Soul searching and hard work dug Ireland out of the “dark place” they were in a year ago, captain Brian O’Driscoll said after Saturday’s win over world champions South Africa capped an undefeated year.
Ireland had been utterly uninspiring when their 11-game unbeaten run began against Argentina this time last year, a rare win that followed a chastening defeat to New Zealand, a dreadful Six Nations and an even worse World Cup campaign a year earlier.
Fast forward 12 months and Ireland sit fourth in the world rankings having won their first grand slam since 1948, a remarkable year that culminated in Declan Kidney being named the International Rugby Board’s (IRB) coach of the year on Saturday.
PHOTO: AFP
“We were probably in a bit of a dark place this time last year and we did a lot of soul searching and there was a huge amount of honesty,” O’Driscoll told a news conference.
Jonathan Sexton justified his selection ahead of record points-holder Ronan O’Gara by kicking Ireland to victory.
Sexton, playing only his second Test but looking like a veteran, booted over five penalties as Ireland rallied from an early 10-3 deficit.
PHOTO: REUTERS
The Test pitted the Six Nations champions against the Tri-Nations winners. There was added spice as nine of the Irish lineup were in the Lions side beaten in a bitter series in the republic over the summer.
But the Springboks weren’t as fresh as then, and arrived in Dublin reeling from three defeats in four tour matches, including two to club sides Leicester and Saracens.
In a frenzied opening, South Africa responded to Sexton’s first penalty by opting against taking a kick at goal. Flanker Schalk Burger was at the end of a wide move to charge over the line in the 16th minute. Morne Steyn’s conversion and drop goal put the Boks up 10-3 after 24 minutes.
Sexton cut the deficit to four in the 30th, then Steyn missed two long-range penalties just before the break, and another after it.
Sexton landed two consecutive shots in a four-minute span to put Ireland ahead 12-10 as South African discipline crumbled under pressure and fatigue. The Springboks’ scrum was sturdy but the lineout was picked apart by Ireland, and Andries Bekker conceded the go-ahead penalty when he dropped his knee into David Wallace.
Later, winger JP Pietersen was also fortunate to avoid a red card when his high tackle left Tommy Bowe’s mouth bloodied.
Sexton missed for the first time, but five minutes later he made it 15-10 with 14 minutes to go when Victor Matfield was penalized for not releasing on the ground. Sexton made five of seven goalkicks.
■FRANCE 12, N ZEALAND 39
AFP, MARSEILLE, FRANCE
New Zealand continued their unbeaten tour of the northern hemisphere with a comprehensive win over France on Saturday thanks to their commitment to a running style of rugby.
The All Blacks sure-handedness in the offload and ability to turn the slightest mistake by the French into an attacking opportunity made for some often breathtaking rugby.
The visitors overcame a nervous opening 10 minutes to score five-pointers through Sitiveni Sivivatu, Mils Muliaina, Jerome Kaino, Cory Jane and Conrad Smith, with the exceptional Dan Carter booting an additional 14 points.
France responded with three Julien Dupuy penalties and a Francois Trinh-Duc drop-goal.
“There have been some remarkable wins over the years,” All Blacks coach Graham Henry said, “but this one’s right up there.”
A tremendous shunt from the French pack at the first scrum on New Zealand ball saw the visiting front row buckle and pop under pressure, and Dupuy made no mistake from 35m after three minutes.
But the All Blacks came firing back, Yannick Jauzion hauling down Ma’a Nonu within striking distance of the French line but Sitivatu skipped through the threadbare defense after quick ball from the resulting ruck.
Carter converted and was then on hand to produce a potential try-saving tackle on Fabien Barcella after Jauzion had exploited a huge hole in midfield.
Dupuy kicked his second penalty on the quarter-hour mark after Julien Bonnaire had been obstructed at an attacking line-out to pull the score back to 7-6.
The scrum-half added to his tally when flanker Kaino released his binding from another scrum under enormous pressure.
After a bad tactical choice by Dupuy, Cowan spread the ball wide in the New Zealand 22m area, Sivivatu turning provider by drawing Vincent Clerc and offloading to Muliaina for an easy try.
Carter missed the conversion but grabbed a 29th minute penalty when Jauzion failed to roll away after tackling Nonu.
Tom Donnelly then spilled the ball over the line after Nonu gathered Carter’s chip and fed Kieran Read.
The French front-five crumbled in the ensuing scrum, Kaino touching down amid a mass of bodies for a try Carter converted.
Trinh-Duc pulled back three points with a drop-goal to leave the All Blacks 22-12 up at half-time.
Dupuy missed two pots at goal early in the second-half either side of a successful Carter effort and French heads went down.
Jane scored the All Blacks’ fourth try in the 61st minute, finding himself in space down the right flank and gathering his own chip over Traille to touch down. Carter converted.
Smith rubbed French noses in it when he skipped down the blindside for a try Carter also converted.
■WALES 12, AUSTRALIA 33
AFP, CARDIFF
The full-time boos of a packed crowd of more than 74,000 at the Millennium Stadium told their own story on Saturday after Wales ended the year with a loss to Australia.
Wales coach Warren Gatland labeled the defeat as “the most disappointing performance” he’d overseen since taking charge two years ago.
Australia ran in four tries, three inside 16 first-half minutes alone, with Digby Ioane, James Horwill, David Pocock and Tatafu Polota-Nau all crossing Wales’ line.
By contrast Wales were left try-less, their points coming courtesy of a Leigh Halfpenny long-range effort and three Stephen Jones penalties as they suffered their heaviest home defeat of Gatland’s reign.
In other matches on Saturday it was:
• Italy 24, Samoa 6
• Scotland 6, Argentina 9
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