IRELAND HEAD COACH Simon Easterby bemoaned his side’s inability to score tries against France until the game was already decided as a contest.
Easterby’s side piled early pressure on the French but couldn’t find a way over the tryline in the first half.
Ireland did edge in front just after the break through Dan Sheehan’s try but les Bleus then produced a flurry of brilliance to put the game to bed.
There were two late consolation scores from Ireland but it was a rare day when their attack wasn’t able to do enough damage, while their defence was cut apart for five French tries.
“The game was disappointing,” said Easterby after his side’s 42-27 defeat to the French.
“We felt like going in at half time 8-6 down, we were well in the game and we were confident that if we started well – which we did – in the second half, we could kick on and make them pay in terms of our fitness and our ability to go well in second halves, which we have done in previous games.
“But unfortunately, we probably didn’t take enough of our opportunities in their 22 and vice-versa, we conceded too easily ourselves.”
Paul Boudehent’s second-half try was a big moment in the game given that Calvin Nash was yellow-carded for a tackle in the same passage.
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There was also a TMO review involved for a Thibaud Flament clearout on Peter O’Mahony just before the score, with the French lock seemingly taking O’Mahony out to clear space for a crucial carry from Jean-Baptiste Gros.
However, the match officials felt that it was legal from Flament and the try stood.
Ireland's Grand Slam dream was ended. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
“We didn’t defend well enough in our 22, but certain things that happen in a game, in an instance like that, which are going to prevent someone from potentially making a tackle, and being in a position to try and stop that,” said Easterby.
“All teams try and do it to a point, they try create a bit of space through the ruck and that allows the next person to pick.
“It’s to judge whether that contact on Pete was close enough to the ruck for them to feel like it was legal, which is probably about three or four metres from the ruck.
“That’s something we’ll reflect on and feed back to Angus Gardner and his assistant referees, and obviously the TMO came in and felt like it was legal.”
Easterby also felt that Nash’s yellow card “could have easily just gone as a rugby collision” and said he believed it “could easily have not resulted in a yellow card.”
However, the Ireland coach didn’t shy away from his own team’s shortcomings in the game.
Their inability to convert territorial pressure into points was particularly frustrating.
“They defended well, credit to them,” said Easterby.
“We got over the line, got held up. We forced a few passes. As much as you feel like you are on the front foot with the ball in hand, you have to deal with a defence that is coming at you as well. And they defended well.
Ireland lost James Lowe before kick-off. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“At half time, we spoke about continuing what we were doing, working hard which the boys did throughout that first half, especially those first 20 minutes. We had so much territory and possession in their 22.
“I guess just being patient and making sure that we don’t have to score on the second, third or fourth phase. It might take five or six to get there, but it’s probably a little bit of credit to them in the way they defended in that situation and managed to go up the other end themselves and score.”
Losing left wing James Lowe to injury soon before kick-off didn’t help Ireland’s cause.
“He got a back spasm in the warm-up,” said Easterby.
“He’d had it before a good while ago, so he knew pretty much straight away he wasn’t right. Unfortunately, it’s part of the gig, it’s disappointing for him, for us, but Nashy did really well when he came on.
“That didn’t disrupt us too much. It kept the 6/2 split on the bench and it was Nashy playing in his favourite position and Jamie going to the left wing. I thought both of them played really well.”
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'We didn't take enough opportunities' - Easterby's Ireland rue missed chances
IRELAND HEAD COACH Simon Easterby bemoaned his side’s inability to score tries against France until the game was already decided as a contest.
Easterby’s side piled early pressure on the French but couldn’t find a way over the tryline in the first half.
Ireland did edge in front just after the break through Dan Sheehan’s try but les Bleus then produced a flurry of brilliance to put the game to bed.
There were two late consolation scores from Ireland but it was a rare day when their attack wasn’t able to do enough damage, while their defence was cut apart for five French tries.
“The game was disappointing,” said Easterby after his side’s 42-27 defeat to the French.
“We felt like going in at half time 8-6 down, we were well in the game and we were confident that if we started well – which we did – in the second half, we could kick on and make them pay in terms of our fitness and our ability to go well in second halves, which we have done in previous games.
“But unfortunately, we probably didn’t take enough of our opportunities in their 22 and vice-versa, we conceded too easily ourselves.”
Paul Boudehent’s second-half try was a big moment in the game given that Calvin Nash was yellow-carded for a tackle in the same passage.
There was also a TMO review involved for a Thibaud Flament clearout on Peter O’Mahony just before the score, with the French lock seemingly taking O’Mahony out to clear space for a crucial carry from Jean-Baptiste Gros.
However, the match officials felt that it was legal from Flament and the try stood.
“We didn’t defend well enough in our 22, but certain things that happen in a game, in an instance like that, which are going to prevent someone from potentially making a tackle, and being in a position to try and stop that,” said Easterby.
“All teams try and do it to a point, they try create a bit of space through the ruck and that allows the next person to pick.
“It’s to judge whether that contact on Pete was close enough to the ruck for them to feel like it was legal, which is probably about three or four metres from the ruck.
“That’s something we’ll reflect on and feed back to Angus Gardner and his assistant referees, and obviously the TMO came in and felt like it was legal.”
Easterby also felt that Nash’s yellow card “could have easily just gone as a rugby collision” and said he believed it “could easily have not resulted in a yellow card.”
However, the Ireland coach didn’t shy away from his own team’s shortcomings in the game.
Their inability to convert territorial pressure into points was particularly frustrating.
“They defended well, credit to them,” said Easterby.
“We got over the line, got held up. We forced a few passes. As much as you feel like you are on the front foot with the ball in hand, you have to deal with a defence that is coming at you as well. And they defended well.
“At half time, we spoke about continuing what we were doing, working hard which the boys did throughout that first half, especially those first 20 minutes. We had so much territory and possession in their 22.
“I guess just being patient and making sure that we don’t have to score on the second, third or fourth phase. It might take five or six to get there, but it’s probably a little bit of credit to them in the way they defended in that situation and managed to go up the other end themselves and score.”
Losing left wing James Lowe to injury soon before kick-off didn’t help Ireland’s cause.
“He got a back spasm in the warm-up,” said Easterby.
“He’d had it before a good while ago, so he knew pretty much straight away he wasn’t right. Unfortunately, it’s part of the gig, it’s disappointing for him, for us, but Nashy did really well when he came on.
“That didn’t disrupt us too much. It kept the 6/2 split on the bench and it was Nashy playing in his favourite position and Jamie going to the left wing. I thought both of them played really well.”
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