Johnson angered by scrum decision (From The Northern Echo)

Johnson angered by scrum decision

10:32am Monday 1st March 2010 in

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England 16 Ireland 20

MARTIN JOHNSON sought an explanation from referee Mark Lawrence for the ‘‘huge call’’ which finally condemned England to defeat against Ireland.

Ireland won 20-16 courtesy of Tommy Bowe’s second try of the match, just minutes after Jonny Wilkinson’s drop goal had nudged England ahead for the first time.

England still had time to mount a response and did so with a well-organised and powerful driving maul which carried them to within five metres of Ireland’s try-line.

But when Ireland finally halted the drive, both England’s players and management were stunned to discover that referee Lawrence had not awarded them the put-in at the scrum.

From chasing a Triple Crown and potential Grand Slam, England’s defeat leaves them staring down the barrel with away games against Scotland and France to come.

‘‘I thought we were going to score at the end. When you have gone 25 yards and they have tried to collapse it three times already, it is a huge call to give Ireland the scrum,’’ said Johnson, the England manager.

‘‘I don’t know why we didn’t get the put-in. If they are taking guys out of the maul illegally – even if they don’t actually collapse it – it is still a penalty.

‘‘Maybe Mark has got a reason, I will talk to him. I don’t want to labour the point because we lost the game but it was a penalty to us before it even got to that point.’’ England were also disappointed by a pivotal decision early in the second half – to reverse a penalty against Tomas O’Leary – which led directly to Ireland’s second try for Keith Earls.

With the match on a knifeedge at 8-6 after 53 minutes, England won a penalty at the scrum but Danny Care flipped O’Leary on to his back as he tried to wrestle the ball from his opposite number.

The penalty was reversed on the advice of assistant referee Christophe Berdos, who Care suggested was keen to ‘‘get himself in the game’’.

Ireland were able to kick for touch, won the resulting lineout, pitched camp in midfield and Jonathan Sexton fired a pass wide left for Earls to score in the corner.

‘‘Games turn on things like that. It was silly but I don’t think it was a penalty,’’ said Johnson.

England responded with character. Dan Cole burrowed over for his maiden Test try and Wilkinson’s drop goal set up the resounding finale.

But in spite of his grumbles at the officials, Johnson acknowledged England did not do enough with their mountains of possession and territory to earn the victory.

England spent 60 per cent of the game with the ball. Ireland had to make 99 tackles to England’s 30 and conceded 14 penalties – a combination of statistics which usually make it impossible to win a Test match.

The key difference is that Ireland know how to maximise their opportunities.

Three pieces of clinical finishing proved decisive.

Ireland raced into a fourthminute lead as Bowe latched on to an inch-perfect kick from Sexton to finish off a sizzling counter-attack.

England stayed in touch with two penalties from Wilkinson and were forced to rally when Earls scored in the corner to open a 13-6 lead.

Johnson was encouraged by the spirit his men showed to hit back.