Summer Tour: Portugal 7 Ireland 106
The game’s death rattle, a penalty try, brought a disconcerting experience to a grizzly conclusion as Ireland were ushered over a ton of points. The match played out in what can only be described as a surreal atmosphere, where Ireland fans were minded to look away at times, or confine themselves to polite applause. Anything else would have been gauche.
It was a spectacle, all right, but not in the way that Ireland, Portugal or World Rugby would consider encouraging for the sport. There were times when it felt like an intrusion into a private grieving process. Portugal have fallen a long way from the joyful attacking brio with which they graced a World Cup, just two years ago in France.
Ireland broke a fistful of records, highest points tally, eclipsing the previous mark, an 83-3 win over the USA in New Hampshire (2000), most tries (16), most conversions (12) for outhalf Jack Crowley, surging beyond the previous standard bearer, fellow Cork Con man Ronan O’Gara, who landed 10 in a win over Japan, also in 2000.
Slow Lions build-up finally culminates in Test week
All three debutants, Hugh Gavin (two), Shayne Bolton (two) and Alex Kendellen scored tries, while Cian Prendergast (two), Tommy O’Brien (two), Stuart McCloskey, Thomas Clarkson, Craig Casey, Calvin Nash, Ciarán Frawley crossed the Portuguese line. The penalty try was met by a universal groan from the stands.
READ MORE
Chronicling the ins and outs of the match is irrelevant in the context of such brittle opposition. The synopsis might read Gavin and Bolton were excellent, particularly the young 21-year-old centre in terms of his carrying game. Ireland did as they pleased for the most part.
The back three were sharp, the halfbacks put pace and width on the game and the pack, with Ryan Baird again in the van, gave their backs a perfect platform. A first try in his eighth appearance for Thomas Clarkson, who then became the second player on the Irish tour to be summoned to hook up with the Lions in Australia.
Better then to focus on individual landmarks. Bolton (25) didn’t have his family over for the match, but there was a tearful call back to South Africa in the aftermath. He explained: “I’m very honoured. I’m happy I could make my family proud and my Irish heritage.
“My family was buzzing. They were very emotional; Mum and Dad were crying a few times on the phone. I video-called them. They were so happy for me. I am just so thankful for everything they have ever done for me.
“I had tough times in the last four years, times when I didn’t know if I was going to get through the dark spots, injuries, missing family, being alone. But I am very happy now that I made the move and it paid off in the end. It was tough moving over with two bags, that’s all I had. I’m just very thankful to be here today.”
Fellow Connacht man Gavin, promoted to the starting line-up after Jamie Osborne was called up to the Lions, said: “I remember going into a meeting with [the then Connacht backs coach] Mark Sexton at the start of the season and listing my goals.
“One of them was to play in a big interpro game. He said: ‘look these are the things that you need to get better at, and if you do this you will hopefully get on the summer tour’, which never came into my mind before that moment. I was just trying to get some game time for Connacht. It was brilliant, I loved every minute.
Kendellen who had his parents, one brother and his girlfriend at the match, admitted: “It’s a very special day for me and my family and all my support network, everyone back home. This is what you dream of when you are a kid. As long as this season is, it doesn’t really matter as long as you are in Irish camp, and you are looking to represent that jersey. It has been an enjoyable season.”
A word, too, on scrumhalf Craig Casey who was awarded the captaincy for the tour a role that he performed very capably, on and off the pitch. There is a charm, lightness and sense of humour to the way he interacts in a formal setting, while also taking time to acquire some knowledge when speaking about the opposition and their players.
The only downside is that he invited team-mates to watch Love Island on the eve of the Portugal match. No doubt he’ll claim it was to support former Munster player Conor Phillips.
Ireland’s interim head coach Paul O’Connell concurred, while offering an overview of the tour. “Craig has been a brilliant captain. He enjoys being captain but how he has trained the last few weeks, how seriously he has taken training has been an incredible example for the rest of the players.
“That’s been a big thing for us. We see it on the Emerging [Ireland] tours, they [players] just need an opportunity, whether it is with Ireland or with their provinces. There are some very, very good players and they just have to gain that experience.
“They have to play a game, review it, and train. Play a game again, be reviewed and accumulate that knowledge. That’s what a lot of our frontliners are doing with their provinces and Ireland: they are playing games and reviewing it and putting that [knowledge] into place. Others just need that chance.”
The next Emerging Ireland tour is expected to be next year, 12 months out from the World Cup in Australia.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 1 min: McCloskey try, Crowley con, 0-7; 8: Gavin try, Crowley con, 0-14; 9: T O’Brien try, Crowley con, 0-21; 11: Bolton try, Crowley con, 0-28; 22: T O’Brien try, Cowley con, 0-35; 29: Clarkson try, Crowley con, 0-42; 33: Bolton try, 0-47; 38: Gavin try, Crowley con, 0-54. Half-time: 0-54. 41: Casey try, Crowley con; 0-61; 51: Prendergast try, 0-66; 52: Martins try, Aubry con, 7-66; 55: Nash try, 7-71; 56: Frawley try, Crowley con, 7-78; 58: Prendergast try, Crowley con, 7-85; 70: Kendellen try, Crowley con, 7-92; 76: Murphy try, Crowley con, 7-99; 80 (+1): penalty try 7-106.
PORTUGAL: N Sousa Guedes; S Bento; V Pinto, T Appleton, M C Pinto; H Aubry, H Camacho; D Costa, L Begic, D H Ferreira; A R Andrade, P Ferreira; D Wallis, N Martins, D Pinheiro.
Replacements: G Aviragnet for Appleton (20 mins); F Almeida for Aviragnet (32); F Almeida for Andrade, A Cunha for Begic, P S Lopes for Costa (all 50 mins); A Campos for Camacho (54); M Souto for Costa (55); G Costa for DH Ferreira (56); Andrade for P Ferreira (59); V Baptista for Pinheiro (62).
IRELAND: J O’Brien (Leinster); T O’Brien (Leinster), H Gavin (Connacht), S McCloskey (Bangor), S Bolton (Connacht); J Crowley (Munster), C Casey (Munster, capt); J Boyle (Leinster), G McCarthy (Leinster), T Clarkson (Leinster); T Ahern (Munster), D Murray (Connacht); R Baird (Leinster), A Kendellen (Munster), C Prendergast (Connacht).
Replacements: T Stewart (Ulster) for McCarthy, M Milne (Munster) for Boyle, T O’Toole (Ulster) for Clarkson, M Deegan (Leinster) for Baird (all 50 mins); C Frawley (Leinster) for McCloskey, C Nash (Munster) for T O’Brien (both 52); C Izuchukwu (Ulster) for Murray (59); B Murphy (Connacht) for Casey (60).
Referee: A Leal (England).
