O'Driscoll reflects on missed chance
Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:34
Frustrated Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll was left to lament what might have been after his side pushed the All Blacks to the brink on Saturday but were unable to secure their first win against New Zealand.
Ireland battled hard in atrocious conditions before losing 21-11.
They have now played the All Blacks 21 times, and lost 20, with the 10-10 draw in Dublin in 1973 the only blot on New Zealand's copybook, though the last two matches between the sides in New Zealand have been won in the last few minutes.
On Ireland's tour in 2006, the All Blacks won the Hamilton Test 34-23 and were trailing in Auckland in the second half before they won the match 27-17.
On Saturday, both packs hammered each other into the ground for the All Blacks to lead 14-11 with 20 minutes remaining before flyhalf Daniel Carter, who had an otherwise indifferent performance, turned the match.
"We have come so close again and after 65 minutes we don't seem to be able to finish these games," a still shivering O'Driscoll told reporters.
"It's disappointing to push it as hard as we did with the intensity we had and to just slip up with that one line break and be punished for it".
Ireland coach Michael Bradley, who agreed the Daniel Carter break and subsequent try had probably settled the match, also felt the game could have been put beyond doubt by his side earlier in the match.
"Early on in the game we would have possibly been over the line twice but for the bounce of the ball and that would have been enough to carry us for the rest of the game based on the conditions," said Bradley.
"I think we conceded three or four penalties early in the second (half), which allowed New Zealand out of situations where me may have been able to create opportunities to score... and in that critical period we released the pressure too easily.
"But the All Blacks stuck at it and were patient and it needed one stroke of genius to create the line break.
"It's a very disappointed dressing room because we thought we had the chance to beat New Zealand".
"We still have not beaten New Zealand as a country and it remains a target for us, so we move forward from that".
