Garry Ringrose admits penalties costly during New Zealand loss

Garry Ringrose admitted that conceding thirteen penalties and a number of frees through 80 minutes was a stone-cold killer, debilitating, and responsible for Ireland giving up eighteen points.The general target, as established under the previous Joe Schmidt regime and rolled on as mantra by Andy Farrell, was for Ireland to restrict the penalty-count to single figures.And while there was a feeling two or three decisions had fallen the wrong way or were slightly harsh (certainly one that went against Ireland at scrum time looked downright wrong) the tally was still too high.

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Eighty minutes on, the All Blacks were 10 points ahead at 13-23, defending with some primacy and Ireland's proud, proud 19-match unbeaten run at the Aviva was ending. "It's probably more mentally tough, losing at home," said Ringrose afterwards, "It's not something you ever want to do, it's disappointing."What we have said inside the dressing room is just that we face it head on and get better. That's individually and collectively, just try and get better."I think at international level, to beat any team, you really have to be close to your best. I guess we didn't get to the level that we would have hoped for. The better team won, we’re going to face it head on review-wise and be a better team for it."

New Zealand's Damian McKenzie
(Image: ©INPHO/James Crombie)

As it stood, Ireland were punished by Damian McKenzie's nailing six penalties - he had actually hit the post with a seventh. "I guess it is tough, compounding errors whether it is penalties or knock-ons. As a team you never want to compound errors and in situations there we did we did, and against a quality side like New Zealand they make you pay. "Damian McKenzie is a quality player, he is going to punish you." The pre-match preparation had felt right which made the performance all the more disappointing."We just didn't fire like we would have hoped today but we'll face it head-on and be honest with ourselves."You wouldn’t overthink it. You take every game as it comes. At this level you have to, between the competitiveness of the group and the strength of the opposition."It’s a tough one and one you learn from reviewing it. I know the lads will be on the laptops as soon as they can to try and figure it out."Any game, against any opposition, win or lose, you are always wondering for those little moments, what was the right thing to do as a team. First up, the Ireland centre was more able to pinpoint what couldn't be used as an excuse, not least the weather as it had rained a lot during training camp in Portugal while there wasn't a lack of commitment. "Yeah, it was raining over there the same as today, so that wasn't a thing for us. That's not an excuse that any team would ever use. "Commitment is what the coaches demand of us. Proper commitment. I think that was there and if it wasn't, we'd have put the finger on it and flagged it pretty early."Everyone really dials in. There's such a competitive group that you can't afford to take your eye off the ball training-wise, you want to test yourselves in every possible scenario, getting challenged by the opposition."We would have credited the bibs this week in how well they tested us and prepped us and it's tough when you don't give an account of yourselves as a team."And while it was doubly frustrating in not being able to kick on after taking a four-point lead in the second-half, it didn't seem like the team had taken their foot off the pedal."Where we challenge ourselves is to only ever face the moment in front of us and not think about what's happened before or what's going to happen down the line in 10, 20 minutes. "So we are always trying to focus on the moment in front of our face which we were in that instant and then, like, we lost a couple of moments then thereafter which gave them momentum and access back into a game and then back to a stage that was tough to rescue. "So you never, really overthink it, get caught in any particular moment, good or bad." The hope is for an immediate response against Argentina next Friday night at the same venue.

Felipe Contepomi
(Image: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy)

"I know Felipe (Contepomi, Argentina Head Coach) personally and from watching Argentina through the Rugby Championship it's going to be tough...the Tests just keep rolling on. "If we don’t prepare as best as we can they’ll expose us and punish us. I guess the challenge is now to dust ourselves off and get right for what is a massive three tests ahead of us."

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