In Saint-Denis
The miracle did not happen. It must be said that the step was quite high. Never has a Scottish team beaten a world number 1. Above all, it remained on eight consecutive defeats against Ireland. For the third time in its history (but also during the last four World Cups), the XV du Chardon therefore leaves the World Cup before the final stages, after its defeat on Friday against the XV du Trèfle (36-14).
“The situation is very different from four years ago in Japan,” judges the Scottish coach. Yes, we are eliminated, but we have to analyze each World Cup differently. We were paired with teams that were better than us. Yes, we should have done better, I think we had what we needed to go through. After the defeat against South Africa, the players proved that they were there. But this Irish team is the best in the last ten years.”
It’s difficult to know what to remember from this 2023 edition for the XV du Chardon. Fifth nation in the world, Scotland notably beat France in a preparation match. She can legitimately rail against World Rugby which organized the draw too long before the start of the World Cup and after a period disrupted by Covid. But on the ground, the too weak opposition proposed by Samoa and Romania does not allow us to be satisfied with these victories.
Scotland actually had two matches to play. Two matches she lost, and which she was never able to win. She was an illusion for 40 minutes against the South African world champions, then collapsed in the second half by conceding two tries in quick succession. Against Ireland, the mirage lasted around twenty minutes. “We conceded too many points in the first half, which made it difficult to win,” judge Gregor Townsend. We played well the first twenty minutes, but we didn’t make it happen.”
Because, yes, Scotland did indeed have the opportunity to quickly come back to the score after a first Irish try in the second minute. They won a penalty 50 m in front of the posts following a high tackle. But Finn Russell’s partners opted for the sidelines. What followed was a period of domination of around ten minutes in the Irish 22 meters with two other penalties gleaned… unsuccessful mauls and a desperately silent attack.
“If we had tried to take the 3 points, it would not have helped us,” explains Gregor Townsend. We did well to take the penalty because we needed to take the points by 5 or 7 seeing as Ireland played well.” The statistics at the end of the first half were quite clear. The Scots had carried the ball more, had made more passes, than their opponents… But they conceded four tries to score none.
The Scottish coach is now looking to the future. A page is turning with, in particular, the retirement just before the World Cup of the emblematic fullback Stuart Hogg. “This World Cup proved that we had a good tank,” judges the coach who had largely rotated for the match against Romania. It is true that this group has a certain number of talents, among which we can cite wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe (not very visible against Ireland), but also Cameron Redpath who was not on the sheet of the match or Hamish Watson. But as is often the case, when the team faces an important meeting, it fails… This was the case two years ago during the tournament after a victory against the English, and it was the case again this year, after two inaugural victories.
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“This group has quality, the coach wants to believe. But we must indeed allow other young people to go out. Now Ireland are strong at the youth level too. They can dominate the world for ten years. We are in fifth place in the world rankings, which is good, but we must continue to bring the young people up. Young people, however, are not in very good shape. Relegated four years ago to the second level in the world, they lost this summer against Uruguay and will not return to the elite for at least two years.
“Defeats also allow teams to progress,” explains the optimistic Gregor Townsend. The Six Nations will say a lot more about us than the World Cup.” Roll on February! But before that, Finn Russell and his partners will once again watch the other British nations compete in the final phase from their television sets.