IRISH hearts were heavy, but heads were held high at Lansdowne Road last Saturday. Ireland did not defy the odds against Australia, who won by 22 points to 12. So no famous victory to acclaim against the improbable, but there was ingrained in this performance an awareness of Irish rugby heritage, a demonstration of its virtues, even if not, in the final analysis, the touch of ingenuity that could have given tangible reward for concerted endeavour.
Thus the long awaited win over the Wallabies, must wait for another day. However, while in the end the entry in the ledger goes down in the loss column, the cold statistics will not in themselves reveal the depth of the Irish challenge nor the many sided elements central to the circumstances that decreed the outcome of this match.
Let it be recorded at an early stage of assessment that this Irish performance was in total contrast to the ineptitude and lack of awareness of a fortnight ago, which had left in its wake anxiety and depression about the tasks ahead. Here was an Ireland team playing with the spirit, courage and passion that are in keeping with the Irish character and are fundamental necessities for an Irish side to prevail.
It would be mean of spirit not to give Australia due recognition for what they achieved. Equally in doing that, it would not be ungracious or inaccurate to suggest that, had Ireland got a draw, it would not have been unjustly proportioned to the general trend of the match.
Indeed, had Ireland been able to expand their game just a little more and capitalise on the work of the pack to a greater extent, then it could have meant victory. But the basics are there now and this performance offered encouragement that a formidable side can be built.
Nor in respect of some of referee Brian Campsall's decisions can it be said that fortune favoured Ireland. Campsall was impartially poor, inconsistent in some of his decisions, and less than vigilant in his application. The concession of the professional foul and the deliberate killing of the ball are aspects about which Ireland have reason to be dissatisfied with his performance. His inability in the closing stages - a crucial point in the match - to pick up and penalise a blatant transgression by two Australian backs in the middle of the field, when they ran in front of the ball carrier and impeded, was compounded by the awarding of a penalty to Australia from which Matthew Burke was wide, but the penalty had deprived Ireland of possession and a good attacking chance.
Likewise, the Australian hooker Michael Foley deliberately took Ireland captain Keith Wood out of the game in an illegal and dangerous manner and neither referee nor touch judge picked that up. It should have been a penalty from a very kickable position, in the closing stages of the first half. Somehow it always seems that when Campsall is refereeing, those kind of decisions go against Irish sides.
So Ireland reached the interval with a lead of 9-6, an advantage which did not look enough with a cold wind to face in the second half. Such a slender lead seemed scant reward for persistent pressure and territorial superiority.
The level of Ireland's dominance is reflected in that fact that, not once in the first half, did Australia get inside the Ireland `22'.
Ireland did the hard work, but twice conceded penalties while within a few feet of the Australian line, and those concessions had their roots in over-anxiety. Twice David Corkery, who had a superb match on the Irish blind side flank, was over the line but could not ground the ball. But he must curb a tendency to give away needless penalties. New scrum half Stephen McIvor, who can reflect on his debut with immense satisfaction, was held about a foot short.
While John Eales, before he was forced to retire, and Warwick Waugh consistently won the ball on the Australian line-outs, Gabriel Fulcher and especially Jeremy Davidson, served Ireland admirably in this area. The Irish pack came in to drive forward on the possession. Outside half Paul Burke played especially well in the first half and his line kicking was first class down wind. It was a task of containment for Australia and they did it in a very accomplished manner.
As against Western Samoa, Ireland conceded the lead within a minute when Matthew Burke kicked a penalty, but there the similarity with that game a fortnight ago ends. Ireland came back and issued their declaration of intent, tackling with will and effect. It was to a large extent, a match dominated by the maul, interspersed with the ruck. Had Ireland the ability to have the runners in the right position off the fringes, it could have paid a dividend for the very effective work done, but that will come.
Paul Burke equalised with a penalty after eight minutes and did so again in the 25th after his namesake had edged Australia in front with his second penalty in the 11th minute. Ireland's Burke made it three successes from three attempts when he gave Ireland the lead in the 34th minute. Full back Jim Staples had to leave the field with a wrist injury after 14 minutes and Maurice Field came on to the left wing with new cap Dominic Crotty going to full back. Crotty served the cause splendidly and as well as bringing off one superb tackle, revealed good positional sense and keen awareness.
Back line attacks had been scarce in the first half and were equally so in the second. But with the wind at their backs and out-side half David Knox kicking long and well, Ireland had to play much of the period in their own half. Wood was a fine leader and tireless worker. It would be a very harsh judgement to offer other than commendation to the pack as a unit, but one must praise Corkery, Anthony Foley and Davidson.
Matthew Burke brought the sides level with a penalty in the 42nd minute and Paul Burke kicked Ireland ahead again in the 52nd, and so it stood at 12-9 to Ireland as the game entered its final phase. Australia got a penalty in front of the Irish posts at that point, an award that had Wood asking the referee why? So it was 12-12. Then one minute later Matthew Burke kicked his fifth penalty, this time a beauty downwind from over 50 yards.
There was 10 minutes remaining and Ireland carried a three points deficit. Paul Burke had a chance to level it but his kick from 33 yards fell short and right in the wind. Matthew Burke had missed another long range effort, so as we entered the final minutes, three points separated the sides with the crucial balance in favour of the Wallabies. With two minutes to go, Ireland tried to attack through their backs and the ball was moved left to right to James Topping. He was tackled, Ireland lost possession and Australia stole the ball.
Their very accomplished scrum half George Gregan went for a gap on the left and got between Paul Burke and Corkery, evading the tackle before he got the ball away to Knox. For once, the road was open and Knox ran down the corridor to score under the posts. Matt Burke converted and the jubilant Wallabies knew that they had at last broken the Irish challenge and Irish hearts.
Australia had taken advantage of the one real try scoring opportunity they got. That their chances were thus limited, is its own testimony to a performance from Ireland that restored pride, lifted morale and left in its aftermath a distinctive hope that the virtues revealed last Saturday can, with a little further expansion, lead us to more fruitful days. This Irish team had, above all else, a commitment that came from the heart. Every change made on it was justified.
