France V Ireland – Stade de France, Paris. Sunday 4th March 15:00 RTE2 & BBC2

paulbearer

i dont know guys, think sexton could be a decent captain, not afraid to get in peoples faces and tell them "get going or sling your bloody hook!" that attitude he showed to ogara might have been a bit arrogant but a bit of arrogance does no harm when you need to back yourself

leonard7

just read the line up there and can only say i was furious at the lack of change in the team...is declan even watching the matches?

Quint2010

Deleted User wrote: »

not to mention that there's plenty more contenders for captain before Sexton would be near the front.
Best, Ferris, Heaslip, SOB all far more likely candidates.

I disagree. I think Sexton is very much captain material. Didn't he give the HT team talk in the HC final last year and then go out and lead by example?

Podge_irl

JustinDee wrote: »

Don't be surprised if they do cap off a top performance with a win.

In fairness, it would be hard not to be surprised. It would be only the third time in 40 odd years the team would have managed that feat. It would be a surprised regardless of the general state of the team and their recent results.

Kayless

seen this on another forum

"I can make an argument [that I don't really believe]: DOC is a far more experienced player who has probably started 8/9 tests against France over his career [a number of them in Stade de France] and can be relied upon not to freeze or lose his cool in the huge waves of attack that the French typically throw at us in the first quarter. He makes a lot of tackles close in. He's a heavier-set type of lock who will be able to stand up well in the scrum to an always-powerful French set-piece.

When O'Callaghan has put in a big shift and taken the sting out of the French pack, Donnacha Ryan can come as part of a battery of lighter, quick subs [Reddan, O'Mahony, McFadden, Cronin] when the game is breaking up in the second half. Ireland will try to up the tempo and take it to aged French team who by now will be featuring 35 year old Nallet and 34 year old Servat up front"

makes sense...

Tox56

Kayless wrote: »

seen this on another forum

"I can make an argument [that I don't really believe]: DOC is a far more experienced player who has probably started 8/9 tests against France over his career [a number of them in Stade de France] and can be relied upon not to freeze or lose his cool in the huge waves of attack that the French typically throw at us in the first quarter. He makes a lot of tackles close in. He's a heavier-set type of lock who will be able to stand up well in the scrum to an always-powerful French set-piece.

When O'Callaghan has put in a big shift and taken the sting out of the French pack, Donnacha Ryan can come as part of a battery of lighter, quick subs [Reddan, O'Mahony, McFadden, Cronin] when the game is breaking up in the second half. Ireland will try to up the tempo and take it to aged French team who by now will be featuring 35 year old Nallet and 34 year old Servat up front"

makes sense...

This is the reason DK has to go, he has this philosiphy with too many players.

I understand the reasoning behind "upping the tempo", but more often than not France are out of sight by half-time anyway.

leftleg

Kayless wrote: »

Ireland will try to up the tempo and take it to aged French team who by now will be featuring 35 year old Nallet and 34 year old Servat up front"

makes sense...

Really well seeing as Nallet and Servat are on the bench, they will have just come on as well so should be fresh and full of energy so that reasoning is pretty worthless. They are also, when fresh, pretty much better than anything we have on the bench.

MungBean

JustinDee wrote: »

Its not an "argument". Just the way they are at the moment.
Chin up.

Just find it a pity that we have regressed back to the era when we hope for a surprise performance to win the odd match.

Can you not lock Deccie in a cupboard or something for a few weeks ?

leftleg

MungBean wrote: »

Can you not lock Deccie in a cupboard or something for a few weeks ?

and throw away the key as well

irishbucsfan

Quint2010 wrote: »

Deleted User wrote: »

not to mention that there's plenty more contenders for captain before Sexton would be near the front.
Best, Ferris, Heaslip, SOB all far more likely candidates.

I disagree. I think Sexton is very much captain material. Didn't he give the HT team talk in the HC final last year and then go out and lead by example?

Giving a team talk and being captain are not necessarily related.

molloyjh

JustinDee wrote: »

Flippin' hell. Doomsayers Utd.

The team are absolutely gunning for this game. Don't be surprised if they do cap off a top performance with a win.

And we were told that they were gunning for the Wales game only to be told afterwards they lacked intensity.

As I've said before Justin I've plenty of faith in the players. I know they are a talented and committed bunch. The massive lack of faith here is not because of them. And it's not been picked up off the ground either. In fact dare I say the main reason for this level of frustration is purely down to peoples belief in the players. It wouldn't be anywhere near as annoying if we just weren't able to compete because we hadn't the talent.

WeeBushy

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Giving a team talk and being captain are not necessarily related.

Exactly.

I'm not a big fan of OHs being the captain anyway. They have enough to be doing as it is.

There are better candidates than him anyway imo, and either way talk of changes to the captaincy beyond bonkers.

