‘France took us to a place we haven’t been before’

Eire captain Gus McCarthy had robust reward for France after they had been overpowered by them within the ultimate of the World Rugby Below-20 Championship.

It secured a 3rd junior World Cup in a row for France and McCarthy acknowledged how a lot better they had been.

“All credit score to France. They took us to a spot we’ve not been earlier than,” he instructed World Rugby.

“We actually struggled defensively however I am actually pleased with the boys. We caught in there and gave it our all. We had been all the time chasing again, issues did not go our means as we deliberate however we hold our heads held excessive. I am very pleased with the boys, they’ve carried out an unbelievable job.

“Our line-out struggled however full credit score to the French, they clearly did their work and their evaluation on us. Our drill simply wasn’t ok on the day.”

Eire went into the sport having drawn their opening match of the event with England earlier than profitable all their subsequent three video games to achieve Friday’s ultimate.

They’d leads of 7-0 and 14-10 in what was a detailed opening half hour, however two tried within the first six minutes of the second half took the sport away from the Irish and their opponents then turned on the model.

Eire had crushed France 33-31 earlier this 12 months within the Six Nations on their technique to a Grand Slam success and, regardless of the frustration of defeat within the decider, McCarthy spoke positively of his team-mates.

“You could not get a greater group of lads, we’ve got caught collectively it doesn’t matter what and we are going to nonetheless stick collectively now,” he continued.

“We’d have favored a greater efficiency right this moment however sadly issues simply did not work out.”

‘We have had a very robust few weeks’

Eire coach Richie Murphy echoed his captain’s reward for France, who turned solely the second staff after New Zealand to win the event three consecutive instances.

“They’re a first-class staff. They’re huge, robust, bodily and performed very properly,” he commented.

“I assumed our guys had been actually courageous. We did not get issues proper within the match and that could be a little bit disappointing.

“With a purpose to be on this recreation we wanted to hit the bottom operating however a number of calls went towards us which had been disappointing however that’s the means rugby goes, I suppose. As soon as the momentum goes towards you it is rather laborious to get again in.”

Of their ultimate pool match towards Fiji, the Eire gamers wore black armbands as a mark of respect to 2 St Michael’s School college students who died whereas on vacation in Greece and to team-mate Jack Oliver after the sudden dying of his father Greig in a paragliding accident in South Africa.

Three gamers who had been college students at St Michael’s School – Henry McErlean, James Nicholson and Sam Berman – began for Eire within the recreation.

“We now have had a very robust few weeks and I believe the blokes can have grown lots,” Murphy continued.

“I do know the staff that we picked up final October is a really totally different staff now, and I am very pleased with our boys with the way in which they behaved themselves, the way in which they labored so laborious. They are often very pleased with their efforts.”