There is a reason why no team has ever won the Six Nations outright three times in a row.
Ireland have needed brawn, brains, guts, clever coaching a luck – lots of that – to claim the last two Six Nations titles.
Today they could only claim to have guts.
Joe Schmidt’s men were undone by injuries, a wilting scrum and a backline that failed to truly motor for the third time in three Test matches. A failure to score a single point in the second half, and a late French try, saw a 9-3 lead turn into a 10-9 defeat.
Post-match, Devin Toner reflected on a tough day at the coal-face and where Ireland go from here. He told us:
“It is quite a disappointed changing room, to be honest.
“Not scoring many points in the last 50 minutes, and not being able to capitalise when we had the ball, did us in.”
The lock, who played his second 80 minutes in six days, paid dues to France for making their pressure count and refused to use the short turnaround, from the wales game, as a loser’s excuse. He commented:
“Coming in at half-time, we felt as though we had the upper hand. We didn’t feel they were going anywhere. Our defence felt good and we didn’t see how they would get points.”
Toner highlighted individual errors, including one from him [conceding a first half penalty], as a big factor in his team falling short.
He also gave an insight into a dressing room that was left battered and bruised by Les Bleus. On two of his injured teammates Mike McCarthy [concussion] and Johnny Sexton [shoulder], Toner said:
“Mike was up and walking well. He was feeling quite well but I don’t think he remembers the incident. It is maybe a little bit of a concussion but he did the Head Injury Assessment and, I think, he did quite well in it. It will be up to the medical staff to see how he goes in the next couple of days.
“It was an obvious knock in the head and everyone could see it. He wanted to walk off. He didn’t want to be carried off…
“Johnny is never happy, having to come off. I didn’t chat to him individually but, obviously, he is a proud character. He never likes to come off.”
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