He delays criticism for later and promises a comeback against Scotland next Saturday. However, it is a defeat with its share of negatives, with a very particular scenario.
A difficult first half. A first yellow card, a second one, five conceded tries…
It put us under pressure very quickly. It’s a moment to experience collectively.
A tough moment but the tournament continues. We have four matches left to play.
We will prepare for them. At the beginning of the match, we are not doing too bad.
Then, we play almost the entire match under pressure with the yellow card, and then the red card. Is it a lack of energy?
We will think, try to understand. We will have to make a more precise analysis of our performance.
But not right now. Monday.
Tonight, we need to lift our heads and digest emotionally. We will spend time together.
I told the players that it is not the time for reflection. It is time for recovery.
There is too much disappointment to be clear in the analysis, there is too much to review and share. The offensive performance was not up to standard.
There were too many errors, turnovers of dropped balls. Less speed than usual.
We didn’t prepare accordingly. We had prepared to speed up, to bring intensity, to dominate the collisions.
But playing with 14 against a team knowledgeable in their subject did not help us. We need to raise the bar.
Offensively and defensively. On the contrary, I told them not to have these thoughts when on the field.
Saying to oneself that things are going badly, I will bear the consequences. These are technical mistakes.
We know that head contacts are heavily penalized. And rightly so.
*Statements collected in a press conference*