My old coach Matt Williams, at a time when Leinster were far from the high performing organisation they are today, spent a great deal of time trying to paint the picture of what was required to be successful. We weren’t the most receptive audience if you based the outcome of his teachings on results.
We wanted to win silverware on our terms and that’s why there were grumbling voices when players were asked to train on a bank holiday. Matt would fire back: “If you want a bank holiday, go work in a bank”. Times inevitably get tough in sport, where pressure reveals character rather than building it. I can still hear him shouting: “If it was easy, anybody could do it”.
His pleas fell on deaf ears. At the time we didn’t understand the commitment required to be successful and too often looked for easy options. That’s what separates winners from those that aspire to be. What are you prepared to do? How hard will you work to achieve those goals?
And even if you get that all right, there are variables outside your control, so it can come down to a bit of luck. Ireland’s performance at Twickenham wasn’t what they wanted or expected but, despite the imperfections, they came within a whisker of winning.
It’s hard to make history. Back-to-back Grand Slams have been achieved on five occasions, three by England with France and Wales managing the feat once each. Including a few more numbers to illustrate how difficult it is to complete a clean sweep of victories, there have only been 42 Grand Slams in the 141-year history of the Home/Five/Six Nations.
Ireland were chasing a fifth but, as the dust settles following the defeat in London, the enormity of the task is laid bare. As England replacement Elliot Daly was lining up that long-range penalty I turned to my co-commentator on ITV and suggested at that moment both teams would feel the outcome was within their control.
England prevailed but Ireland will feel they lost the match in failing to adequately manage the final few minutes. Hindsight informs a lot of the post-match commentary.
As a general rule of thumb there is usually enough hot air to fill a balloon in the pregame chat, comments, and predictions which make great soundbites but are rarely a genuine catalyst for the big performance that England delivered. I think it was a player-owned display. To use a Paul O’Connell-ism, “they went to the well for each other”.
Ireland have been ranked number one or two in the world for a sustained period and that comes with the addendum that you are a prized scalp. Teams target you and for some it will be the biggest game of their season.
England played as if that was the case, with an intensity that I don’t believe Ireland expected or were adequately prepared for on the day. Steve Borthwick’s side found a way to tap into that emotional energy that energised the whole team.
English number eight Ben Earl provided a great example of that laser-like commitment and focus as he chased and harried nearly every exit kick by Ireland from the visitors’ 22. Had he not, James Lowe would have been able to get the kick he wanted away in the build up to England’s opening try from centre Ollie Lawrence.
Instead, Lowe’s kick drifted infield, inviting George Furbank on to the ball. The English fullback showed good awareness and speed on a diagonal run to outpace most of the Irish defence and create a three-man overlap in the process, which Calvin Nash tried to solve by thundering into a huge collision with Tommy Freeman.
England recycled quickly to engineer a three-on-two overlap which they accurately executed to enable Lawrence to score in the corner. Perhaps the most noteworthy statistic from the game is that the home side were able to limit Ireland’s attacking rucks under the three second benchmark to just 50 per cent, which ensured that the visitors did not have the quick ball they crave and are usually able to engineer.
Other handicaps materialised in that we are not as competitive in the air as we used to be and that we kicked long but our chase was patchy. This contributed to two of England’s tries.
However, history still beckons for Ireland with a 15th championship title within our grasp at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. We would do well to take a leaf out of South Africa’s playing model in Test rugby that dates to the recent World Cup.
Whereas Ireland peaked in the pool stages, the Springboks produced a series of focused performances in the knockout stages that ignored a defeat to Andy Farrell’s men. They did not allow it to derail their momentum.
Ireland are in the enviable position of getting a second shot at the Six Nations title and, with the greatest of respect to Scotland, the enemy lies within this week. Last weekend at Twickenham England showed a fervour that Ireland weren’t able to match in many aspects of the game, yet the visitors came within two minutes of winning.
Ireland must divest themselves of any baggage following the defeat. There can be no excuses next Saturday. One of the solutions they must find is to try to fine-tune their attack. Wales frustrated Ireland for a time and England did an even better job in that respect, while the latter also managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
It is time for Ireland to produce a statement performance and dispel the notion that there might be blood in the water. There are plenty of lessons to be learned from last year’s Six Nations in closing out a tournament win when under pressure to do so.
As the saying goes: “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, and the lesson afterward.” For Ireland it’s simple. No more lessons, just one more test.
