O'Gara bursts through the Scottish defence like an angry terrapin! (Picture from BBC Sport)
I must admit I did cheer when Ronan O’Gara broke through the Scottish defence with a superb hand off of Ross Ford with the Irish player looking very angry indeed as he crossed the line and looked to make his way under the posts.
My goodness he did look like an angry terrapin snapping his way over, which did raise a smile, but at least he was angry and looking to impose himself on the game. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for many of his teammates who wilted somewhat as Scotland applied the pressure late in the second half.
Earlier tries by Jamie Heaslip and Eoin Reddan and O’Gara’s defiant effort had put Ireland in a comfortable 21 – 9 lead but once again the wheels came of and Ireland self destructed as Scotland dragged the score back to 18 – 21 with the Scots looking the more likely to win in the dying minutes.
Kidney’s strategy of one last hurrah for the Golden Generation looks to be backfiring as many of the stars of the past failed to find the stamina and the skills to impose themselves in this game as had happened in the previous two outings this Six Nations series.
There were times in this match that Ireland looked as though they could score at will but the failure of the scrum and lineout is a worry but more worrying is their lack of understanding of the requirements at the breakdown as the penalty count once again quickly shot into double figures.
In previous years Ireland had dominated breakdowns, competing for the ball as they got back on their feet, but with the law changes they don’t seem to realise that if the ball is not instantly available it’s best to set up and defend. In truth they appear as an ageing team playing old laws and if they are struggling with the concept in the unpolished Northern Hemisphere matches goodness knows what it’ll be like when they come up against the slicker proponents of the Southern half of the globe?
It’s a pity as Leinster appear to be mastering the quick release game and Ulster seem to be heading in that direction and it can be no coincidence that the Irish penalty count dropped when Cullen replaced O’Callaghan but Ireland need to look to faster forwards and Ferris, O’Brien and Heaslip may be the balance required with Touhy now looking the more viable option in the second row.
Personally I’d also push for Faloon in the squad but we all know that’s not going to happen!
Ireland: Luke Fitzgerald; Tommy Bowe, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Keith Earls; Ronan O’Gara, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Donnacha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Sean O’Brien, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip. Replacements: Peter Stringer, Sean Cronin, Tom Court, Leo Cullen, Denis Leamy, Jonathan Sexton, Paddy Wallace
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2 Responses to “Braveheart Part 3: Scotland 18 Ireland 21”
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My take on the penalty count against Ireland is a confusion in the laws
The laws say the tackler must release and roll away and the tackled player must release the ball.
Ireland yesterday were swarming the player where the ball first-up secures the player and the second goes for the ball — question who is the tackler if the player goes to ground .
The player going for the ball continued to try and obtain possession –I have joint posseesion before player goes to ground and Iam still on my feet — the tackled player has not released
but the Irish player was being penalised for not releasing after the tackle — except he wasn’t the tackler he was playing the ball before the Scot went to ground.
To be fair to Nigel he was consistent — but I feel consistently wrong to penalise the Irish when the Scottish player was the one guilty of non release on the ground.
The Irish got so frustrated by Nigels vision of the law and singular anti Irish stance that they ceased try to obtain possession in the ruck for the last 30 minutes.
all in all My own take on Nigel was he had a bad day at the office never once penalising the Scots for putting the ball into the second row in the set scrum.
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The Last Hurrah for the Golden Generation
Since the last World Cup
The front row has changed
The second row is the same ( the problem has been PoC is not fit )
NB the penalty count had little to do with DoC being on or off but the decision not to go for turn overs
( and both are younger than Cullen)
Back Row has a couple of changes the only old hand is Wallace
neither Ferris or O Brien are 7′s and neither Ruddock or Faloon have physical knowhow yet to be effective at International level
The half backs are betwixt and between change
The centre partnership is the same for the younger alternatives see my opinion of Ruddock and faloon and PW while an alternative at 12 is not without known weaknesses
The wings and full back have changed the problem is that both Earls and Fitzgerald are equally overrated by the press the provincial fans and not least themselves if their talent was the equal of their arrogance Ireland would have a fanastic team.
The Irish problem has always been it is harder to be picked than dropped and if dropped harder to regain your place when the guy playing is out of form.
My take on the Irish 6 N’s so far is
against Italy we should have won the game in the first half but bad handling let Italy in with a shout
France we could have won
Scotland we got blown off the pitch and the score line flatters Scotland who looked good in the last 20 mins because Ireland were afraid to contest the breakdown.
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