Kidney promises 'more from Ireland'
Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:24
Ireland coach Declan Kidney insisted there was "more in us" after their Six Nations campaign ended with a shock 20-23 loss to Scotland that wrecked dreams of a winning farewell to Croke Park.
And they will certainly have to show more when they next play Tests, in New Zealand in June, if they are to secure a first win against the All Blacks ahead of their return to Kiwi soil for next year's World Cup.
Ireland's time at 'Croker' has coincided with the most successful period in their history.
Yet just as the hype surrounding their first match at the home of Gaelic sports ended in a narrow 17-20 loss to France 2007, so too they were undone in their last fixture at the ground by a similar margin when Scotland flyhalf Dan Parks kicked his fifth successful penalty with fewer than two minutes left.
The fairytale ending to Ireland's time at Croke Park would have had them winning a fifth Triple Crown in seven seasons before heading back across Dublin to their redeveloped home at Lansdowne Road.
They even kicked off on Saturday with a mathematical chance of retaining the title they'd won courtesy of a Grand Slam last season.
But a Scotland side previously winless this Six Nations, and in danger of finishing bottom, instead turned the formbook upside down with a rampaging pack exemplified by try-scoring No.8 Johnnie Beattie providing the platform for Australia-born Parks to kick the team's remaining 18 points.
This was Ireland's second defeat of the Six Nations and meant France, who overwhelmed Kidney's men 33-10 last month, kicked off in Paris knowing the title was theirs before finishing with a Grand Slam clinching flourish in a 12-10 victory over England.
Kidney had warned in the build-up that "the Scots are well-known for ruining a few Irish parties" but few outside the visitors' camp believed him.
Ireland, for all that they scored tries through captain Brian O'Driscoll and wing Tommy Bowe, were too often imprecise with ball in hand against Scotland, forcing 'wonder' passes that were often knocked-on.
Meanwhile their much vaunted line-out was given a thorough going over by Scotland, who won seven of Ireland's 17 throw-ins.
That the match was only decided by Parks's touchline penalty two minutes from time could not disguise Ireland's difficulties.
"If we look at the Six Nations, by our own standards, we feel there's more in us," Kidney said.
"A lot of the things that went wrong are within our control to rectify."
He added: "We have to give Scotland credit for playing a good game and keeping the scoreboard ticking over. It's so disappointing - the venue, the result, everything that was at stake."
Ireland second row Paul O'Connell, looking back at the tournament, said: "Two defeats is probably more than we wanted. I still think we are an excellent side and we want to win things. It hurts coming away from it empty-handed.
"Too many things went wrong together today [Saturday]," he added.
But Kidney insisted Ireland had it in them to bounce back. "Morale isn't any question. It's just extremely disappointing.
"When you lose your last one [the final match of the Six Nations], you have to live with it for two months. These guys they give everything, I couldn't ask for any more.
"Some days when it goes wrong, it just goes wrong. Maybe we were just trying too hard. But we are professionals, we won't be making excuses. Our job is to try to get it right and that's what we'll be doing for the next match."
AFP
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