Lock Paul O'Connell has said that Ireland need to cut the mistakes out of their game if they are to win in the Southern Hemisphere.
Lock says too many errors denied Ireland win
Paul O'Connell has said that Ireland need to cut the mistakes out of their game if they are to stand a chance of winning in the southern hemisphere.
The lock's comments come in the wake of Ireland's 18-12 defeat at the hands of Australia at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne on Saturday.
"We have been together a good few years this team and we need to start stepping up and winning down in the southern hemisphere," he told
Sky Sports.
"I think we did slip up today, we are making to many mistakes, myself included, a few penalties, a few knock-ons and if we want to get to the next level we need to cut that out.
"I think if we cut out the mistakes today and we win the game and that's very disappointing.
"We conceded two soft tries. I don't think Matt Giteau should have been allowed to offload for the second try and likewise for Lote Tuqiri for the first.
"I think it was their first reasonable bit of possession and they scored a try.
"That's what the southern hemisphere teams are good at and that's what we need to get good at - converting possession into points and finishing off line breaks."
Dedicated
O'Connell said that Ireland, who have not a Test won Down Under since 1969, needed to start seeing some results for all their hard work since the World Cup exit.
"We are a very good state, Ireland rugby, he added. "We had a disappointing World Cup but it's in a good state.
"We have a lot of good players, a lot of very honest, hard working, dedicated players and we just need to start bringing in the results with all that hard work now."
Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock said that his side were rusty after a lengthy period off but paid tribute to Ireland, who put severe pressure Australia in the second half.
He said: "It was our first time out in a long time. We knew we would be a little scrappy and that's what we gave out there - in the second half in particular.
"But you can't take anything away from Ireland. They were very good and very determined to the very end, it was a tough game.
"We seem to have a tendency to come out slowly at half time so that's something we can look at.
Mortlock praised new caps Luke Burgess and Peter Hynes but sadi that the team could do better.
"The effort was there and that's all you can ask for early on, he added. "That determination showed in all the guys.
"I'm particulatly happy for our new caps - they did well. It's always great to come out and have your first Test cap, it's a great honour.
"I think we can do a lot better, we will review this pretty hard. We've got two weeks until France in Sydney so we will have a few days off and the get back into camp."
