“The second half we didn’t quite execute and were probably on the wrong side of the referee.”
Ireland’s discipline was key to their 27-20 Six Nations win in Dublin on Saturday, with 11 penalties conceded by England compared to the home side’s eight.
A key sub-plot in the battle for penalties and territory was the differing styles of captaincy employed by England’s Maro Itoje and Ireland’s Caelan Doris – who are also the two front-runners to lead the Lions in the summer.
By all accounts, constant talk to the referee from the visiting captain was picked up on the ref mic throughout the game, while Leinster’s Doris was more subdued.
One crucial call (see below) came in the second half and allowed Ireland to take the lead for the first time when Sam Prendergast knocked over the subsequent three points.
Itoje had been penalised for a push on jumper Jack Conan in an Irish lineout, although the replays showed that there was minimal contact.
Soon after, England were once again penalised at the lineout, this time for closing the gap, as momentum began to slip away from them.
After the game, Itoje – who had a fine performance overall – acknowledged his side’s penalty count and the relationship with referee Ben O’Keefe during the match.
He said: “The first half we did exactly what we were supposed to do. The second half we didn’t quite execute and were probably on the wrong side of the referee.
“We conceded a few too many penalties and couldn’t really get out of our half, so yeh it was a difficult one.
“They [Ireland] took their opportunities. I think it was a game of territory, and in the first half we did well, in the second half we just didn’t quite have the territory.”
