrum and Wallace also made a significant contribution.
Two years ago an amazing second-half display in this ground revived Ireland’s season. The question now is whether this team can build from here and consistently reproduce the quality of performance that came within a whisker of yielding championship success 12 months ago.
The key difference between the sides last Saturday was that under pressure, the skill levels of the French players was far superior. In the first half especially when offered space from turnovers they were clinical in their execution. In similar circumstances, Ireland faltered.
With a decidedly ordinary Scottish side next up at Croke Park, Ireland have every opportunity to continue their rehabilitation before Warren Gatland’s Wales come to Dublin chasing a Triple Crown.
With their backs firmly against the wall I always suspected that Ireland would react in Paris and that there would be little to separate the teams at the end.
The question now is whether they can kick on from here.
Looking on the bright side of defeat
By Donal Lenihan
THE secret in Paris on Saturday was to hang onto French coat-tails until the last quarter.
With a bench full of inexperienced kids, the hosts were always going to be vulnerable in the vital last 15 minutes. Unfortunately the 20-point lead they had amassed with half an hour to go just proved too big a hurdle.
How often in sport is the clock your enemy? Had this contest ticked on for another 60 seconds, Ireland could have pulled off the result few thought possible. Instead of an attacking five-yard lineout from which Ireland had already profited with a well-worked try from David Wallace, referee Nigel Owens blew the final whistle. But one must also ask why with time up, did Geordan Murphy kick away possession?
(http://adserver.adtech.de/adlink%7C3.0%7C257%7C1067135%7C0%7C170%7CADTECH;lo c=300;key=key1+key2+key3+key4;grp=1097)
If the margin of defeat was closer than had been anticipated in some quarters, it was clear from the faces of the Irish players that it offered scant consolation. Mercifully, we don’t do glorious defeat anymore.
During the build up to this game, new French coach Marc Lievremont wondered how his new charges would react when put under pressure. He got his answer: not very well.
Ireland will rue defensive lapses and cheap turnovers in the opening half that offered destroyer-in-chief, Vincent Clerc, a hat-trick of tries in 35 minutes. When he was re-instated to the side after the withdrawal of Clermont wing Julien Malzieu, you sensed he’d return to haunt us. In the first-ever rugby international in Croke Park last season and in the World Cup four months ago, Clerc has done more than anyone to shatter Irish dreams.
They say the best coaches are born lucky. From the moment that Lievremont substituted front row forwards Lionel Faure and Dimitri Szarzewski five minutes into the second half this game turned on its head. The former Dax coach seems to have a soft spot for his club prop Julien Brugnaut. On the evidence of his first two caps over the last fortnight, his international career will be short-lived.
Full marks to the Irish front row, and John Hayes in particular, for exposing the French scrum in the second half. It’s not often that you see the sight of a French eight on the retreat in Paris and the penalty try awarded by referee Owens was a timely if somewhat fortuitous reward for the ruthlessness of Ireland’s front five in this key sector.
Immediately the body language of the Irish players changed for the better as the French were in disarray up front. Donncha O’Callaghan’s form is a revelation and his physicality in the close quarters was phenomenal.
For the second week in a row France will be thankful that the unpredictability of a bouncing rugby ball worked very much in their favour, particularly for Cedric Heymans’ try 10 minutes into the second half. It was the game’s most important score.
Right from the start the French underlined their new found belief that, in the words of Bruce Springsteen, they were born to run. From the very first contact, out half David Skrela, despite receiving a pass 10 metres from his own goal line, threw an audacious skip pass. It set a pattern of unstructured, heads up rugby that defined their new approach to the game. The French public loved it. When you see the Mexican wave in the Stade de France after 20 minutes, there’s trouble ahead.
Of equal significance from an Irish point of view was the fact that their off-loading, continuity game was back in vogue and seen at its best for some time.
Despite getting the run around for long periods, Ireland sprinted to the dressing room at the break only 13 points in arrears. It could have been worse.
However, Lievremont remained true to his promise to test his entire young bench at some stage. When France blew Ireland away in the last quarter of the World Cup encounter four months ago, they did so by introducing Rougerie, Szarzewski, Yannick Nyanga and Yannick Jauzion off the bench. This time with the exception of William Servat, the six replacements had only six caps between them.
Consequently, when the game was in the melting pot in the last 15 minutes, Ireland’s greater experience was key. The pity was that France were offered too much latitude in the opening half.
There was reasons to be cheerful. The most significant was the raw enthusiasm and lack of inhibition that Bernard Jackman and Jamie Heaslip brought to the mix up front. Unfortunately Jackman had problems with his throwing in the opening period of each half but showed character in coping with his difficulties.
Heaslip more than justified his belated elevation with an all-action display characterised by a tremendous work rate at the break down where he was responsible for generating several turnovers. Denis Leamy profited from the move to the side of the scrum and Wallace also made a significant contribution.
Two years ago an amazing second-half display in this ground revived Ireland’s season. The question now is whether this team can build from here and consistently reproduce the quality of performance that came within a whisker of yielding championship success 12 months ago.
The key difference between the sides last Saturday was that under pressure, the skill levels of the French players was far superior. In the first half especially when offered space from turnovers they were clinical in their execution. In similar circumstances, Ireland faltered.
With a decidedly ordinary Scottish side next up at Croke Park, Ireland have every opportunity to continue their rehabilitation before Warren Gatland’s Wales come to Dublin chasing a Triple Crown.
With their backs firmly against the wall I always suspected that Ireland would react in Paris and that there would be little to separate the teams at the end.
The question now is whether they can kick on from here.