IRELAND HAVE LESSONS to take from defeat in Cardiff, but head coach Joe Schmidt is keen to ensure his side move swiftly on as their visit to Scotland next weekend comes into focus.
A thrilling final day of Six Nations action awaits, and Ireland will have to be at their most accurate and clinical to beat the Scots by the biggest margin possible.
The overriding feeling from defeat at the Millennium Stadium is one of frustration, given that Ireland put themselves into the positions on the field from which to eke out the scores that would have made the difference.
Schmidt will touch on some of the issues Ireland had in Cardiff during today’s video review of the game, but thereafter the entire construction of the week will be based on beating Scotland, who are led by his old mate Vern Cotter.
He said not to dwell on it too much,” explained Eoin Reddan post-match in Cardiff when asked about Schmidt’s reaction to the defeat. “The main thing he wants us to do is try and focus on next weekend, which is natural; it’s pretty easy to understand.
“If you wait until Wednesday, it’s bad and if you wait to Thursday, it’s even worse. That’s not what we’re going to do.”
Reddan admitted Ireland had found it “tricky” to turn visits to the Wales 22 into points, the 32-phase attack in the second half particularly standing out in that regard.
However, the replacement scrum-half was quick to credit the defensive effort of Warren Gatland’s team in preventing Ireland from making those crucial last few metres.
“They scrambled quite well and we probably weren’t accurate enough at the breakdown at certain times,” said Reddan. “That makes it tough, but credit to their defence too, I thought they defended very well and made it very difficult for us.
It all comes down to basic things really, it’s just about doing them all the time, that’s the tough bit. Like I said, that’ll all be with a view to next weekend. There’s no point in worrying too much, what’s gone is gone.
“If we spend as much time as possible focusing on next weekend, it gives us the best chance of winning.”
