Ireland scrum half Eoin Reddan bemoaned the basic errors which played a part in their 23-16 RBS 6 Nations loss to Wales at the Millennium Stadium.
However, the seven-day turnaround between the closing rounds of the RBS 6 Nations affords Ireland an immediate chance to make amends, as they quickly turn their focus to facing Scotland in Edinburgh next Saturday.
Eager to bounce back from the seven-point reversal, Eoin Reddan said after the game: “There’s no point in worrying about what’s gone because we can’t do anything about it. If we spend as much time as possible focusing on next week then it gives us the best chance of winning.
“The quicker we react and the quicker we get over this the better chance we have of performing to the necessary level next weekend. If we start now then that’s the best way of dealing with it, rather than waiting a couple of days.”
The Leinster scrum half, who won his 59th cap as a second half replacement, was disappointed that Ireland were unable to break down the resolute Welsh defence. Their usually reliable lineout had problems with four lost throws, but again Reddan feels these aspects can be fixed for the trip to Murrayfield.
“Wales defended really well and unfortunately we just couldn’t break them down when we needed to. It all comes down to really basic things that we’re all able to do but it’s just a matter of putting all those things together under pressure and today that just didn’t happen,” admitted the 31-year-old.
“We’re used to the exceptional performance in the lineout and it is bound to look a little bit strange when it’s off. Wales dealt with us very well in that department and we’ll have a look at that with a view to making sure everything is ready for next week.”
He also had a word for captain and fellow Limerick man Paul O’Connell who played his 100th Test for Ireland, stating: “The kind of person that Paul is he’ll move on and get over it. He certainly won’t worry about it. He hasn’t got to where he is now by dwelling on problems.”
Sluggish Ireland were penalised four times in the opening 13 minutes as Leigh Halfpenny gave Wales a 12-0 head start. But in echoing head coach Joe Schmidt’s words, Reddan felt the onus was on his Ireland team-mates to react to those costly early infringements at the breakdown.
“If the referees are consistent in what they deliver, the team can do the analysis of that and there won’t be penalties in the game. If the referee comes into a game and gives what he always gives, there shouldn’t be penalties in the game because lads are doing their work.
“Sometimes there are unavoidable situations that if the opposition did it to us, we’d expect them to be penalised. That did happen once or twice today, and for people watching it can be a crazy one, thinking, ‘He couldn’t do a thing there’. But that’s the way it is.
“It keeps the game moving fast, it keeps it clean. We don’t have any problem with the ref. Sometimes it goes against you, but we didn’t have any problems with him (Wayne Barnes) today.”
Reflecting on the penalties his side conceded, Reddan continued: “Look, we’ve no gripes with the referee. They’re very strict and we want them to be. We, more than anyone, want the game to be played in the right spirit and have always tried to do that, whether it be scrum or ruck.
“We’re always clean as a whistle and that’s the way we want to play and in the long run we’ll be rewarded for that. The referees being strict and tough is a good thing for us, because that’s how we’ll be playing the game.
“We’ll have a look and see if there’s anything we could have done differently, if we could have got out of there a bit quicker (in terms of rolling away) and try to help him as much as possible.”
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