RTÉ PUNDIT GEORGE Hook put Ireland’s three point win over Australia at the Aviva Stadium down to “courage, character and commitment – the way we know how to play best.”
Tries from Simon Zebo and Tommy Bowe, as well as Johnny Sexton’s kicking was enough to see off the Wallabies and the RTÉ panel were all in agreement post-match that the victory had to be put down to the tactical changes made at half-time.
“Anyone watching the game would have been thinking it could swing this way or that but the key factor is that in the second half we changed the way we were going to play them with two very strong half-backs backing up a very strong back. It was a victory about organisation and defence as opposed to anything else,” said Hook.
A fantastic second half defensive performance saw Ireland over the line after Australia had a huge amount of the ball in the second period, forcing Ireland to make a lot of tackles.
“The change in the system at half-time was huge. In the first half we were committing too many numbers to the ruck which meant that when the Australians threw the ball wide we were down numbers. It was very hard for us to defend that,” said Shane Horgan.
“Whereas, in the second half there was nobody committed to the ruck, maybe one, maybe the tackler, that meant that there were thirteen guys up in that defensive line leaving no space for Australia and that was combined with a kicking technique and tactic that the Australians couldn’t deal with.”
Hook did point out however that most of the Irish players had a weekend off last week whereas Australia played France, a factor that was evident towards the end of the game.
“One thing we haven’t talked about is how this Ireland team had their feet up last weekend whereas this Australia team were in Paris playing France and the pue inhumanity of the current international schedule means this Australian squad has to go to Twickenham next week. ”
The panel was also quick to heap praise on the stellar job that Joe Schmidt has done since coming into the Ireland set up last year. The November Series clean sweep is sure to heighten expectations going into a World Cup year and Hook was quick to point out how important Paul O’Connell is to the team as a captain and leader.
“There’s a thing about rugby that’s unchanging, no natter how good a coach Schmidt is he couldn’t do this without a great captain. When we won the triple crown in ’82 or ’85 you had a great captain, when we won those great championships in the late 40s and 50s we had a great captain and great half-back. So he has great half-backs and a great captain and as long as he has that he has the building blocks of a team then.
“What makes rugby the greatest game played on earth is that, unlike Gaelic football or soccer or hockey or American football is that, at the end of it it relies on the courage, character and commitment of men.”
