‘We knew it was a big challenge but we didn’t help ourselves’
THERE IS nothing for it but to face down the truth of the result.
Adam Griggs is not the first coach of an Irish rugby team obliged to face the cameras after seeing his team demolished.
It was the lot of the men’s side through much of the 1980s and 1990s after all, with the late ’90s especially difficult as the IRFU stuttered when confronted with a world reshaped by professionalism.
This is not as dramatic a juncture.
The women’s game does not have the local or global hold on attention that the men’s does, but a result like the one Ireland suffered yesterday was a reminder that in modern sport, detail is key.
And a semi-professional side like France can devote time to detail that an amateur one like Ireland cannot.
There is no policy intention within the IRFU to move the women’s game towards professionalism, and money has dried up throughout rugby as a result of Covid-19.
None of this makes the outlook for the Ireland women any cheerier in the short or mediumterm.
And the fear is that by the time they catch up with the long-term, France and England will have vanished into the distance.
What then for Irish women’s rugby? Is it seriously regarded, and therefore deserving of the funding and support that comes with that? Or is a detail to tick off?
These are significant questions that go beyond the responsibilities of any one coach.
But the work Griggs and his players are trying to do will be
compromised as long as there is such a gaping imbalance between teams like the one yesterday.
On the specific details of a contest that ended 56-15, Griggs understood what had happened, and why.
‘We knew it was going to be a challenge, and I think we probably didn’t help ourselves,’ he said.
‘We compounded a good few errors, certainly in that first half.
‘Their first two tries came from mistakes on our behalf. We’ve just got to take the learnings from that and realise when it’s on to play and when you have momentum, you can play. But when you don’t, you’ve got to make sure you don’t play in your own half.
‘Ultimately, we were guilty of that a little bit and a good-quality side like France just punish you for that, and they did.’
Allowing the French easy access through chronic indiscipline was consistently damaging, too.
‘When you let them have entries into your own half as easily as that, with kicks to the corner and being able to set up set-piece plays, they’re so strong at that.
‘That’s understanding the game: when is it on to actually have a go at rucks and slow it down, and when do you need to get into your defensive line and set it up and put pressure on them that way.’
Irish captain Ciara Griffin tried to remain stoic.
‘We won’t lie, it is a disappointing dressing-room, but it doesn’t finish now, and recovery and preparation for next weekend starts right away.’
Ireland face Italy, 41-20 winners over Scotland yesterday, in the third-place play-off while England and France will play for the Six Nations title.