Ireland Win RBS Six Nations Grand Slam
Cardiff Painted Green as Irish Win First Grand Slam Since 1948
In a pulsating and often brutal game, Ireland survived a late scare as Steven Jones’ long range penalty fell just short, giving Ireland a 17-15 win, the Triple Crown,the Six Nations Championship and that coveted Grand Slam.
Wales Targeted O’Gara From the Kick-Off
Wales had decided that outside half Ronan O’Gara was the key to Ireland’s game and targeted him mercilessly in the first quarter, an early collision with Welsh captain Ryan Jones causing a melee between the players. At every opportunity, the Welsh ball carriers ran at O’Gara and it looked as if they’d unsettled him as he missed a straightforward penalty and sliced two kicks from hand.
After a bright start by Ireland, Wales gained the upper hand in terms of possession, but O’Gara’s boot kept pushing them back into their own 22. This, coupled with strong defence and the Irish lineout which destroyed their Welsh counterparts, meant that Wales simply couldn’t build any momentum.
All this led to a fascinating but low scoring battle. It was 30 minutes before the first score, an Irish infringement gave Stephen Jones an opportunity to open his account and another just before half time gave the men in red a 6-0 lead at the break.
Half time is when coaches earn their corn and Declan Kidney’s team talk is destined to go down in folklore. When Ireland came back out, they were a changed team. The first 6 minutes of the second half will live in the memory for a long time.
First a series of short range drives straight out of the Munster playbook gave O’Driscoll a try and a few minutes later O’Gara showed why Wales had been so keen to target him. An exquisite chip towards the right wing bounced perfectly into the arms of Tommy Bowe. Henson, now at full back as replacement for the injured Lee Byrne, was in no-man’s land and Bowe, sprinted under the posts to score. The conversion from O’Gara gave Ireland a 6-14 lead.
Wales weren’t finished though and chipped away at the Irish lead with two more penalties from Jones to trail by a single point as the game entered the final quarter. The defences on both sides were on top at this stage and neither side made much impression on the other. Suddenly, with five minutes to go, a bullocking forty yard run from Mike Phillips took Wales to within five metres of the Irish line. The ball was recycled and Stephen Jones dropped a short range drop goal to give Wales the lead.
Wales only had to take the restart and hold onto the ball for a few minutes and Ireland’s dream was over. They did the first part well, but when Phillips passed the ball back to Jones in his 22, the outside half, inexplicably kicked the ball directly to touch, gifting Ireland a lineout fifteen yards from the Welsh line.
O’Gara Drop Goal put Ireland on the Verge of History
Ireland duly won the ball and again reverting to the Munster playbook, worked the ball infield until, with several Welsh players breathing down his neck, O’Gara calmly dropped a goal to put Ireland back in front with just a couple of minutes separating them from history.
The Irish fans exploded, but the drama wasn’t over, Ireland kicked deep from the restart and Wales went through the phases, working their way back to the Irish half, when substitute Paddy Wallace handled in the ruck giving Jones a final chance to break Irish hearts. With time up on the clock, Jones stepped up, the kick was on target, but just fell short.
After 61 years, Jack Kyle was no longer the only Irish captain to have won the Grand Slam.
Irish fan celebrates Grand Slam
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