Andy Farrell praised the grit Ireland showed securing his first win as head coach in their 19-12 Six Nations clash with Scotland at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
Ireland rode their luck against an incisive Scotland side who spurned several scoring opportunities, the most glaring when captain Stuart Hogg dropped the ball as he crossed the line with Ireland leading 16-9.
In the end, 19 points from captain Johnny Sexton — from a try, a conversion and four penalties — edged Ireland to the win in Farrell’s first Test since stepping up from assistant to Joe Schmidt following the Rugby World Cup last year.
Photo: AFP
“It was a decent start,” the 44-year-old Englishman said. “Our performance was summed up in the last five minutes; we asked the lads to stand for something this week and you could easily see the true Irish grit.”
“There were guys out there not used to playing for so long, but due to injuries were still tracking back in the final five minutes,” he said. “The pack was magnificent.”
Sexton praised the courage of the players declaring their performance in defense as “unbelievable.”
Photo: AFP
The 34-year-old Ireland great was satisfied with his performance. He had not played competitive rugby since early December because of a knee injury.
“I felt good but obviously rusty,” Sexton said. “It is tough when you are in a brace for three weeks and then getting fit for the next three weeks.”
Farrell acknowledged there were things to improve on next week leading up to Saturday’s home game against Grand Slam holders Wales.
“We got carried away at times,” he said. “Some of the decisionmaking was good, but some was wayward; we are a work in progress.”
Hogg criticized himself for “the schoolboy error” that saw him drop the ball as he went to touch it down for a try at a crucial moment.
However, the 27-year-old fullback and captain added that he would put the blunder behind him as his team prepare for England, who were to play France after press time last night.
“It was a schoolboy error,” Hogg said. “I cannot change what has happened. I have to now just get on with it. I have apologized to the boys.”
“I am bitterly disappointed to drop the ball over the line as the forwards had set me up brilliantly,” he said.
Scotland’s points came from the boot of flyhalf Adam Hastings, who kicked four out of five penalty attempts.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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