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'Ireland outsmarted us'
19/11/2006 22:25 - (SA)
Dublin - Wallabies coach John Connolly admitted that Ireland outsmarted his Australians to achieve a 21-6 victory at a windswept and rain-lashed Lansdowne Road on Sunday.
The 55-year-old Connolly said his side had not handled the driving rain and galeforce conditions as well as the Six Nations Triple Crown winners, who went into the break with a 15-3 lead despite having to play into the wind.
"I guess 6-3 in the second-half (the score) isn't too bad," said Connolly.
"However the Irish were outstanding in the first half and handled the conditions really well.
"The damage was done in the first half and the try at the end of it (by Geordan Murphy) knocked the stuffing out of us.
"Ireland showed they were a world-class team, in particular in this sort of weather conditions," added Connolly, whose side had only their second loss to the Irish in the last 26 years.
Didn't handle them at all
It was also a record-equalling margin of defeat to follow the 27-12 loss in Brisbane in 1979.
Connolly said that it wasn't for a lack of preparation that the two-time world champions had been found wanting.
"We talked about it and knew what to expect, but we just didn't handle them at all," admitted Connolly, nicknamed 'Knuckles' from his time as a nightclub bouncer in Darwin in 1974.
"It was very disappointing. The Irish were more clinical and showed a lot of composure," added Connolly, who was part of the coaching staff under Bob Dwyer when they won the 1991 World Cup.
"Ireland showed how to play with the wind against them and we just couldn't get the ball off them.
"I was more pleased, obviously, with the second half, but the damage had been done."
Australian captain Stirling Mortlock agreed.
'Ireland were better'
"Our mentality in the second half was good," said the 29-year-old, whose new centre partnership with Lote Tuqiri was snuffed out by Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy.
"They were pretty tough conditions to play in, but Ireland played better.
"The Irish won the toss and I would have taken the same decision as they did."
Mortlock, who scored the try that killed off the All Blacks in the 2003 World Cup semi-final, said the Irish were becoming a tough nut to crack.
"They are a formidable team. They pushed us hard in Perth earlier this year and also the All Blacks on the same tour.
"They have a good lineout and their backs are very useful."
Connolly, for his part, refused to blame his side's misfortune on the South African referee Marius Jonker, who sinbinned three players after a fracas which included Wallabies Phil Waugh and Mat Rogers.
"I thought Mat had played well up till then, having replaced Stephen Larkham, who can't remember the start of the game after a knock on the head," said Connolly.
"However he got a bit excited later and lost the plot a bit.
Yellow cards
"I don't think the referee was to blame. In fact, he had a very good game, but I could have done without being 14-13 down in terms of players when you are trying to chase the game.
"Still I couldn't even win that one either - it was 2-1 to us in terms of yellow cards, 2-2 would have been fairer."
Scotland now await Australia next weekend while the Irish will play their final game at Lansdowne Road - they will be at Croke Park while it is refurbished - against the Pacific Islands.
- AFP
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