by Brendan Cole
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Ireland were beaten 25-3 by France in a manner that will give new life to debates that Eddie O’Sullivan dearly hoped would be settled on what ultimately was a quite awful night for Irish rugby.
This was a desperate performance from an Irish team full of heart and bravery but bereft of direction and, at times, basic skills. Barring a series of ruck drives late in the game, which eventually ended with Ireland forced back by aggressive French defence to their own ’22, they did not actually threaten the French try-line.
Eddie O’Sullivan singled out the failure of the lineout along with a referee and discipline problem as the major issues that led to this abject performance. While he was correct in pointing to the lineout as a particular problem area, referee Chris White actually got most of his calls right – giving a fairly even penalty count - and was even at times fairly lenient in the view he took of Irish indiscretions. Ultimately, the issues with this team go far deeper than O’Sullivan is prepared to admit. Ireland gave away the kickable penalties that France initially had to be content with because, under relentless pressure, they made bad decisions.
As for the lineout, it, along with the scrum, was mercilessly squeezed by France. On Ireland's throw they used the light and agile back row forwards Thierry Dusautoir and Julien Bonnaire to great effect in getting up alongside or higher than Ireland’s bigger and heavier jumpers. Bonnaire also found it remarkably easy to pluck ball from the air under minimal pressure on their own put in. In the scrum, early parity became utter disarray in a last quarter during which a rampant French eight fractured Ireland at will.
Even though they were a side under massive pressure from an early stage, the match was for a long period a quite tetchy affair in which Ireland were, despite a lower skill base and a physical inferiority, they were - theoretically - still in it up until the last quarter. In fact, the bravery and honesty of effort against a physically and technically far superior French XV was exemplary and must be applauded.
That bravery was enough, in the first half, to limit France to four successful kicks at goal - although Ireland were fortunate not to concede a try when Clement Poitrenaud almost got over in the corner fifteen minutes into the match. A desperation tackle by Shane Horgan kept him out, and Irish hopes alive, although replays showed Poitrenaud was long past the line with ball still in the air and a better finisher might well have gotten it down for an early five pointer.
Aside from the tackle, followed by TMO induced relief, points of resistance were few and far between: an excellent lineout maul was one, but it ultimately ended with a penalty to France for some needless treading on an otherwise quiet Sebastien Chabal, while a big hit by Brian O’Driscoll on Clement Poitrenaud also fired up the crowd.
A Ronan O'Gara drop goal - taken during a penalty advantage - close to the end of the half got them back to 12-3, and both sides went off knowing the next score woudl define the game. The decisive period came fifteen minutes into the second period. Then, a fifth Jean Baptiste Elisallde penalty was quickly followed by the first of two Vincent Clerc tries.
It was, ironically, the product of essentially the same trick Munster pulled on Biarritz for Peter Stringer’s try in the Heineken Cup Final. This time it was Andrew Trimble rather then Sireli Bobo who left his wing on an opposition scrum in order to stiffen the defence on the far side of a scrum close on his own '22, and this time it was Frederic Michalak rather than Peter Stringer who took advantage.
Like Biarritz, Trimble was mistaken in the belief that France had abandoned the blindside by moving the winger Clerc in alongside the out-half Michalak. The large, empty space he left was brilliantly exploited by the French playmaker; on a brilliant night for him personally, the Michalak had the skill to exploit it beautifully. As Elissalde passed from the base of the scrum, Clerc began haring over to the blindside: Michalak's tremendously accurate outside of the boot kick was placed so well that the flying winger barely had to break stride when collecting and falling - untouched - over the line.
That was quickly followed by a Paul O’Connell yellow card – correctly given for entering a maul from an offside position. That put Ireland Ireland under even more pressure in an already creaking scrum, and indirectly led to the second try. This time it was Elissalde rather than Michalak that did the kicking, but the result was much the same. A Bonnaire pick and go from the base of a French scrum in the '22 had Ireland scrambling, and when he passed to Elissalde who chipped it high, Clerc was once againo on had to collect, this time showing good strength to keep hold of the ball and get it down for a try despite a heavy collision with Girvan Dempsey.
Elissalde missed both conversions but those scores put France 25-3 in front and effectively out of reach. The final twenty minutes were played out in the usual welter of substitutes, albeit with Ireland in no position to introduce anyone who might have given France even the slightest cause for concern. France might even have had another try had White not erroneously blown up early in the mistaken belief that a 'yipped' Jerry Flannery throw - directly into the ground - had been caused by a linesman and not the Irish hooker's own hesitancy. Otherwise, France were confident, assured and effortlessly superior with or without the ball - so much so they put Cedric Heymans in at full-back - and it was a welcome relief when White eventually called a halt to proceedings.
After that, the sides trooped off toward their next assignments. For France, a relatively easy bonus point mission against Georgia is next up. For Ireland, a seemingly quite impossible four-try miracle against Argentina is required.
For now, with a week of inquest, accusation and spin most likely ahead of us, there is a new orientation to the Spala question that has dogged Ireland’s coaching staff since they first stumbled at RWC 2007: did anyone get a receipt?
