SCHMIDT GAMBLE PAYS OFF
Returning stars show they’re in rude health as Ireland coach looks forward to England clash
ANOTHER day of reckoning. Another examination with a positive outcome.
This, though, was possibly Joe Schmidt’s most valuable result yet. He clinched the title last year away to the French, but that was with a settled side going full tilt at the end of a campaign.
Here, going in with rust in the names of Johnny Sexton and Sean O’Brien, he’d gambled on quality ahead of game time and the ambitious punt ultimately paid dividend, Ireland taking a deserved victory despite late French desperation.
The visitors ate into an 18-6 deficit with Romain Taofifenua’s 71st minute try just seconds before Rory Best’s sin-binning expired, and they then launched a cavalry charge. However, faced with determined Irish resistance, they didn’t have the nous to unlock teak home defending and a seven-point margin was just about right.
You could accuse Ireland of winning ugly as France won the try count 1-0, but that would be a disservice to their effort in a troublesome quarrel where it took time for Sexton and O’Brien to get up to speed after their respective long lay-offs.
That both played a significant leadership role in helping Ireland see out their end-game reflected well on Schmidt’s pluck to select them, and he was be even more pleased that his out-half walked off with only a bit of blood spilt following some head-punishing collisions with Mathieu Bastareaud.
Brave in the tackle, Sexton varied his kicking game smartly, shepherding his pack around in a contest they initially appeared they could win in a flourish. However a 12-6 interval lead was only increased by a further six points, Jared Payne spilling the ball forward just when it appeared Sexton had given him the try-scoring assist.
Despite the shortage of tries and the crazily high penalty count of 25, this was a clash that had much more going for it than the lack of entertainment both sides were guilty of in round one. Its pattern somewhat mirrored the November Irish win over Australia given how tight it was coming down the home straight.
In the end, it concluded with France running out of ideas and width, Simon Zebo clasping hold of Remi Lamerat out wide near the 22 and O’Brien arriving in forager’s fashion to help bundle the French ball carrier into touch. Cue sigh of Irish relief all round, followed by wellearned smiles.
With conditions perfect, Ireland demonstrated more initiative on their kick-off receipt than they did throughout most of last weekend’s low quality spectacle in Rome, putting the ball through the hands from one side of the 22 to the other before punting clear.
Thirteen minutes had passed by the time they hit the front, Sexton scoring a penalty from the left of the 22 despite an initial tactical kicking duel giving way to some scrum worries. Retribution by Mike Ross on a French feed left Sexton kicking to inside the 22 and it brought a shot at the posts off the ensuing maul.
Trouble was, Ireland quickly conceded at the ruck, Camille Lopez tying it up, but they were given an easy invite to retake the lead. Sexton’s restarting kick hung lovely for Tommy Bowe to flap back and the fast-maturing Robbie Henshaw to gather. Guilhem Guirado was penalised for loitering on the wrong side of the ruck.
If 6-3 at the end of the first quarter was encouraging, what followed for the next 10 minutes was exasperating. Twice Ireland conceded penalties at the ruck for not releasing inside the French 22. Then on another raid, ball carried by Henshaw was softly stolen at the breakdown by Bastareaud, resulting in France having a lineout in the Irish 22 once Jack McGrath erred at a halfway ruck.
The hosts craftily opted not to engage at the French maul and the visitors were penalised for crossing just as they thought they were going in for a try.
Relieved, Ireland upped the tempo at the ruck and a ruck penalty saw Sexton land his third kick, this time from the 10-metre line with seven minutes to go to the break.
Lopez quickly nailed a penalty in reply, but Schmidt’s side finished the half six points clear, Bowe again excellent under Sexton’s restart as he tackled Damien Chouly to touch.
Henshaw, Paul O’Connell and Jamie Heaslip all had charges off the following lineout possession, with Henshaw’s second gallop forcing – yes, you guessed it – another ruck penalty.
Ireland pressed hard after the interval, temporary replacement Ian Madigan landing a 51st minute penalty.
Then came Pascal Papé’s yellow for kneeing Heaslip, but Ireland failed to score in the eight minutes they held a man advantage before Best saw yellow.
The champions managed well for a time, Sexton scoring on 68 minutes after Chouly strayed offside, but Taofifenua’s unconverted try set up a grandstand finish after a terrible Lopez penalty miss while Best was off.
Nails were bitten, but Ireland had the bluster to hold on. Now for England.