The Irish players echoed their master’s voice in maintaining there were plenty of positives as well as learnings to be taken from Saturday’s wild and wacky game against the best side in the world. As Andy Farrell had also said, this four-game autumn window, and this game in particular, are all part of a journey.
No one, not Nostradamus, not Caelan Doris, nor anybody else, could have envisaged congregating at the interval 19-7 in arrears and knowing they would start the second half with a dozen players. But a tad prophetically, after Friday’s captain’s run, Doris said the squad had talked about “loving the adversity”.
As Bundee Aki put it, rather differently but essentially the same, afterwards: “We knew there would be times in the game when the s**t was going to hit the fan. We look each other in the eye and say ‘I’ve got your back, you’ve got mine, let’s go after it together’. That’s all it is, we work as had as we can as a group and that’s all we can ask for, give everything you’ve got.
“We knew there was going to be times in the game when adversity was going to hit us and the majority of the time, when things didn’t go our way, I thought the boys stood up. We kept fighting, even down to 12 men, we kept making it hard for them to cross our line.
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“I think that will stand to us. I think that will stand for us as a group and as a team. Yeah, I’m nothing but proud of the boys.”
Aki cited the examples of Ireland’s two young outhalves, Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley.
He said: “I think the two boys, Sam and Crowler, today was a big learning curve for all of us but those boys stood up. I think that game will stand to all of us and especially those young boys.
“The likes of Paddy [McCarthy] coming through, he played well when he came on, Cian [Prendergast] coming through, Bairdo (Ryan Baird) is just going through the roof, Sam is building confidence, Tommy O’Brien as well . . . Honestly, it’s unbelievable to see.
“It’s going to stand for us; that kind of experience against the world champions is unbelievable.”
Crowley hailed what he called the “unbelievable” defence of the Irish team “against a world-class team”, especially when reduced to 12 men. However, he admitted an obvious failing was ill-disciple. His own yellow card for tugging the ball from Cobus Reinach near the end of the first half was very costly and, by his own admission, avoidable
“They’re avoidable, mine’s avoidable, it’s silly and the count is too high. In international rugby you get punished for that.”
But he praised the fight the team showed and believes that character will stand to the team.
“I hope you could see that – that it matters to us how we turn up for one another, how we turn up for this group, how we represent the people in Ireland and all around the world, that they see that fight.
“It’s everything when you’re out there. To stay in it until the end is something this group is proud of and it’ll go a long way in the future.”
Both players were appreciative of the way a raucous Irish crowd roared their team on from first to last.
“I thought the atmosphere was unbelievable," said Crowley. I guess that kind of hurts as well, to not be able to give the Irish people the result that they deserve. But, like I said, it’ll go a long way.”
The game was quite an introduction to her role on these occasions for President Catherine Connolly. A native of Galway, she stopped and talked to Connacht player Aki.
“Yeah, it was good to be able to meet her,” said Aki. “She was saying ‘up Connacht!’. I was like, ‘yeah, up Connacht for sure’. Much respect for her and it was absolutely delightful to be able to meet the President of Ireland. It was awesome.”
The Irish players return to their provinces and a meaty part of the season which will include four rounds of European pool action as well as interpo derbies over Christmas and the new year.
“We finish the autumn nations series now, we close that book,” said Aki. “I need to put my best foot forward for Connacht and be able to be playing well, giving the best for the team and put my hand up whenever I can."
The derbies are expected to include the unveiling of the new stand and expanded 12,000-capacity at the Dexcom Stadium for the visit of Leinster in January. That prospect brought a smile to his face.
“It’s good, I’m looking forward to it,” said Aki, now in his 10th season with Connacht. “I think there’s going to be a massive atmosphere. Leinster at home, no better opposition to go against.”
