IRELAND FIND A PATH TO SUCCESS
New champions could well be our greatest as they march fearlessly towards England to seal the Slam
THERE have been championshipwinning teams in green before, but never one like this. Ireland didn’t play outstandingly well yesterday, but they still beat the most improved team in the tournament by 20 points. Their first half was ropey for significant stretches, but they led at half-time by 11 points.
This is an outstanding team, led by world-class half backs and with the experience of weather-worn veterans like Rory Best and Rob Kearney leavened by the fresh-faced talents of Garry Ringrose and Jacob Stockdale.
Twickenham should hold no fear for them, because this group know how to win. Even when their accuracy is off, when their high standards slip a little, they can track a way to victory. They did it here, withstanding a Scottish performance that was a blend of the expected and the unfamiliar.
It had been predicted the visitors would arrive high on ambition and notions of attacking freedom, and they did. But their defensive excellence and the way they tried to disrupt Ireland’s lineout had not been so obviously flagged.
It served to disrupt Ireland’s preferred rhythm, and the customary pattern of building pressure in the opposition half would not take shape.
There had been rumours before kick-off that Johnny Sexton was struggling with back spasms, but he completed what appeared his usual rigorous kicking routine before the match.
He was the only Ireland player to keep tracksuit bottoms on when the teams emerged for the anthems, but the patchiness in his display was not obviously attributable to physical discomfort.
His kicking off the tee was good, making four efforts from five overall, but he failed to find touch with one from the hand, and his famed narkiness was in evidence early, upbraiding team-mates and barking at Wayne Barnes, too.
Sexton’s inaccuracy wasn’t the only area of the contest in which Ireland’s precision was askew, with Scotland stealing two lineouts in the first half.
Through it all, though, they endured and reached half-time well clear. That sickened Scotland, but it spoke to Ireland’s vast experience and a team with enough leaders to compensate for one or two dipping below their customary levels.
Kearney, for instance, was outstanding throughout, Conor Murray was excellent, and the scrum was rock solid. Dan Leavy continues to blaze through the championship, surpassing his performance against Wales with one here that was as good as any on the field.
Ringrose was the official man of the match, and he was magnificent on his return from injury. His footwork is mesmeric, finding space and freeing up opportunities.
Ireland’s first try came against the head, Stockdale picking off an attempt by Huw Jones to throw a long pass off his left.
Sexton’s successful conversion left Ireland 7-3 ahead after Greig Laidlaw had converted a penalty for the opening score of the match.
Stockdale’s first didn’t quieten the Scots, though, and they should have
scored after 29 minutes. Huw Jones broke through brilliantly but, with Kearney facing him and the supporting Hogg, Jones made a hames of the pass and the opportunity was lost.
That buoyed them, and Finn Russell slipped into Sevens mode, taking quick lineouts as they looked to set a high tempo. However, just before half-time, Ireland left them queasy all over again.
Kearney took a Sexton pass and broke up the left before cutting infield, with Murray in support and Bundee Aki eventually held up. From the five-metre scrum that followed, Ireland moved left before cutting back, Ringrose stretching Scotland with an arcing run and then putting Stockdale over.
Ireland led by double digits without setting up a hostile camp in the Scottish half, and without their maul trundling into life.
Six minutes into the second half, the pursuit of the decisive bonus point was in full flight. Blair Kinghorn had threatened to streak free up the Irish left, before Peter O’Mahony brilliantly tracked him and then forced him to concede a penalty.
Sexton kicked to the corner – the Irish tactic throughout the match, save for one penalty in the second period – James Ryan caught Best’s throw and Murray eventually touched down off the maul.
It would be the 69th minute when Cronin eventually got over for the fourth try, but before then, Scotland missed two other outstanding chances for tries.
Hogg put a ball outof play over the head of the 6ft 4ins Kinghorn, and Peter Horne would make the same mistake four minutes later. It is difficult to imagine either score would have reeled Ireland in, but Scotland going so close show that defensive vulnerabilities remain. However, Ireland’s replacements were outstanding. The obvious example was Cronin scoring a try, but Jordi Murphy was excellent in replacing O’Mahony, and Jack McGrath and Iain Henderson brought experience to the pack. The overall effect was overwhelming. Holes can be picked in what Ireland did, but they found a way. They are a team that invariably win games, that get the required result come what may. There haven’t been many international Irish sides that could boast that. There is a good argument to be made for the quality of this group exceeding the stuff that inspired the 2009 Grand Slam. But there is one way that argument can be settled for good, and it should happen in Twickenham next Saturday. Glory is theirs, but a sweeter kind of success is within reach. This team will not be denied.