1
'No mathematical sense': Ireland's decision to take points on offer scrutinised
Despite being down 22-7 at one stage in the first half, Andy Farrell’s side came back in Paris to make a contest of their clash against France by climbing back to a 27-21 deficit.
ADVERTISEMENT
With seven minutes remaining and Ireland camped in France’s 22, captain James Ryan pointed to the posts to close the gap to 27-24 instead of kicking to the corner.
Head coach Andy Farrell defended the call to go for three points, saying there is no doubt it was ‘the right decision’ in the moment. However, fans and pundits alike were not happy with the call.
Former Ireland great Brian O’Driscoll was critical of the decision in the post-match coverage on ITV, saying it seemed like the ‘obvious route’ to kick for the corner and attempt to get another maul try.
“Of course it’s not the right call because they haven’t won the game, but it’s easy to look back retrospectively,” O’Driscoll said.
“In real time, all of us were discussing it and deliberating it here. Because they had success from the previous maul and van der Flier scored a try from it, it seemed like the obvious route to go.
“They were six behind so were going to have to score at least another penalty to only draw the game, whereas seven points would have put them into the lead if they scored the try and knocked over the conversion.
ADVERTISEMENT
What surprised the former outside centre was that they changed tactic from the aggressive intent they have showed recently, shying away from going for the try.
“I’m just surprised with this team’s mentality. They go to the corner so often, but yet when it got tight like this they didn’t back themselves.”
Fans alike questioned the call, saying the ‘shambolic’ call ‘made no mathematical sense’ and lacked ‘ambition to win’.
Still reeling over the last 10 of that game. Penalty at the posts made no mathematical sense, then the last minute dreadful forward pass & a garryowen 🤦♂️. France prob edged it but were there for the taking #FRAvIRE #6nations2022 #SixNationsRugby #SixNations
— Peter Keating (@PeterKeating2) February 12, 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Absolutely shambolic decision. 🤬 https://t.co/heT7BaXViO
— Hugh Cahill (@hughcahill7) February 12, 2022
Poor decision making costs matches. #FRAvIRE
— MBT (@NotoriousMBT) February 12, 2022
Ireland performance was average to poor and with 10 mins to go we informed France we had no ambition to win. Incredibly disappointing #FRAvIRE
— colm (@colmcmt) February 12, 2022
It’s funny to see Ireland’s decision making, esp in the closing stages, getting lots of criticism. You get battered by monstrous sized men for 60 mins & see how you’re split second decision making is! I struggle to decide what to have for breakfast! #FRAvIRE #SixNationsRugby
— Kieran McSweeney (@SuibhneGeilt1) February 12, 2022
The face you make when Ireland chooses to kick a penalty in the 71st minute instead of going for the corner and trying to win a grand slam. We needed to back ourselves. The boys did us proud but we traded hard earned momentum for 3 points. #FRAvIRE pic.twitter.com/MHZplIQGCR
— Jason O'Mara (@jason_omara) February 12, 2022
Fair play to all those people who waited until full time to suggest Ireland shouldn't have kicked for the posts with that penalty on 71 minutes. #FRAvIRE
— Neil Treacy (@neil_treacy) February 12, 2022
Head coach Andy Farrell and captain James Ryan were adamant that the right decision was made on the field, with enough time remaining to still win the game after taking the three points.
“It’s the right decision, there is no doubt about that,” Farrell said in the post-match press conference.
“They feel the game, they are in the moment, they understand what is happening. There is plenty of time left, we have a lineout after that when we was a couple of points down.
Captain James Ryan also was unwavering in his belief saying ‘it was the right decision at the time’ when Ireland were on top of France.
“It just felt like it was the right decision at the time,” a disappointed Ryan said after Ireland came up short 30-24 to a powerful French outfit.
“We were imposing our game on them in that period. We felt confident in our attack and we thought we could bring the game to three points and we backed ourselves to go and win the game then off the back of that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Did footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
34 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
34 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to comments