Updated at 08.00
WITH THE DUST beginning to settle on the most physically ferocious Test match of the year, and their deep frustration at the performance of the match officials starting to subside, Joe Schmidt and Ireland should feel their spirits lift.
There is one more fixture to come in this November series, with the Wallabies now in town for Saturday’s clash at the Aviva Stadium, but Ireland approach that encounter from a positive position.
They have injury concerns over key men this week, but after three international fixtures this month, Schmidt’s side are in a good place. Nine new caps, a first win over the All Blacks and an exceptionally competitive second performance against the best team in the world – for the Kiwi head coach that’s a fine return.
Ireland are, and should be, deeply disappointed to have lost on Saturday in Dublin, but Schmidt sees this month as a success so far.
“Obviously, there was success against Canada in that there were a number of new guys. I think the number of new caps was us trying to take an opportunity to have a bit of a look and to work with a wider group.
“We’ll probably be afforded that opportunity to a degree again [against Australia] because we have guys who are knocked about.
“As far as looking at the overall series, if you had said to me before the series that you’d be two out of three going into the Wallabies, I probably would have taken it because that means we’d have to have beaten New Zealand in one of those two games.
“Considering we hadn’t done it in 30-odd times of trying in 111 years, you’d probably put your hand up and take one of those.
“As it is now, we weren’t that far away this evening and I think there’s huge merit in the effort that the players put in. Some of the time, as much as you want to be really clear and crisp about what you’re doing, some of it was just pure effort.
“I thought we didn’t really have a lot of clarity or direction but, gee, they were just determined to try and keep going and they did it incredibly well.”
While Schmidt managed to focus on the positives after Saturday’s bitterly disappointing defeat, one could sense a simmering discontent at how the game had been adjudicated.
The Ireland head coach managed to bite his tongue and reject several invitations to criticise referee Jaco Peyper and TMO Jon Mason.
What Schmidt did expand on was why he wouldn’t openly criticise the match officials.
“Yeah, look, being vocal, is that a solution? I don’t know,” said Schmidt.
I think you can be vocal through the appropriate channels. I think there’s always a risk in being outspoken, when if you want to affect change you need to have a rapport, you need to engage with people who are making the decisions.
“If you isolate yourself from them then I think you have less access to them and then you potentially have less opportunity to have some sort of discourse to get some answers or to affect change.”
Ireland’s referee report would make for fascinating reading, while their list of referrals to the citing commissioner is likely to have been extensive, even if it only led to two official citings for Sam Cane and Malakai Fekitoa.
Away from that controversial side of the game, Schmidt rued the loss of key men Robbie Henshaw, Johnny Sexton and CJ Stander inside the opening 22 minutes of the game.
Despite those influential players departing through injury, Ireland can still reflect on having lost the mini-series to New Zealand by just a single point on aggregate, 50-49. Few would have backed such an outcome early this month.
“The one thing that it does give us confidence is we’ve had a few more guys being given the opportunity to play at this level and as long as we can keep growing that while at the same time keeping a core that are experienced.
“You know, I think losing a 10 and your 12, how many times does that happen? I thought CJ was huge in Chicago and losing him as well, it does make it a challenge, especially during the week.
“You sort of train two and a half, maybe three times, during the week and the guys who start tend to get the bulk of that time.
“Therefore, you tend to get a little bit potentially slower to take opportunities [with early changes], you lack a little bit of clarity and suddenly if there’s any lack of clarity they’re getting off the line and putting pressure in your face and it’s very hard to play because they are very proactive and very physical.”
Onwards to the Wallabies with elements of frustration lingering, but a belief that Ireland have grown as a force in recent weeks.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
I was thinking the same yesterday. Can you imagine a player like Aidan O’Shea was left on the bench for a whole game. There would be a mutiny the day after their championship campaign ended.
@Ned Flanders: cheap shot. O’Shea showed he is the ultimate team player by switching to a totally new position over the last 2 games to help the team get over the line. I guess haters are always gonna hate though
@Pepper Brooks: ultimate team player? That particular tactic nearly blew up in mayos face. In the replay he was soloing around his 21 half way through second half and trying 40 yard outside of boot passes that ran out over the line. If kerry hadnt panicked and had taken points earlier rather than going for goals when 7 down it could have been a very different
@Pepper Brooks: O’Shea wouldn’t make the Dublin bench.
Juniors maybe
@johnnyA the game is also about opinions,for you it’s bitter and twisted against Dublin,while us Dublin fan’s are enjoying every minute of this great Team,so happy days for us Ha Ha ha
@alan dodrill: *fans
It’s a great achievement to show humility when you’re strolling through the championship. Fair play to the Dublin/AIG players for being such good winners. If Gavin exerts such control he must endorse or at least turn a blind eye to the playacting. Cooper at it again yesterday. McCarthy and McCaffrey at it the last day – good footballers but while their fans have brought the worst aspects of UK terrace culture to Gaelic Games the players have brought Neymar type playacting into our national sport. Great lads all the same.
@Johnny A: Why not just enjoy the football instead of always having a bitch , life is too short
@Tony Talbot: the football championship used to mean something. Now it’s completely hollow. Very few meaningful contests – certainly none when Dublin/AIG are involved. Instead of mitigating their natural advantages – population, money, home advantage – the GAA have bolstered these and set them in stone. Teams like Tyrone and Monaghan now come up to Croker with ridiculous defensive systems just to keep the score down. The GAA have to look at the population and reconsider a split – for example Dublin North/AIG & Dublin South/HSBC. There should be an equalisation process with the corporate loot – they should be allowed keep 20-30% with the rest being redistributed. And they should be kept out of Croker a lot more – why not make them play an away semi final for example. I’ll enjoy it then.
@Johnny A: have to hand it to you mate you have bitterness to a new level. Short memories like most non dubs. This golden era has more to do wirh jim gavin than anything else.Maybe he should only be allowed manage smaller counties?
@Johnny A: explain 1995 – 2011??
If you split Dublin now you’d risk an all Dublin All Ireland final and that would be worse! Did you see the bench. Dublin A Vs Dublin B would be some game!
Other counties need to stop making excuses… Kerry has the same population as Wicklow as is the most successful football county by far
Also, let’s split Kilkenny into North & South and actually while we’re at what about the most successful football county, Kerry…well over due a split!!
@Brendan Farrell: if you think a 2 way split isn’t enough and they’d still be too strong then a 4 way split would be ideal. Could be 4 Dublin zones – AIG1, AIG2, AIG3, AIG4. Have their own provincial championship. The metropolitan cup or something like that.
@paddy: I wouldn’t call it bitterness – more like constructive hate.