As in most sports, the rhythms and flow of a stadium’s soundtrack are generally an accurate barometer of what is unfolding on the pitch. Close your eyes and you can imagine how the game is panning out.
One of the keys to being in the Six Nations’ title hunt is winning away from home and, as in most sports, one of the keys in pursuing that objective is quietening the home crowd.
After Jack Conan had emulated his try off the bench in the same fixture two years ago in the 59th minute (as against the 61st that day) and at virtually the same point on the try line to again seal the deal, a defeatist hush fell over the home crowd. Suddenly the sizeable Irish contingent could be heard louder and clearer than at any point all afternoon in Edinburgh.
Ireland’s Scottish win has all roads leading to France
While the home team and crowd alike did generate a fair head of steam with that 11-point salvo either side of the interval, from early on Ireland’s performance went a long way to subduing Scottish fervour by simply keeping the men in blue at arm’s length. Perhaps the extended stoppages on a bracingly cold day dampened their ardour too.
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The Scots do a good preamble and inviting Chris Hoy, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, to bring on the match ball just before kick-off was both uplifting and brought a lump to the throat.
Yet somehow there wasn’t the same heightened sense of expectation and giddiness in the air, not even compared to two years ago in the same ground. Maybe that Irish win, and the latest mauling in a World Cup pool match, had created a certain fatalism in even the most optimistic Scottish fan.
Two years ago, admittedly, Scotland had won their opening two matches (29-23 at Twickenham and 35-7 at home to Wales) for the first time since 1996 and, despite a defeat in Paris which was discoloured by Grant Gilchrist’s red card, there was genuine belief that Scotland’s ‘golden generation’ could challenge for the title.
Last Sunday, Ireland surpassed the Grand Slam team of two years ago by achieving a bonus point win in Murrayfield, whereas then it was the only game in which Ireland came up just short of a five-point haul. That Irish team still won 22-7 on the day and, indeed, won each of their five games by a minimum of 13 points. But that was misleading. Grand Slams are not supposed to be like that.
The 2009 Grand Slam team beat England by a point in round three, won a taut and tense penultimate tie in Murrayfield by 19-12 and, of course, reserved the biggest drama for the final leg in Cardiff via Ronan O’Gara’s drop goal and Stephen Jones’ penalty falling just short. No wonder Les Kiss called them a cardiac team.
The 2018 vintage emulated that in their opening game alone, of course, with that stunning 41-phase drive and Johnny Sexton’s drop goal before winning their remaining four matches in relative comfort.
Those two campaigns underline why it is just so damned difficult to win Grand Slams and the round two weekend just gone, and particularly the events of Twickenham, also demonstrated that the old championship’s capacity for surprise remains undimmed. Just two rounds in and already only one team can win the Slam.
As with Ireland last season, France travelled to London as hot favourites but came up just short, the difference being that Ireland nearly won a game they ultimately lost whereas France lost a game they should have won. Regrets, they’ll have a bucketload.
On another day, even a moderately more clinical day, they’d have won by 20-plus points. Their 53-10 victory two years ago, bizarrely, remains France’s only win at Twickenham in a dozen attempts dating back to 2007. How French.
Their profligacy in leaving so many tries behind last Saturday either betrayed signs of overconfidence or anxiousness, or a mixture of the two. In some of their extravagant decision-making the case for the former seemed greater, as did moving Antoine Dupont to outhalf. Opponents are always happy when they see that come to pass.
Buoyed by some of their clubs putting huge scores on English rivals in this season’s Champions Cup, Fabien Galthie’s side seemed to lack respect for England and the conditions, as if determined to put on another show ala two years ago.
There’s a theory about that France losing to England is a good result for Ireland, but only insomuch as it leaves Simon Easterby’s team clear atop the table after two rounds (which in itself could mean nothing when the dust has settled) and takes France out of the Grand Slam picture.
More pertinently though, Italy could well feel the wrath of Les Bleus in Rome next Sunday week and Dupont, Damien Penaud et al will hardly be so complacent in Dublin against an Irish side who have beaten them the last two seasons.
They’ll also have Romain Ntamack back, and he will be a man on a mission after incurring a red card in his first appearance for Les Bleus in 17 months on the opening night against Wales.
Matthieu Jalibert is a gifted playmaker and threat in his own right from ‘10’, but he is more lateral than Ntamack, who runs straighter and is the glue in linking that Toulouse core together.
Furthermore, that converted Elliot Daly try with the penultimate play in Twickenham has also served to transform England from a team whose title ambitions would have been shredded after two rounds and an eighth defeat in their last 10 games, to one who are now right in the mix, with Steve Borthwick being hailed from all sides. Finn Smith now looks the glue in linking that Northampton backline core together. How utterly fickle it all is really.
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England’s winning bonus point against France, coupled with their losing bonus point in the Aviva Stadium courtesy of Ireland’s late lapse in concentration, looks potentially more significant now. England are four points behind Ireland and next face Scotland and Italy at home before a trek to Cardiff on the final Saturday.
Hence, to win a historic third title in a row, Ireland may have to complete another Grand Slam. But the bottom line is that Ireland will probably face a French team in round four which will be even more motivated to atone for their sloppiness in Twickenham last Saturday.
gerry.thornley@irishtimes.com
