World Champions. The spontaneous acclamation at the final whistle yesterday, when the French public greeted Ireland's victory in the IRB/FIRA World Youths Championship final at the Stade Toulousain with a standing ovation, captures the essence of what was a truly memorable occasion for Irish rugby.
It was a remarkable achievement accomplished with a style and elan that is normally the hallmark of yesterday's opponents. It was also a display sprinkled with traditional Irish qualities, grit and determination.
This was not a triumph hewn from dour obduracy and a spoiling scavenging display but a celebration of the modern game, replete with good basic technique and individual flair. Ireland showed wonderful self belief and composure as they cut the French to pieces with the ball in hand.
The final scoreline does scant justice to the creativity they demonstrated and it was only in execution, three times in particular, that they failed to capitalise on gilt-edged try scoring opportunities. It would be churlish to detract from such a brilliant triumph, instead preferable to reflect on two glorious tries.
The first, which settled early nerves, was a an exquisite individual cameo by excellent out-half Paddy Wallace. The Campbell College schoolboy attacked the gain-line after Ireland had won quick ruck ball on the French 22. Conjuring an opening with some neat footwork, he drifted past two tacklers before beautifully stepping inside the full-back and stretching for the line. Centre Brian O'Driscoll's conversion was a formality.
The second came try in injury time at the end of the match with Wallace again the architect-inchief. He looped outside Moore and made a half break before putting O'Driscoll in space. The UCD centre spun a long pass to left wing Darragh Holt, missing out full-back Donovan Rossi, and the UCC student forced his way over in the corner. It was to prove a fitting embellishment to a memorable occasion.
There were many facets to Ireland's victory from the control up front, the exceptional tackling of centres O'Driscoll and captain Shane Moore to the control exerted by impish scrum-half Kieran Cambell and Wallace, who varied their game intelligently. The cornerstone though was the performance of Damien Broughall out of touch.
Hooker Adrian Flavin's unerring accuracy allowed Broughall to provide a fantastic display of jumping, taking possession authoritatively and allowing his pack to drive him 20 to 30 metres at a time. This gambit proved very successful, particularly in the second half when Ireland faced a strong wind.
Ireland, too, were forced to survive the loss of open-side Neil Coughlan with a damaged ankle, curtailing their gameplan somewhat, to a tighter pattern. His deputy Conor Fitzgerald tackled prodigiously as did the pack in general. St Michael's College schoolboy Aidan Kearney proved an effective ball-carrier as did Chris McCarey. France only offered flashes of ability behind the scrum, hampered by the petulant tantrums and poor distribution of out-half and captain , Francois Gelez. Only right wing , David Skrela, the son of French senior coach Jean Claude, seemed blessed with traditional Gallic flair.
Despite some provocation, Ireland were not distracted from the task in hand, choosing to exact retribution on the scoreboard. Wallace's early try was a fitting reward for territorial dominance. Several opportunities were spurned before O'Driscoll kicked a penalty in first-half injury-time after the French had taken down a rolling maul.
Wallace's neat footwork allowed him to conjure a left footed drop goal on 45 minutes. This appeared to galvanise France and it took superb tackles from the hard working Donnacha O'Callaghan and Rossi to thwart menacing counter-attacks. Having weathered a 10 minute period of French dominance, Ireland finished the stronger of the two sides.
O'Driscoll missed two penalties and another try scoring chance went abegging before Holt's try became a cue for raucous celebration and wholesale changes bringing on the remainder of the bench.
Coach Declan Kidney was understandably thrilled pointing out that self belief and hard work underpinned this victory and those that went before it. When one considers that Argentina, who Ireland beat 18-3 in the semi-final won the third and fourth place play-off against Canada 68-0, and Wales could do no better than finish ninth and Scotland 13th, it illustrates the magnitude of what this team have achieved.
The IRFU are making final arrangements for a festive home coming at Dublin Airport today (1.40) and it is hoped that people will come and acclaim the triumph. Champions du Monde.
Scoring sequence: 8 mins: Wallace try, O'Driscoll conversion, 7-0; 37: O'Driscoll penalty, 10-0; 45: Wallace drop goal, 13-0; 70: Holt try, 18-0.
Ireland: D Rossi (Clontarf); M Cupitt (Instonians), S Moore (UCD, capt), B O'Driscoll (UCD), D Holt (UCC); P Wallace (Campbell College), K Campbell (London Irish); A O'Brien (UCD), A Flavin (London Irish), F Roche (Bohemians); D Broughall (UCD), D O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution); C McCarey (Ballymena), A Kearney (St Michael's College), N Coughlan (UCD). Replacements: C Fitzgerald (Garryowen) for Coughlan (35 mins), C Schofield (Bangor) for Roche (53), B Urqhart (Methodist College, Belfast) for Flavin (67), D Mescal (Ballina) for Campbell (71), J Reynolds (Watsonians) for Holt (71), A Considine (Bective Rangers) for O'Driscoll (71), C Good (RBAI) for O'Brien (71).
France: D Traille; D Skrela, A Genin, L Souscazes, F Sid; F Gelez, J Lesgourges; D Minissian, S Busato, JB Poux; M Rulland, T Privat; C Mallet, R Rhysman, R Martin. Replacements: B Boyet for Souscazes (46), N Raffault for Rhysman (63), D Gatvingt for Poux (68).
Referee: I Hydeley (Canada).
