I've started writing this week’s article in the immediate aftermath of the defeat to Japan.
Such is the strength of emotion inside me I couldn’t wait. I literally feel sick; sick for the players and the coaches, sick for the wives, partners and parents that have to live through these five days until the team get a chance to play again, to right the wrongs, to put the immediate past behind them again.
As we watched on the couch at home, we held a collective breath as Kenki Fukuoka intercepted the ball and only breathed out when Keith Earls made that last-ditch tackle.
We then admitted that this particular game was over for a win, but maybe we could play smart rugby from the scrum and go through 20 odd phases and earn a draw.
We hoped for the composure we had seen in 2018, we hoped for the resilience, we hoped for a spark from anyone. We did not get what we hoped for.
We got a losing bonus point and we listened with our hearts bleeding for Rory Best as he faced the media. We have been there, we have suffered the defeats, the poor performances, the media scrutiny, the overreaction outside the camp and the acute analysis inside it. We were glad we weren’t there.
"I hoped against hope that the GAA stalwarts wouldn't revel in the defeat of our national team"
We breathed again, helped Bill tie his laces for his local under-8 derby and left for the GAA pitch. I hoped against hope that the GAA stalwarts wouldn’t revel in the defeat of our national team, that the naysayers wouldn’t rise their heads again, that the fluid bandwagon jumpers wouldn’t hop from wagon of supporting the number one team in the world to the told-you-so wagon.
So we went to the GAA pitch and Cappamore Under-8s were soundly beaten by their Tipperary neighbours. Much to the continued angst of the locals, Tipperary teams continue to produce the goods!
Anyway the rationale from the Cappamore coaches afterwards was that they knew it would be tough because they had been hammered by them earlier in the year and they had those couple of really good young lads.
The talk of rugby did raise its head and the "sure we will be better now as underdogs" and "did they think they could just bully Japan" and "we’re they not ready or fit enough, they looked dead after an hour".
So back home, and with the thoughts of the GAA faithful ringing in my head, I sat down to watch the match again. It was a miserable day after all.
Firstly, I hate the thought process that we as underdogs perform better. We as a nation and as a rugby team are so far removed from that. We were briefly ranked the number one side on the planet a short while ago and have been one of the best teams in world rugby for quite some time. We have to be able to perform as favourites. We have to have the mental and physical preparation both individually and collectively to allow us to perform at that level.
In all that I have seen and read in the intervening hours since the Shizuoka shocker, no-one inside or outside the camp is saying we have not had the right prep, save the six-day turnaround against Japan’s eight.
Certainly, our pack did not perform as it did against Scotland and I did query on Friday playing all eight again, given the graft that was put in last Sunday. For me the 34th to 36th minute summed this up, Henderson carried and was driven backwards, then Carty carried and was picked up and driven backwards. Henderson is certainly better than that and Carty certainly needed more support from his pack. James Ryan did not make the gain line in the way that we had become accustomed to and even CJ Stander, while making the most hard yards, was not at his barnstorming best.
Japan’s defence was bordering on offside, such was the speed of movement off the line and the starting position from behind or not quite behind the ruck.
To be fair, from our view point, Ireland seemed to thread the offside line at ruck time just as precariously, but did not advance with as much speed nor as much aggression or intent.
What we know now is that Plan A is gone with the wind
There has been lots of talk of Angus Gardner and his interpretation and the management of the ruck. Gardner will have analysed both teams in advance and both teams will have done their homework on his particular nuances. At this level, players need to adapt to the ref from an early stage of a match as much as they need to adapt to the opposition.
So to the "did they think they would bully Japan" query. I refer back to the mental and physical preparation needed. Nobody inside the camp was outwardly underestimating Japan. None of us know the inner thoughts of Joe Schmidt’s mind and the meticulous planning that he undertakes. I support his decision not to have Sexton on the bench. I was critical back in 2015 when Madigan was asked to perform on the highest stage with little game-time under his belt. We don’t know the exact nature of Sexton’s fitness or if he was actually fit to play.
What we know now is that Plan A is gone with the wind and whatever plans there were to rest players for the Russian encounter on Thursday will now be revisited.
Later on Saturday, Bill watched all of Munster v Dragons, I did not as there are only so many hours in the day for rugby. He came to tell me the score and asked was the 39-9 score a hammering for the Dragons. It was, I said, but not as much as the 19-12 defeat of Ireland by Japan.
