“EVERY DEFEAT HURTS”, says Ireland hooker Rory Best as he’s beset by a media troop on his return to Carton House.
“But this one was right up there.”
Nobody has quite been able to make sense of the reasons Ireland contrived to lose with over 70% possession in Murrayfield. But any theory presented seems to carry plenty of weight.
In his 10 minutes with microphones under his nose, Best returns time and again to the issue of chances created, and not taken.
“We had a game-plan and a lot of it went near enough to the way we wanted it to go in terms of chances created.”
Next up, Ireland welcome the only side to fall even further short of their expectations, France. Nobody needs to talk up Les Bleus in this part of the world, even at Ireland’s best in the past decade, they have proved an elusive scalp.
The odd thing is, outwardly at least, Declan Kidney’s squad believe the fundamentals are sound and more of the same will give them a chance to take a second win
“It’s one where we’re back at home,” Best says of next Saturday’s showdown on Lansdowne Road. “It’s a sell-out and the chances we create have to be put away more efficiently than we have done.”
Though Ireland’s inability to quash a second-half comeback has been a worrying trend in the making, failure to finish chances in the first 40 has not.
“We went to Cardiff and scored three tries, the boys scored plenty of tries in the autumn.” Best says, before adding that Scotland caught them on a ‘bad day’.
He added: “But we still should have had enough about us to finish a bit stronger, we maybe did get a little bit panicky.
“But when you’re away from home and you need to score a try and there’s only five or six minutes left on the clock… when these things come off, everybody says you’re wonderful your attack is (great). And when you don’t, everyone starts to question it.
“That’s where as a player group and as management group we need to make sure we stay tight and take a more objective view on what we need to do.
That management group – or specifically, its head – has come in for plenty of criticism after consecutive losses, but Best maintains that the short-term future of players or coach does not affect the squad focus.
No, instead (unfortunately) the focus for Ireland in 2013 has been ‘taking positives’, but Best has a sincerity in his eyes that makes you want to believe that it could still all come together in time to beat France. Those eyes even light up at the prospect of defending.
“We have to be on our money. it will be a brilliant challenge for us defensively, to nullify their unbelievable attacking threat.”
Ireland’s own attacking threat looks set to be some way sharper after Paddy Jackson landed all bar two of his kicks at Ravenhill last night. His debut in green proved he could add plenty with the ball in hand, but an Irish number 10 is expected, above all else, to be consistent from the ground.
Jackson’s perceived weakness from the tee perhaps discouraged Jamie Heaslip from pointing at the posts. And when he did, the 21-year-old was off target from the more difficult angle.
Steel
Yet while many are fooled by Jackson’s almost pre-teen appearance, Best was well aware that the man had enough steel about him to bounce back and improve upon the one area which failed him.
“When you’re a professional rugby player and you’re playing at the highest level unfortunately not everything goes right for you.” Best says.
“Jacko’s a fantastic talent, a great player with a great attitude. His general play was very good on Sunday, unfortunately at this level, under the microscope we’re under, every minute detail is analysed.
“The great players dust themselves down and critically analyse what they have to do. Paddy, even at a young age, has had a few moments with Ulster and he’s always bounced back strong.
“That’s the type of guys he is. that’s why he”s going to be around for a long time.”
Jackson will taste the intoxicating glory a fly-half receives with victory many times. And he will also suffer the sick feeling of defeat, but there may never be another outcome quite like Edinburgh.
