It was a day of tiny margins where fate smiled on Ireland. A late try in Rome punctured rampant Welsh enthusiasm and despite missing two eminently kickable penalties from three chances that went a-begging, Ireland survived to win a second successive Six Nations Championship, and on the balance of the five matches deservedly so.
England’s heroics at Twickenham got them tantalisingly close in what would have been a monumental achievement given the starting remit of a 26-point handicap to make up.
Ireland won the tournament by a mere six points on the differential and over the course of five matches would be able to point to several seminal moments with Jamie Heaslip's try-saving tackle on Stuart Hogg the most recent of that vintage.
There was much to admire in the Ireland's record equalling 40-10 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield. Joe Schmidt and his coaching staff prepared the team well, tactically and technically precise, and the players responded with their most fluent performance of the championship.
BREAKDOWN
What a difference quick ball makes. Ireland's accuracy in this facet of the game was most impressive in allowing them to play off the front foot. There were less than half a dozen occasions in the match when the Irish clear-out wasn't first rate, giving Conor Murray perfect possession.
The scrumhalf was able to whip the ball away far quicker, maintaining a high tempo, and thereby providing vital nanoseconds for the Irish backs. That, in turn, was reflected in the quality of Ireland’s attacking patterns. The visitors got through or around the Scottish defence time and again. Ireland didn’t have to kick because they had the quality and speed of possession to allow them to keep the ball in hand.
The impeccable presentation also guaranteed a continuity and momentum allowing Irish ball carriers to take possession at pace. Another side to this facet of their game was the number of turnovers (12) Ireland managed through the choke tackle, jackal position over the tackled player and also forcing the tackled Scot to hang on and concede the odd penalty.
FOOTWORK
The general quality of the footwork employed by the Ireland players taking the ball into contact was excellent. This helped them find some soft shoulders, thereby physically dominating the collisions and allowing the pack a re-cycling target that was ahead rather than behind them. Players like Jared Payne and Luke Fitzgerald were the most eye-catching exponents but there were a couple of exemplars in the Irish pack too, particularly Peter O'Mahony and Seán O'Brien.
Allied to the improved footwork in contact was the fact that Ireland - while there were one of two reprises of the defeat to Wales where the intended recipient was static in taking possession close to the Scottish line – received the ball from a greater depth and at pace.
DEFENCE
Ireland defence coach Les Kiss might be a little miffed with this aspect of the game as Ireland missed 25 tackles from a tally of 124 with a success rate of 83 per cent. They scrambled very well in the main and they were only broken once for a try, but there seemed to be a periodic lack of communication as the line speed dipped to pedestrian when there were clear-cut opportunities to nail Scottish ball carriers behind the advantage line.
There were too many regulation tackles missed/fallen off that might have proved more costly on another day. It would be remiss though not to mention Heaslip's try-saving effort on Stuart Hogg, an intervention that contributed fundamentally the Six Nations Championship. This area of the game is a work-on for Ireland when they reconvene for the pre-World Cup warm-up matches.
ATTACK
The speed of the ruck ball, combined with the precision, lines of running and clever interplay allowed Ireland to play the sort of game they crave. The subtle elegance of Payne's passing, running lines and his peripheral vision, his burgeoning relationship with the fast maturing excellence of young Robbie Henshaw, and the work-rate and skill sets of the wings Tommy Bowe and Luke Fitzgerald, ensured that the Irish three-quarter line – you can include Rob Kearney too (91 metres with the ball) – were a constant threat all afternoon.
Murray's slick service gave Jonathan Sexton time and space and the nuance and variety of the Irish outhalf's distribution and kicking game created opportunities for others. But the facilitators were the pack, a set of forwards that gave the backs a wonderful platform. Cian Healy, O'Mahony, Paul O'Connell and O'Brien in particular got Ireland over the gain-line, and the accuracy and speed of the clear-out allowed the Irish attacking patterns to flourish. Murray also had multiple candidates to offload to and this made the Scottish defence have to work harder both mentally and physically.
DISCIPLINE
Ireland conceded four penalties in nine first-half minutes but that’s more than balanced by giving away just two more in the other 71 minutes. They reacted intelligently to French referee Jerome Garces’s direction and that should be recognised in terms of the improvement made from last week.
SET PIECE
Two lineouts went askew but forwards coach Simon Easterby deserves credit for the clever variation that led to O'Brien's first try. The only quibble would be that Ireland need to be more competitive on opposition ball. It was all too easy for Scotland at times. The scrum was excellent, Greg Feek take a bow, an immoveable object on an Irish put-in that got the squeeze on Scotland from time to time. Re-starts would be a slight concern as Ireland looked a little unsure and need to communicate and organise a little better.
THE DIFFERENCE FROM WALES
Quick ball, accurate, muscular clear-outs, depth and pace of ball carriers, crisp passing, intelligent running and support play, the ability to preserve space for one another and footwork in contact. A greatly reduced penalty count and a tactically astute application of the attacking patterns.
