Lord of the Dance
Joey Carbery feels that Ireland were right to go for the posts instead of a try in the France game
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Joey Carbery feels that Ireland were right to go for the posts instead of a try in the France game

IRELAND'S JOEY Carbery feels that Ireland were right to go for the posts instead of a try in the 72nd minute at the Stade de France.

Ireland would go on to lose 30-24 to the French in a game that ended Ireland's Grand Slam hope for 2022.

Carbery stepped in for the injured Johnny Sexton and had an assured game kicking 9 points with his boot.

There has been a debate this week over whether stand-in captain James Ryan made the right call in pointing at the posts rather than instructing Carbery to kick for the corner.

Carbery scored his kick, but Ireland couldn't get over the line.

The Munster-fly-half has given his take on the situation and felt that Ryan's choice was the right one at the time

Dublin , Ireland - 5 February 2022; Joey Carbery of Ireland of Ireland. (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

“We had a conversation," said Carbery. "

We still had eight minutes left and it brought us within three points - I think it was the right decision at the time.

“Myself or Conor Murray, who was on the pitch as well and has got a big boot, knew that if we got a penalty anywhere within the halfway we could take a shot at it, which would have drawn it up as well.

“The way the game was going it was the right call. I think if I was to do it again, I’d do it the same.

"We knew that if we got into their half to score a try there was still plenty of time or, if we needed to, we could always take the points as well.

Despite the result Carbery is still confident that Ireland can bounce back and overcome the setback

"The belief in the team is always going to be there," Carbery said. "I think we showed that in the second-half coming back.

“We go out to win every game but I suppose we still have a shot. We just have to go out there and put in a performance against Italy, build on that and go into the next week.

“We have still got a chance and the belief is massive within the squad.

"It’s a great learning for us to see when France is trying to impose their power game. What we did in the second half was we sped the game up.

"We moved them around a little bit more. Being able to do that to the bigger packs will benefit us a lot."

Ireland will play Italy on the February 26h when the sides return to Six Nations action

Italy are said to be replaced by South Africa in 2025 in a format shakeup in the other major rugby news this week.