Ireland v USA
Ireland kicks off after Joubert blows the whistle. USA has a good catch, and kicks it clear. Nice tackle by USA on Heaslip when caught, but after a few passes, it got fumbled into touch. USA lineout.
Not the best lineout, resulting in an Irish scrum in the second minute. And what is with that moustache on the American number 6? Reminds me of Curtley Beale. Good scrum of Ireland, good drive, resulting in a penalty for them. First chance to get some points. Sexton misses.
In the 5th minute. Ireland win the ball, and break by Earls, but ball turns over as it gets knocked out of hands by big hit from an American, kicked clear by USA. Now Ireland come back, some passes and rucks on the halfway and Ireland kicks clear, doesn’t find touch though, leaving USA to kick it down and into touch for an Irish lineout. Good Irish drive, gaining lots of ground, but eventually ends up in USA conceding penalty by bringing the maul down. The penalty however, is a confident kick into touch for a lineout.
Seventh minute, Irish wins it, driving forward, resulting in rucks and phases on the 5m line. Trying to push forward, but USA defence is proving well. Irish back at the USA 22’. However, the Irish try for a box kick, but Bowe offside. USA kick the ball downfield, and does not find touch.
After some tackles and passes made, USA try to kick an apparent loose ball clear, but were actually offside. Sexton tries to go for goal on USA 10m line. Nada. Amazing hat, glasses and jacket by a flag waving Irishman in the crowd, though.
At restart, Bowe knocks on after juggling a wet ball. American scrum on 12th minute. They win it and start to attack for first time. Good coverage made, making it into Irish territory, and kicking a risky ball downfield to chase, but the bounce doesn’t favour them and goes into touch. But lineout goes back to where it was kicked.
USA win lineout, some good passes there to attack Irish front row. But in a ruck, USA give away penalty on Irish 22’ by holding on. Sexton kicks it into touch, with Irish lineout on USA 22’, and they give it attacks, and finally ending in a penalty. 3-0.
At restart, ball deep in Irish territory, with USA defence keeping pressure on attacks, but Ireland try a few breaks, eventually ending up in a USA lineout.
After another American attack and not going very far, they kick it down into touch for an Irish lineout half way between their own 22’ and 5m line. Ireland try to clear, but blocked. Americans try to organise but don’t break through after a blocked kick attempt through Irish defence, and Ireland then giving away a penalty deep in Irish territory. However, it goes a bit wide due to the wind.
USA have done well to keep the score at 3-0 after 20 minutes. Ireland haven’t been consistent or up to scratch lately, and this game doesn’t show much improvement. USA have the ball from a scrum and attack well. Some good drives, but get driven back.
24:22. USA lineout and they win it. Start to slowly go forward and kick it through finding touch on Irish 10m. Irish win loneout, but result in maul, driving USA back a bit and Sexton tries to kick clear, but really doesn’t go far. Actually ending up in American hands, but then bounces back to touch.
Ireland win this lineout and go forward with it. With some kicks, the ball finally ends up in touch on halfway. Ireland put in and win it. Irish start to attack, gaining ground through rucks, drives and passes. Now at USA 22’. Drop goal? Or pass to forwards to drive on. They try to break and almost do, but buggered it by a knock on. Ref plays on. USA collect it and kick back, who then immediately attack and go back to where they were when the break happened, but knock on again. USA scrum at the half hour mark and they kick clear, but Irish are found offside.
USA lineout in their own half and kick it clear, resulting in some juggling between two teams. USA win the ball finally, and drive forward. They kick it down, for Murphy to slip the catch and it rolls into touch for USA lineout. Rain isn’t a help.
34th minute. USA lineout, but being squiff ends up in Irish free kick. They use forwards to drive on slowly, keeping the ball in possession and gradually gaining territory at this stage of the game. On USA 22’. Ireland try a cross kick to Sexton, running down the side, but misses it and ball goes into touch. Lineout to USA, they win, and clear try to use the ball forward, finally kicking it clear into touch.
37:41. Score 3-0 (still). USA scrum. USA halt. But Ireland win it and run down, nearly breaking through. USA defence stays good! And slow ball finds itself in forwards’ hands. Passed back to the backs and they try to get through, finding nowhere. Forwards push on, getting closer, but nothing great. On 5m line, Irish attack and into American walls, but finally Bowe breaks through and scores by the posts. Good try by him, but a try that should have come much earlier in the game. Now it’s half time after the conversion with 10-0 on the board. USA will be happy with that.
