Andy Farrell takes pot shot at ref: 'I don't know the rules any more regarding that'
Andy Farrell admits Ireland’s laboured win over Georgia was unacceptable and accused his players of lacking belief. The Irish failed to assert their dominance over inferior opposition in Dublin as they ran out unconvincing 23-10 victors to secure second spot in Group A of the Autumn Nations Cup.
Tries from Billy Burns and Hugo Keenan helped put the hosts 20-7 in front at the break but they were unable to add to that advantage during a dismal second half, which finished 3-3.
Asked to assess the performance, head coach Farrell said: “Not good enough, not good enough.
“Certainly in that second 40, it wasn’t the standard we expect of ourselves, especially playing at home.
“After a first 40 that was decent enough, flowing at times, still obviously things to fix at half-time.
“In the second half, I just thought we didn’t have any courage of our own conviction.
“Georgia thoroughly deserved to earn the right to slow our game down by being total menaces at the breakdown, and all credit to them for that.
“But that’s not good enough from us.”
Victory for Ireland ensures they will host Scotland in next weekend’s third-place play-off.
However, the manner in which it was achieved is a far more pressing matter for Farrell, who had made nine changes to the team convincingly beaten by England last weekend.
Georgia had not registered a point in the competition before arriving at the Aviva Stadium but broke their duck in fine style with a superb solo score from Giorgi Kveseladze.
While he offered a frank assessment of the overall display, Farrell also questioned the decisions of referee Mathieu Raynal to not allow first-half tries for Stuart McCloskey and James Ryan.
McCloskey’s effort was chalked off after Jacob Stockdale’s pass was adjudged to have travelled forward, while the French official later ignored stand-in skipper Ryan’s claims he had grounded the ball.
“Two tries, one from a forward pass – I don’t know the rules any more regarding that,” said Farrell.
“We had a touch judge who was telling us it is a try and then a referee that says it’s not.
“James Ryan is over the line just before half-time, he’s got the ball down, so he says.”
Fly-half Burns, making his first international start, was a bright spark on a gloomy afternoon and his 15 points helped ensure there would be no upset.
However, the England-born Ulster player was forced off with a groin issue early after the restart, severely disrupting the rhythm of the hosts.
Replacement number 10 Ross Byrne contributed the home side’s only points of the second period with a penalty.
In addition to Burns, Farrell revealed he had a series of injury concerns, with hooker Rob Herring picking up a rib problem, scrum-half Conor Murray sustaining a dead leg, flanker Will Connors being forced off for a head injury assessment and winger Keith Earls suffering a back spasm.
Georgia, who are scheduled to play Fiji next weekend in the wooden-spoon match, produced arguably the moment of the match courtesy of Kveseladze’s 17th-minute score.
The centre collected the ball in his own half following some slick passing, burst into Irish territory and then dummied his way past Stockdale and Burns to touch down beneath the posts.
Visiting head coach Levan Maisashvili was encouraged by his team’s performance but dismissed talk of them being included in the Six Nations as premature.
“I am proud for my team. The boys scored an excellent try,” he said.
“But we had a couple of opportunities and we missed them. We are a young team and we’re still growing and we try to be, step by step, better and better.
“Before (being considered for) the Six Nations, we need more time to play against such a high level.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I do not really get why put Ollivon at 6 when he’s a 7, while Cros was the best Frenchman of the tournament, playing at…6. His only game replacing Aldritt at 8 doesn’t change much in terms of his impact. Lamaro was also outstanding in that brilliant Italian side, probably better than Reffell. So putting 2 Welsh players from the wooden spoon holders, and none of the 4th nation (Scotland) is also strange. Is it about showing that in this harsh transition Wales is, there were some standouts…?
6 Go to commentsThe events at this year’s six nations should undermine many of the arguments made against promotion and relegation between the six nations and the REC. If Italy had been allowed to yo-yo between divisions it conceivably could have really hurt their development, but if Italy, Wales, and Scotland are all at risk of relegation, with none of them being relegated more often than once every 3 or 4 years, you’d have to back all of them to muddle on through it, especially when you factor in the likelihood they’ll still be guaranteed world league matches against tier 1 opponents. Another way of looking at italys resurgence would be to say that the development model of adding an extra team to the six nations has worked, and now must be done again. Georgia could join to make it a 7 team round robin, and if and when Georgia demonstrate an ability to consistently win games, Portugal can also be added to make it an 8 team 2 conference competition. Frankly at this point I think it falls to world rugby to demand that the 6N act in the interests of the game. If the 6N won’t commit to expansion then the 6N teams should be handicapped in world cup draws (i.e. world cup seedings would not be based on their ranking points, but on their ranking points minus a 5 point penalty).
4 Go to commentsSteve Borthwick deserves credit for releasing the shackles on his England side and letting them play in a manner that somewhat resembles the top sides in the Gallagher Premiership. Will they revert to type in New Zealand in July.?
27 Go to commentsJames Lowe wouldn't get in any other 6N team. He's a great example of Farrell’s brilliance, and the Irish system. He is slow. His footwork is poor. But he fits perfectly in that Irish system, and has a superb impact. But put him in another team, and he'll look bang average.
6 Go to commentsCrusaders reached their heights through recruitment of North Island players, often leaving those NI teams bereft of key players. Example: Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock robbed the Canes of their lineout and AB locks. For years the Canes have struggled at lock. This rabid recruitment was iniated by rule changes by a Crusader dominated NZR Head Office. Now this aggressive recruitment has back-fired, going after young inside back Hamilton Boys stars. They now have 4 Chiefs region 10s and not one with the requisite experience at Super level. Problems of their own making!
2 Go to commentsOver rated for a long time…exposed at scrum time too.
3 Go to comments“Firing me” should have been Gatland’s answer.
2 Go to commentsFinn Russell logic: “World” = 4 countries. Ireland may be at or near the top. FR’s bigger concern should be he and his fellow Scots (incl. the Bloemfontein ones) sliding back down to below top 10
42 Go to commentsMind games have begun. Ireland learned their lesson after saying they could beat England with 13 players or whatever. Still, if they win at Loftus, that would be impressive - final frontier etc.
58 Go to comments$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
3 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
6 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
27 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
20 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
3 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
3 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
27 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
27 Go to comments