Other than a few odd decisions, and listening to the RefLink, JP seemed to have a relatively OK game.
Ball was very slow out of our ruck. Got turned over a few times as Robson while waving his arms at something; they simply knicked it back off us.
In the first half we continued to run into contact with no support == penalties for holding on etc. Second half that started to get a bot better.
Irish defence was a model of how to do it. Ours wasn't bad, but when we did the rush up on their line, they simply tossed it over our somewhat shorter players.
Our lineout got disrupted way too often, but our scrum was good.
Our backs may be fast, but we were simply outsized there. We were never going to run through them, or around them.
With such slow ball, our forwards must have spent 30 minutes on their 5m line running in to a brick wall. Their was one knock on that was deliberate and should have been a penalty try, but, you take the rough the smooth.
With all the territory and possession we had in the second half, it was criminal not to win that game.
IF that is our best, we are not going to do very well this season. So, I look forward to further improvement and better results.
Onwards and upwards, I am sure the squad and our excellent coaches will be working on it during the week.
I didn't see anyone obviously badly injured (maybe Booj, who wasn't having a good game, not that Juan was any improvement - have I mentioned before that we need a 12?). Tommy is a bit odd, as this is far from the first time he has cried off sick right before the game. Does he like dodgy curries or something?