Murray Kinsella reports from the Millennium Stadium
IT WAS THE biggest missed chance of the game, maybe even the championship.
With 66 minutes played and Ireland a metre from the tryline, they had two players to spare on the right-hand side. As glaring an overlap as you’ll come across; surely the ball had to go?
Jared Payne and Tommy Bowe flailed and flapped their arms trying to draw their teammates’ attention to the space and lack of defenders in front of them, but their signals were in vain.
Scrum-half Eoin Reddan was buried at the bottom of the ruck, and Ireland’s forwards kept the ball tight. The result? A knock-on over the line and the opportunity blown.
“We were screaming for it out wide but with the noise and the atmosphere in that stadium, it is very hard to hear anything,” explained right wing Bowe post-match at the Millennium Stadium.
Our scrum-half was in the ruck, so for the forwards to have to throw a pass out… it is something we will work on. Whenever you are that close to the line, you want to, I’m sure what’s going through their heads is that they [the forwards] want to get over and score.
“They are the small margins I suppose. Whenever we give a 12-point lead to a team with such class as Wales, playing catch up, you need to take your chances when you get them.”
Was this a summation of Ireland’s biggest weakness in one moment? They have little problem earning field position or dominating territory, but how clinical are they when camped in the opposition 22?
It’s surely not beyond the skill level and vision of some of these Irish forwards to lift their heads and glance at the defensive line for an indication of where the space is. Sometimes bludgeoning over with narrow carries isn’t the answer.
One for Schmidt and his players to lose sleep over perhaps.
“We will be hurting now,” said Bowe. “We are disappointed 100%. The changing room and the boys, it’s very quiet in there with what we let slip there, but we will straight back to camp, Carton House tomorrow and we’ve got it all to play for.
“It would be the first time for an Irish team to win back to back titles in I don’t know how long, so there’s still a huge amount to play. It’s a massive match in Murrayfield next week and we will be pumped up for it.”
Not the prettiest win in the world but a wins a win. Mctominay is getting better with every game.
A wins a win. Can see Scott moving into cb soon enough.
@Paully Kells: he was excellent. Ya wouldn’t be a bad choice for CB. Mobile, strong can play a bit of football. Good result tonight but performance was poor. But a wins a win
Once again Van De Beek looked brilliant on and off the ball. Go on Ole spring him in against the pool!
@Niall Mc Gourty: I’m hoping that he’s just being eased in. It’s a far more physically demanding league than the Dutch league. But he has looked really good in the glimpses we’ve gotten
@Niall Mc Gourty: Current midfield is Fred, Mctominay, Bruno. Then Pogba depending on formation and players available. VDB should be starting ahead of Pogba. He should be sold now but they have to wait until the summer. VDB will take that position permanently next season. Cavanis form means Ole prefers the 4-3-3 again so not much room if you want Martial and Rashford starting
@Dave O Keeffe: Sums it up perfectly.
@Alan Kenny: Yeah he prefers Pogba, Pogba will need to be smarter in possession against Liverpool, Bruno is allowed to try things and take risks but the other 3 have to be more sensible that’s why i think Van de Beek should start plus hes a harder worker than Pogba. I’m expecting him to go with the 4 in midfield and 2 up top against Liverpool.
Wait….. What…. No penalty?