The expectation to win can be slightly claustrophobic, especially at a venue where success has been rare and, on the triumphant occasions, hard fought. As a player those victories are the ones that provide the most satisfaction, where there is a feeling of pride in managing that environment to forge a positive outcome.
Ireland’s performance, collectively, in the win over Wales at the Principality Stadium lacked the bells and whistles of previous accomplishments in terms of team shape and fluency, but there were enough decent individual displays and moments to nudge Simon Easterby’s side over the winning line with nine points to spare.
For me it was a modest victory. The noise in the build-up had focused on Wales being on a 14-match match losing streak going into the game, while Ireland sat atop the Six Nations table. Expectations were high among the hordes that crossed the Irish Sea to Cardiff.
Wales head coach Matt Sherratt unearthed the right emotional touchstones to draw out the calibre of performance that struck a chord with the players and got the home supporters to engage in stunning fashion. The noise and colour was reminiscent of the heady days when Wales were winning.
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The respective teams had completely different goals. Ireland were focused on taking another step towards claiming a third successive Six Nations title with the prospect of a Grand Slam. Wales wanted to win a match.
The Welsh got a free run at Ireland with nothing to lose. As much as Sherratt’s side played with the requisite passion they were facilitated by inaccuracy in the Irish attack that failed to convert pressure into points in the opening half, leaving the door ajar for Wales to eventually walk through.
Jack Conan’s try on six minutes temporarily sucked the atmosphere out of the stadium. To some extent the fears of the Welsh supporters had been realised. Ireland, the overwhelming favourites, had started quickly, and the expectation was that they would kick on – but they didn’t.
Then with each penalty that Ireland conceded, each error, the momentum started to creep towards Wales and emboldened the home side with a freedom and fluency that was light years removed from the general stodginess of their performances in the opening couple of games in the tournament. That courage was rewarded with a try that saw them lead at the interval.
Ireland regained their composure, were able to problem solve on the hoof despite conceding another try to go 18-10 behind: they did so by cutting down on the mistakes and on the back of the bench’s impact were able to rescue the result. We won’t know exactly how important the win is for another couple of weeks in terms of title and Slam aspirations.
In terms of legacy issues from Cardiff I would be very surprised if there is much, if any unrest, among the players. Standards fell short of what we have come to expect but the victory provided a salve.
Ireland didn’t win on luck. Wales were not caught out by an error or a poor refereeing decision. There is a satisfaction as a player in coming out the right side of the contest, where you have to roll up your sleeves and grind out a result. After matches of this nature you sit in the changing room a little bit longer, your body a little bit sorer, but there is a buzz, an appreciation for the integrity of effort as much as the result.
I highlighted recently Jamison Gibson-Park’s work rate to track back and tackle Blair Kinghorn in the Scotland game that snuffed out a try-scoring chance. Moments like those deflate the opposition and help to win games.
Wales wing Ellis Mee came within millimetres of scoring a try on 72 minutes only to be denied by Ireland’s scramble defence and the selflessness required to avert a breach. In the build-up to that moment Wales pulled Ireland from side to side, using the full expanse of the pitch. I can remember vividly from my back three days how hard it is to cover all that space in the backfield.
It is rarely seen or noticed, till it is needed, and Jamie Osborne deserves huge credit as he had to cover the width of the pitch twice in under 30 seconds late in the game just to be in a position to dislodge the ball from Mee’s hand.
I’ve played in matches when the collective performance is off. You need to find a way to win that match regardless of what the form book or the billboard says. Individuals invariably stand up and step up.
Garry Ringrose’s aggression in the tackle has served the team well in the past. This time he got it marginally wrong. Ireland though benefited from the recent rule change with regard to the 20-minute red card and were grateful for Bundee Aki’s impact.
Sam Prendergast stepped out of the shadow of a quiet game to step into the spotlight with a vital 50/22, when options and space was limited. Objectively it is hard to find too many Irish players who had poor performances that might explain why the overall display wasn’t quite up to scratch.
Pressure is a double-edged sword. It can offer an edge in motivation and concentration but can also suffocate and inhibit things that as a player you take for granted.
Ireland did not have the luxury of looking at this game in a vacuum in the same way Wales did; it was another step towards a potential history-making achievement. Even in high performance environments, as pressure grows, I know how important it is to acknowledge and address it.
The role of a captain or leader is more nuanced on the pitch now more than ever before. However, I believe a good leadership group works its magic behind closed doors. Paul O’Connell, the player, was brilliantly intuitive as to what the group needed, Peter O’Mahony too; now that responsibility falls to Caelan Doris and Dan Sheehan. You have to be able to take the pulse of the collective to determine what’s required.
Accepting the performance imperfections from the Wales win and alighting on the necessary changes are steps towards improvement.
The words of two people I have quoted a lot in this column feel very relevant now. Enda McNulty always spoke about how you can’t change the past so don’t bring it with you into the present. Joe Schmidt emphasised the need to focus on what you can control. Sound advice looking ahead to France.
