By JOHN O'SULLIVAN
French praise for Ireland coach 'Duncan Kindley'
Ireland coach Declan Kidney has made a huge impact on Irish rugby in guiding the national side to an Under-19 World Cup in 1998, Munster to a brace of Heineken Cup successes in 2006 and 2008 and Ireland to a Six Nations Championship, Triple Crown and only the second Grand Slam in the history of sport in this country.
His prowess though hasn’t made him a household figure though with one journalist in French newspaper Le Figaro judging by an article in the build-up to last weekend’s game.
The piece was very flattering but unfortunately undermined slightly by the fact it referred to “Ireland’s coach Duncan Kindley”. Obviously a little was lost in translation.
Wallace try denies France
IT WON’T come as much of a consolation but David Wallace’s try denied France any hope of emulating their 1977 Grand Slam winning team that went through the then Five Nations without conceding a try. Having managed to confine Scotland to just three penalty goals in their first outing, the French looked like keeping their line intact in Paris on Saturday, occasionally by dint of sheer luck. However Wallace’s second-half score means the French class of 1977 will be able to dine out on their achievement – they are the only side in the history of the tournament to manage the feat – for at least another year.
The Leinster squad will be hosting an Open Day at the RDS today ahead of the home Magners League game against the Scarlets next weekend. To coincide with the start of the mid-term break, the squad will be put through their paces and after the training session there will be opportunities for supporters to meet the players.
Supporters can test their skills on the Canterbury Roadshow, while Leo the Lion and the Spinnies will be on hand with giveaways. Entrance (1.30) will be from the Anglesea Road gates and there will be limited car parking in the Simmonscourt Road car park. Entrance is free.
Rugby speak
“Ireland can definitely bounce back. We said to the players at half-time not to take anything for granted because we were playing a great team, the Grand Slam winners and that they would come back strongly.”
– French backs’ coach Emile N’Tamack.
“It’s just the way they finish their tries so clinically. Their attacking play is very impressive and they are very physical. They outplayed us in nearly every position on the pitch.”
– Ireland scrumhalf Tómas O’Leary.
“When I saw him leaving the field so early, the one who I always saw do the 80 minutes of rugby, I thought an Irish monument is leaving. That will hurt their morale.”
– French tighthead Nicolas Mas on the departure of John Hayes, who he was facing for the eighth time
“It was the first real test. We put a lot of spirit and courage into it. Just as the Irish had announced their colours in the press they were coming to win, they wanted to avenge the hand of Thierry Henry. We stayed together. Now we know that it’s the third match which will be the test.”
– French flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo.
We’ve obviously had lots of highs over the last 12 months; today is one of the tougher days. But that goes with it, the highs and the lows. They deserved their win so you’re not going to win every day. You have to learn from it and move on.”
– Declan Kidney.
“The game itself started off really well for us, they looked a bit sketchy under the high ball and we were getting into it. But we gave away a couple of stupid penalties and the next thing you know we’re down to 14 men and 10 points down. But we should have bounced back, we have enough experience in the team to have done that but fair play to France, they were clinical and probably in the end thoroughly deserved the win.”
– Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris.
'Brilliant' win hailed by press
“Les Verts Ont Trinque” (The Greens Are Cracked) screamed page one of L’Equipe yesterday, adding: “Dominating the Irish in all compartments of the game the blues won a brilliant victory yesterday in the Stade de France.”
Inside, their match report hailed the win without even referring to the pivotal moment in the 16th minute when Gordon D’Arcy’s chip over Clement Poitrenaud cruelly bounced away from him and it’s player ratings made interesting, if decidedly one-sided, reading.
France: Poitrenaud 6, Clerc 6, Bastaureud 7, Jauzion 7, Palisson no rating, Trinh-Duc 7.5, Parra 8.5, Domingo 7.5, Servat 7, Mas 6.5, Nallet 8, Pape 7, Dusautoir 7, Ouedraogo 7, Harinordoquy 7.5.
Ireland: Kearney 4, Bowe 3, O’Driscoll 5, D’Arcy 5.5, Earls 5, O’Gara 4, O’Leary 4, Healy 3, Flannery 4.5, Hayes 4, Cullen 4.5, O’Connell 4.5, Ferris 4, Wallace 4.5, Heaslip 6.5.
