It was not fairly what the Irish have been dreaming of after most factors from the primary three rounds, however back-to-back championships places this Ireland team in a small elite of Six Nations champions. They turn out to be the sixth team to have managed the feat and, curiously, solely the third, after Wales in 2012-13 and England in 2016-2017, to comply with up a grand slam with the title. It is as if groups actually need to beat you when you’re grand-slam champions.
Peter O’Mahony had the air of a glad man. Twelve years after his Ireland debut, this has been his first full marketing campaign as captain. It was, maybe harshly, identified to him that he had by no means gained a factor in nigh on 15 years as a captain (of Munster and intermittently Ireland), and now he has gained twice in 10 months (Munster gained the United Rugby Championship in May).
“It’s certainly hard to beat,” he stated. “There are days like today you wouldn’t dare dream of. I’ve been through enough losses with Munster. Even the [Six Nations] game with the championship on the line away to France in the last round [in 2020]. I think that game has stood to us for a long, long time. It hurt more than ever, but did we learn a lot of lessons from it? Massively we did, and that probably stands out.”
Such was Ireland’s dominance after spherical three – 15 match factors from 15, six away from the sector – that the final two rounds have appeared considerably anticlimactic. Their defeat in opposition to England at Twickenham was a shock. They weren’t at their greatest, however it pays to remind ourselves that, even so, they have been crushed solely by a drop aim within the final play.
A response to that was anticipated of their dwelling recreation in opposition to Scotland, however Ireland by no means fairly discovered their type of the sooner rounds. They have been grateful to flee with a results of any variety in what Andy Farrell described, rightly, as a “proper Test match”. Alas, in these hypercharged occasions of breathtaking rugby, “proper Test match” all too typically serves as a euphemism for a little bit of a letdown.
The key growth is the depth of the competitors. Compared to even simply 10 years in the past, the standard of rugby within the Six Nations is a special class. Farrell alluded to this when requested to evaluate Ireland’s championship general. “The first game [a bonus-point win against France in Marseille] is obviously the one people will talk about.
“Everyone knew what a big start to the competition that was. But I actually look at the Italy game [a 36-0 win at home]. Have a look at what’s happened since with Italy. The change in personnel that we had and how we got the bonus-point win. It says a lot about the group.”
Ireland journey subsequent to South Africa, the world champions no much less, for two Tests in July. To a lot squirming within the southern hemisphere, many have been hailing this Ireland team as one of the best on the planet. Farrell is all too fast to defuse that notion. “It doesn’t get any more difficult or any more exciting than that. All you want is an opportunity to put yourself out there against the best and South Africa are 100% the best.”
The age-old query of whether or not team A have performed poorly or team B simply allowed them to play nicely is at all times pertinent and was once more within the Scotland match. All too typically in Dublin just lately, Scotland have fallen away within the face of Irish aggression, however on this occasion Ireland regarded, or have been made to look, considerably pedestrian for massive stretches.
Naturally, credit score was attributed to Scotland’s defence by the coaches of each groups. The 233 tackles they made was the very best depend of the championship – and registers within the high 10 deal with counts in Six Nations historical past (seventh to be exact), 9 of which have been recorded in opposition to Ireland.
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Scotland completed in fourth, with two wins from 5. Yet they might so simply have been going for a grand slam themselves. “Frustration would be the overriding feeling,” their head coach, Gregor Townsend, stated.
“We didn’t get the win against France, which was partly the [TMO] decision, partly us being behind in the last few minutes, but we’re all frustrated with the performance against Italy in that third quarter. We’ve played five games and either won or come within a score. We were frustrated we weren’t playing for the title.”
Far from the dizzy heights of taking up the world champions, Scotland subsequent head for a tour of the Americas, with Tests in opposition to USA, Canada, Chile and Uruguay.
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