Second half and USA start with a kick, caught by Ireland and they kick it to find touch on the halfway line. With some USA ball, they knock it on and Irish scrum begins. The USA collapses it and awards Ireland with a penalty in the second minute of the half. Again, he misses it, with USA kicking it down into touch. Ireland win lineout and start attacking again, however, USA give away a penalty in a ruck for not rolling away. Another shot at goal. Misses again... somehow.
Irish ball at 46 minutes. Pushing forward, with Americans defending well, even though the Irish try to dodge and dummy the ball. After the Irish getting nowhere, the ball gets turned over well by the Americans, kicking it downfield and into touch.
Irish win the lineout, but they get nowhere due to the USA defence. They kick badly downfield into American hands, and in a ruck, gain a penalty. Some replacements now, including O’Gara for Sexton. Five minutes into the half, though? Hmm...
Irish are defending in the 51st minute, USA driving forward! Some good play here. Getting closer to the try line, and getting tense. On the 5m line... nearly. Still have the ball and the Irish are desperately defending, but give away a penalty for O’Dallaghan not rolling away. Score 10-3.
After restart, Irish kick down to USA 5m, but American clear the ball from the ruck, but ends up in touch 2m away... Irish drive after lineout, try to get forward but not the easiest. They do however, manage a try by Rory Best. Bad tackling defence by the Americans... pity. But the scoreboard now looks much better and safer for Ireland. With the conversion going well wide, the score stands at 15-3.
Good catch by Irish from restart. Trying to get forward, but decide to kick it down to American territory. USA lineout now on the 58th minute. Irish get the ball, run forward and O’Driscoll flanking the American defence on the outside, passing to Bowe to score his second try of the game. O’Gara manages the conversion, making the score to 22-3 on the hour mark.
Americans are starting to attack, making progress down Irish territory, however, they hold onto the ball and give away a penalty.
63 minutes and Ireland make their way to USA half, but in ruck, USA turn the ball over and gain themselves a scrum. But no need to contest as Ireland collapse the scrum and concede a penalty, with USA sending it into touch near the halfway line. They botch the lineout and Ireland win the ball, fighting their way to the USA 22’ line. They try a cross kick, but ends up in touch on the 5m line and American throw. They need to clear this and make the ball safe. They manage to do so, but Irish catch the ball up the field, counterattacking, however the ball gets knocked on in fast paced runs and passes.
Scrum for USA at 67 minutes. But driven back by Irish, though USA keep the ball and clear it , frustratingly ending up in touch only a few yards up the field. Ireland win their lineout, but not sure what was going on in the resulting maul. Ref blows whistle... apparently for Irish knock on, but maybe he just wanted to sort it out. So American scrum, lost by American team, who turn the scrum around and give a scrum to Ireland. Decent scrum by them, but terrible pass, with the ball bouncing a good few yards back. But Ireland retain the ball but hold onto it in a ruck and they give the USA a penalty.
Just into the final 10 minutes, Ireland have a scrum from American errors after winning a lineout on the halfway line, driving it slowly, but very well, forward into American territory, finally resulting in a penalty for them. They decide to kick it into touch just short of the 5m line for a chance of a try. A maul forms afterwards, Ireland driving it, getting closer, but it results in some sort of grapple, but the Americans are found offside after trying to grab the ball. Irish scrum on American 5m line, which then results in a penalty for Ireland, who opt for yet another scrum. But USA win the ball and counterattack, get nowhere so decide to kick it clear into touch up field to the US 10m line. Not the best lineout, but the time is now 77:28 and Ireland run the ball into American defence, but they don’t roll away, resulting in the Irish free kick into the touchline, just yards from the tryline.
They drive forwards and and O’Gara kicks it across for a player to catch it and score a try, but ends up in American hands and kick it up.
Half a minute left and it’s an Irish lineout. Last stage of play. Ireland try to go forward for a bonus point try, but it is intercepted by Emerick, denying Ireland of the bonus point. Lovely intercept and a clear run down to put the ball in the ground between the posts, a consolation try giving an easy conversion.
Not a convincing game by Ireland, but the Americans can be proud of keeping the Irish score down in the first half and their defending. Those replacements just after half time had a positive impact for the Irish. The weather didn’t help at all as both teams struggled to grip the ball, however, Ireland were the favourites and the dominant team towards the end.
FINAL SCORE
22-10
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