We must learn how to create patterns off broken field and select players who are capable of same, writes LIAM TOLAND

MUCH HAD happened – or had failed to happen – by the time David Wallace touched down for Ireland’s try. Taken in isolation, this was Ireland at their best. Tommy Bowe took the ball from Tomás O’Leary on the inside channel, attracting defenders, before offloading to Ronan O’Gara. For the first time in an hour the French midfield were fixed in defence. Brian O’Driscoll carried and popped to Stephen Ferris, who added real value to the ball before offloading back to O’Driscoll and finally allowing Wallace over.

Where were all these key players in the previous hour? I had hoped Bowe and Ferris and others would have been the foundation for success in France.

The game opened at break-neck pace. The French, as is their want, flexed their muscles from deep inside their 22. Ireland, for their part, intended to keep them there for as long as possible.

Ireland completed 184 passes to France’s 91. Ireland’s play forced France into 111 tackles versus 67 for Ireland. They also played vast amounts of the game in the French half.

There’s an argument that Ireland started poorly, but not in effort or physicality. Tactically there is the argument of balance and how to tackle the French in this mood.

So why did Ireland come up short?

With such pace comes errors, and both sides contributed. Errors can be through skills (French lineout), but the greater errors arise from judgment. Everything turned on Cian Healy’s less-than-divine intervention. Much debate will centre on Healy’s instinctive, left-hand pull-back on Morgan Parra. The same hand Thierry Henry used to guide the soccer ball!

Certainly it was an Irish own goal, but sight shouldn’t be lost on the French. What led to Healy’s faux pas?

Imanol Harinordoquy burst out of defence, ducking and diving before offloading to Pascal Pape. The telling moment of the match arose from the subsequent breakdown. As Parra put his hands on the ball, his outhalf sensed an opportunity and moved to the gainline as he received the ball. François Trinh-Duc ran at the “pillar”, the A and B defenders. Yannick Jauzion, outside Trinh-Duc, was, in typical French fashion, very, very deep and ready to maximise the break. Cian Healy was the A defender, with Leo Cullen inside him. The pace of the ball, combined with Trinh-Duc’s attacking of the gainline, made it impossible for Healy to effect a tackle, which forced O’Driscoll into a weak tackle. Those precious yards allowed front-foot ball for Parra and Healy’s jersey pull.

The damage was done, not by Healy but by Trinh-Duc’s aggressive play on the gainline.

Trinh-Duc was the leading ball carrier of the match with 83 metres, twice as much as Harinordoquy. Only Jamie Heaslip could compete with the outhalf.

The French have many talents in their side, but they have an extraordinary ability to combat their errors, such as their lineout, of which they won only 66 per cent.

At fullback, Clement Poitrenaud epitomises this point. When in the mood and right environment he can be brilliant, but he is flaky both with club and country. Last Saturday Ireland failed to expose Poitrenaud; and, unfortunately, for most of the match they also allowed Bastareaud and Jauzion an easy ride.

Statistics paint a comforting picture. Ireland had vast amounts of possession, field position and line-breaks. Clearly the Irish lineout mastered the hosts. However, as the game evolved Bastareaud was put under no pressure. In order for O’Driscoll to have hurt him, he needed his inside men to create space.

It would be easy to finger Ronan O’Gara by contrasting his to Trinh-Duc’s play. However, the French outhalf has far more options available in the channel. This succeeded in causing confusion in defence.

Conversely, O’Gara, when not kicking, tends to ship the ball into midfield. The French defenders simply drifted aggressively in their chain of three on to O’Driscoll and co.

Parra’s wonderful drop goal arrived from such a play. O’Gara pushed the ball wide and it found its way into Keith Earls’ hands. He was smashed by Bastareaud, the ball spilled and Parra struck.

When pressure arrives it is generally accompanied with loss of control and pattern. The Irish, with so many leaders, failed to circle the wagons and regain their patterns. I got a sense that if it were either Munster or Leinster they would have muscled their way back in.

At times like these the bench needs to be used. It happened, but too late. As the second half ticked on I wondered how Seán O’Brien might have fared off the bench, or an early Jonny Sexton intervention. For that matter, how would Shane Horgan’s ball-carrying have aided O’Gara at 10? Gordon D’Arcy’s incredible break ended up with nothing. Minutes later the French half-backs ran into the Irish fringe creating a sin-bin offence, three points and total mayhem.

If Ireland are to progress in this championship and gain a first victory over the All Blacks, then this has to be mimicked. We must learn how to create patterns off broken field and select players who are capable of same. We cannot continue to rely on first-phase plays.

The players and management have lost their unbeaten run, so that monkey is now off their back. There is certainly no need for panic, but I always felt Twickenham would be our biggest challenge.

The French can fix their lineout over the coming weeks and improve. Ireland have a greater challenge. In the coming fortnight Declan Kidney will have to nail his colours to the mast. How can he create more space for O’Driscoll? How can he get more from his back three? How can he get much more activity in his 10 channel to maintain the space out wide? And finally, which outhalf is best placed to achieve this?

In a sense, the coming weeks will shape the future for Kidney and his troops.