Nov 17,2024
Joe McCarthy says the win over Argentina won't excuse Ireland’s players from the coaches’ ire when they sit down to review the game this week.
The Pumas came within a score of recording their first ever win in Dublin, going down 22-19 in a thrilling, if error-filled, 80 minutes at Aviva Stadium.
The hosts, back-to-back Six Nations champions, failed to score for 50 minutes after McCarthy registered Ireland’s third try and needed a disciplined defensive set, during which Argentina made 80 yards, to see out the game.
It was a discipline that had largely deserted Ireland for the last three quarters.
Having conceded 13 penalties in their opening Autumn Nations Series loss to New Zealand, they equalled that tally on Friday, and lost Finlay Bealham and McCarthy to yellow cards.
Asked about cleaning up that area, McCarthy, player of the match, said: "That’s probably the hard bit. We talk a lot about it.
"Most players actually know how to do it, what the solution is but it’s about doing it under pressure.
"I think we were a bit better than we were last week, we will build again.
"We will try as hard as we can. We will review it proper hard, the coaches will be on our backs big time.
"We will have a big chat about it, sit down and try an improve next week, then we have two more games to try and get it right."
McCarthy’s sin-binning, from the 50th to 60 minutes, came after a number of Ireland penalty concessions, and even if his offside was innocuous enough, the team had been on a warning from referee Paul Williams.
The Leinster lock, who made 11 carries and 14 tackles, said: "You’re a bit disappointed that you let the team down a small bit, but Aled [Walters] our new S&C [strength and conditioning coach] was just telling me, 'make sure you stay warm and to think about your next positive moment coming on.’
"You want to have a positive moment once you come back into the game.
"It feels like ages! You’re in your head. It’s tough [to switch back on].
"You are trying to stay involved in the play and maybe pick up bits. It’s tough for the lads in the lineout ‘d’ [defence] because they have lost a number, so they have to shuffle around a bit.
"So, you’re watching what’s happening. You’re trying to stay in it.
"You get a bit stiffer, I started cramping towards the end. When you take 10 minutes off, you start stiffing up a small bit as well, so it’s a bit tough."
Meanwhile, Pumas boss Felipe Contepomi (above) admitted the game was something of a missed opportunity to get a maiden win in Ireland.
"It's disappointing obviously because it hurts and I hate losing more than what I love, which is winning," said the former Leinster out-half, whose side take on France next weekend.
"The performance itself, we didn't start well but we got into the game and I think we ended up in good form.
"When you play against the best teams in the world you know it's going to go to the 80th minute and it will be small margins, and that was it.
"So yeah, it's disappointing. I think we've a lot to improve but we've got a good platform of where to improve.
"Well, we put ourselves in a position to maybe get the opportunity to win the game.
"Yeah, you missed the opportunity, but at the same time you're playing against a top team in the world, they won't give you an easy entrance to their in-goal.
"So, yeah, we missed the opportunity, but it was going to be like that. They come down to very small margins, and I think the more we can play these sorts of games, it's great."
Ireland next host Fiji at Aviva Stadium on Saturday at 3.10pm.
