Has the reaction to defeat in Wales been over the top? In my opinion, some of it certainly has.
Ireland had won 10 Tests in a row against quality opposition from both hemispheres. They have proven that they are a team that are capable of turning up and playing at a very high level of intensity week in week out at home and abroad.
There are no secrets or easy fixes in professional sport.
The more successful you are the more you are analysed and the bigger the chance the opposition will find the weakness in your game plan or system.
Wales are a very good side that has been developing under Gatland, Edwards, Howley and McBryde. Warren Gatland has been there since 2007. This is only Joe Schmidt’s second campaign, while it is Simon Easterby’s first as forwards coach.
"Unfortunately we now have a reputation of living on the edge in terms of slowing down and competing on opposition ruck ball."
We have to be humble and respectful in defeat and give credit to Wales. We also have to ask ourselves about what we can learn and how we can improve.
This team is process focused. Against Wales, we were not as accurate in far too many part of our processes.
Since November, we have had an advantage in our kicking game. We were world class in the air and incredibly disciplined. We also had very high ruck success and set-piece percentages. The whole package meant we were able to stress opposition defences and generate penalties.
England knew those things when they came to Dublin but didn’t quite have the experience across the board to take advantage. Wales had the experience and executed a brilliant plan.
They covered the field incredibly well and dominated the key aerial contests, especially in the first 20 minutes.
Welsh control
Discipline was vital for them and despite conceding two yellow cards and a penalty try, they managed to stay on the right side of Wayne Barnes. Again, that opening period was vital and they were able to build that 12 point lead and force Ireland to chase.
By half time Ireland had conceded seven penalties - the same as our total over 80 minutes against England. We were better in the second 40 but the damage had been done. Our lineout failure was also key. We lost four balls out of touch, two of which might and have ended in tries for Ireland and one of which gave Wales field position to score their try.
I have seen the online video which accuses Wayne Barnes of cheating and I have to say I think it is ridiculous.
He was more lenient in the second half and wanted to let it flow more having made his point early. When you watch the match and listen to the ref mic its clear that the Irish players are trying to pressure him to make decisions in our favour at times.
Referees don’t like that. It is always better to go through the team captain.
Unfortunately we now have a reputation of living on the edge in terms of slowing down and competing on opposition ruck ball. Barnes may have gone into the match looking to make certain we were on the correct side of the law.
Wales definitely did more in terms of presenting a positive image at the ruck and were very ref conscious early on.
Irish pressure
Regarding the end of the match, the scrum penalty will nearly always go to Wales in that scenario. The Irish push was so explosive on the loose-head side that it looked like a whip wheel.
The maul that was called as being held up is hard to be sure about as the camera angle is on the wrong side. But you cannot turn a maul into a ruck and if the ball was not playable then Barnes was correct to call it as a Wales put in. Personally, I think he made a mistake by not awarding a yellow card.
Also, for Ireland’s penalty try, if the decision was that Sam Warburton brought it down it should have been a red for a second yellow when Wales collapsed the Irish maul for the penalty try.
But that sometimes happens in the heat of the occasion. We have to remember that referees are are only human.
We have not had to chase a match for a while and the team will have learned a lot from the Wales game in terms of how to convert pressure into points from this game.
In general our communication was off. For example, we saw a pass from Jamie Heaslip to Jonathan Sexton that he obviously had not called for. During some link plays in the back line on multi-phase, players looked surprised to be receiving the pass. All very uncharacteristic.
We left tries behind us because the message did not seem to be flowing properly from the outside to the inside.
I am sure that will be rectified this week.
Joe has made two changes to the side with Luke Fitzgerald coming in for Simon Zebo on the left wing and Cian Healy replacing Jack McGrath at loosehead. Luke is a class player who has had a tough time with injuries. He has been sharp for Leinster and Zebo was quiet at the weekend.
Cian Healy will give us an extra ball carrier and that will be important because we play so direct and with little deception around the ball carrier. Sheer power is crucial to win gain lines.
Where now for Scotland?
As for Scotland, they are staring a wooden spoon in the face.
Despite a promising November under new coach Vern Cotter they have been frustrating to watch and the loss to Italy was a disaster. England created a lot of line breaks against them but were too loose in the phase afterwards and did not capitalise.
Scotland’s exit strategy from their own half was brutal in Twickenham and Rob Kearney, Tommy Bowe and Fitzgerald will be looking to run back some of that loose kicking.
Scotland are tricky opponents in Murrayfield and have their backs to the wall. I think we will win the match might just sneak the championship.
France are not a good side at the moment but are defensively solid and they have the power to match England up front.
Italy will hopefully have a bit of a backlash against Wales and keep the score respectable. It might just open the door for us.
Grand Slams are rare and we have to remember that we won the 6 nations last year was because we had Italy at home and England had them away.
That gave us the little cushion on points difference that we needed.
If we finish with four wins from five we will have had a very good campaign regardless of whether it results in silverware or not.
