By Gary Watton
April 13 2013
Like Scotland before them, the Oirish descended from champions to whitewashed wooden spoon recipients in one season. Unfortunately, this campaign began with a spanking in Paris from a French team themselves smarting from a defeat at Murrayfield. Ireland never really recovered from this setback, and this time around, the selectors couldn't resist the temptation to ring the changes, even dropping Phil Orr after forty-nine successive caps, a decision that spectacularly backfired at Twickenham against a rampant English scrum.
FRANCE 29 IRELAND 9; 1st February; at Parc des Princes
15 MacNeill
14 Ringland
13 Mullin
12 Kiernan [3 penalties]
11 Finn
10 Dean
9 Bradley
8 Spillane
7 Morrow
6 Kearney
5 Anderson
4 Lenihan
3 McCoy
2 Fitzgerald (c)
1 Orr
Little Pierre Berbizier, the prop Philippe Marocco, and the outstanding centre Philippe Sella helped themselves to a try.
IRELAND 12 WALES 19; 15th February; at Lansdowne Road
15 MacNeill
14 Ringland [TRY]
13 Mullin
12 Kiernan [2 penalties, conversion]
11 Finn
10 Dean
9 Bradley
8 Spillane
7 Carr
6 Kearney
5 Holland
4 Lenihan
3 Fitzgerald.D
2 Fitzgerald.C (c)
1 Kennedy
After a bright start that culminated in a 12-4 lead, Ireland collapsed, with big Phil Davies scoring the decisive try.
ENGLAND 25 IRELAND 20; 1st March; at Twickenham
15 MacNeill
14 Ringland [TRY]
13 Mullin [TRY]
12 Kiernan [2 penalties, conversion]
11 Crossan
10 Keyes
9 Bradley
8 Spillane
7 Carr
6 Morrow
5 Lenihan
4 McCall [TRY]
3 Fitzgerald.D
2 Fitzgerald.C (c)
1 Kennedy
Two first-half tries gave Ireland a 10-9 interval lead, but the Irish scrum was dismantled at a frozen Twickenham.
IRELAND 9 SCOTLAND 10; 15th March; at Lansdowne Road
15 MacNeill
14 Ringland [TRY]
13 Mullin
12 Kiernan [penalty, conversion]
11 Crossan
10 Ward
9 Bradley
8 Anderson
7 Carr
6 Morrow
5 Lenihan
4 McCall
3 Fitzgerald.D
2 Fitzgerald.C (c)
1 Orr
Kiernan missed an 'easy' late penalty attempt which would have yielded a merited win. Ireland had led 9-0 at half time.
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