Robinson: Defensively we were naive

Ireland extended Scotland’s winless streak with a 32-14 Six Nations victory at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

Defeat for Scotland was their sixth in a row and left them facing yet another ‘wooden spoon’ decider away to fellow strugglers Italy in Rome next weekend.

The injury-hit Irish put the disappointment of squandering an 11-point half-time lead in last week’s 17-17 draw away to France behind them as they outscored Scotland four tries to one.

This defeat, which meant Scotland had won just two out of 14 Six Nations matches under coach Andy Robinson, was compounded when Lee Jones was carried off on a stretcher in the 62nd minute after being seemingly knocked out cold by charging opposing wing Andrew Trimble.

Defensive errors, which have cost Scotland dear all Championship, once more hampered Robinson’s men and the former England flank and coach said: “Defensively we were naive in the first 40 minutes – you can’t afford to give Ireland three scores as we did.

“They were too easy, you’ve got to be able to hold your line in international rugby and to concede like that was really disappointing.”

Robinson added Jones had been taken to hospital for a scan on a “head knock”.

Ireland will travel to Twickenham to play England, who face France in Paris on Sunday, with renewed confidence.

“It was a big result for us,” said stand-in captain Rory Best, who scored Ireland’s first try.

“It was a massive game, especially with a six-day turnaround and losing three key players before the start.

“Next week against England is a massive game, but first things first, we’ll enjoy tonight,” the hooker added.

Scotland took an early 6-0 lead courtesy of two Greig Laidlaw penalties against an Ireland team missing both Brian O’Driscoll and Paul O’Connell in a Championship match for the first time since 2001.

But Ireland hit back through Best’s 14th minute try.

Flyhalf Jonathan Sexton booted a kickable penalty into touch for a close range line-out.

Best, who’d already seen one lineout throw go astray, found man-of-the-match Donnacha Ryan – in for injured captain O’Connell – and the second row fed Peter O’Mahony.

The flanker, a late call-up after Sean O’Brien was ruled out, passed back on the blindside and Best, equalling Keith Wood’s record of 58 caps as an Ireland hooker, brushed aside Scotland scrum-half Mike Blair’s tackle for a try in the left corner.

Sexton added the tricky conversion before his penalty made it 10-6.

The Scots tried to create a try by opting to kick a couple of penalties for five metre line-outs rather than go for goal.

But when Laidlaw did go for the posts his third penalty cut the hosts’ lead to 10-9 on the half hour mark.

But an increasingly open game then yielded three tries in the final six minutes of the first half as Ireland turned round 22-14 in front.

Ireland won a penalty from the restart and took a quick tap and go.

Recalled scrum-half Eoin Reddan, in for the injured Conor Murray, cleaned up untidy ball and, sliding under one attempted tackle and scrambling on the turf, somehow forced his way over for an unlikely try.

Sexton addded the conversion and Ireland, dominating at the setpiece, were 17-9 ahead.

Scotland, however, hit back when lock Richie Gray scored his first Test try with a fine solo effort, standing up Best and Reddan before beating full-back Rob Kearney with a huge dummy.

Laidlaw’s conversion hit the post but, at 14-17, Scotland were back in the match.

However, Ireland regained the lead as the clock ticked past 40 minutes.

Kearney squandered an overlap but, after the ball went to the blindside, Trimble, who’d come across to the right wing, stepped inside Jones’s challenge.

Ireland nearly extended their advantage early in the second half when Sexton’s cross-kicked penalty was regathered by Tommy Bowe.

But Bowe was held up by centre Graeme Morrison before touching down and Italian replay official Giulio de Santis ruled him guilty of a double movement.

No points had been added in the second half until, with eight minutes left, Sexton kicked a penalty to put the result beyond doubt.

Scotland were then reduced to 14 men when Max Evans was yellow-carded for tackling opposing centre Keith Earls off the ball before Irish replacement back Fergus McFadden’s late try wrapped up victory.

AFP