OldRio

Deary me. Deary deary me.
How long can this donkey be left in charge?
Great players but 'Deccie' please go.

Teferi

Apart from the obvious changes of Ryan and Reddan that's pretty much the team you would expect fielded. Can't help but feel we won't win this with Murray starting but hopefully someone has had a word in his ear and he will be whipping balls out left and right lightning quick. Looking forward to the match and hoping for a big game from the lads. We know its in them, they just need to unleash it.

chris85

Definitely shouldnt be talk of changing Captaincy. Just cause Sexton gave a team talk last year for HEC doesnt mean he is good enough as captain for his country. Big difference there. I think POC is the man for the job in BOD's absence and Heaslip would be my 2nd choice if POC gets injured (touches wood quickly).

I am dissappointed with the lack of change by Kidney, Reddan should be starting. Elsewhere D.Ryan maybe should have been included.

I thought our back 5 were solid last week with Darce having his best game in ages. Good to see no messing was done there.

Tox56

chris85 wrote: »

Definitely shouldnt be talk of changing Captaincy. Just cause Sexton gave a team talk last year for HEC doesnt mean he is good enough as captain for his country. Big difference there. I think POC is the man for the job in BOD's absence and Heaslip would be my 2nd choice if POC gets injured (touches wood quickly).

I am dissappointed with the lack of change by Kidney, Reddan should be starting. Elsewhere D.Ryan maybe should have been included.

I thought our back 5 were solid last week with Darce having his best game in ages. Good to see no messing was done there.

MickySticks

No Eoin Reddan! Kidney needs to get his head out of his arse.

I can see us been beaten by 20+. Hope I'm wrong though.

lologram

Tox56 wrote: »

This is the reason DK has to go, he has this philosiphy with too many players.

I understand the reasoning behind "upping the tempo", but more often than not France are out of sight by half-time anyway.

Now it's time for Logic class with Uncle Deccie!

Why don't we play the Willow Park Under 11s for the first half and then bring on the Ireland team for the second half? The tempo will have increased so much that France won't be able to live with it.

The massive lead France will have accrued from playing against the poorly-selected 1st half players will be reset to zero, of course.

.ak

JustinDee wrote: »

Flippin' hell. Doomsayers Utd.

The team are absolutely gunning for this game. Don't be surprised if they do cap off a top performance with a win.

I'd say they are. They're probably foaming at the mouth right now, as we speak!! Infact, if they bring that kind of intensity with them into the match, they'll destroy them! I can easily see them putting 20+ on them...


.... Wait. You were talking about France, right??

chris85

Tox56 wrote: »

Fair call on that. He should be included.

danthefan

I'd say we have about a 10% chance of winning.

.ak

danthefan wrote: »

I'd say we have about a 10% chance of winning.

Haha, obviously you meant 1% right? Typo, right?

Annabella1

JustinDee wrote: »

Flippin' hell. Doomsayers Utd.

The team are absolutely gunning for this game. Don't be surprised if they do cap off a top performance with a win.

Yep I agree.I can't put my finger on why!!
Ironically there will be very few supporters there if we win!!

Benny Cake

Paddypower have France 9 point favourites. I hate betting against Ireland, but I reckon France will cover that spread....

JRant

.ak wrote: »

JustinDee wrote: »

Flippin' hell. Doomsayers Utd.

The team are absolutely gunning for this game. Don't be surprised if they do cap off a top performance with a win.

I'd say they are. They're probably foaming at the mouth right now, as we speak!! Infact, if they bring that kind of intensity with them into the match, they'll destroy them! I can easily see them putting 20+ on them...


.... Wait. You were talking about France, right??

The French wont need any of that non-sense though. They'll just be cool, calm, calculated and rip us to shreds without much fuss. We are going to play right into their hands, the pack will eat our runners and they'll have multiple overlaps out wide during the game.

irishbucsfan

This Irish team is not going to be ripped to shreds ffs

youd swear this team was radically different from the one people wanted!!!

We'll just be poor in possession in the first half.

CatFromHue

France have played two games where they just did enough. When you add in how bad they were for most of the RWC, and Saint Andre's reputation I'm not so sure they're going to be as good as they've been made out.

I'm still not optimistic though.

kevohmsford

I cannot believe Reddan is not starting against France.Murray's decision making in games has been poor so
far.

Fireball07

molloyjh wrote: »

The only issue here being that if we lose to France and then lose to Scotland (at home) we'll be going into the England game with 1 win from 4 and absolutely no guarantees that we'll win over in London.

If (when) we lose to France Kidney will need a win against Scotland. Otherwise his neck will be on the chopping block (you'd hope). He'll be even less inclined to take risks in that game than he is now. The only changes I can see is Ryan for DOC and Reddan for Murray. Possibly ROG for Sexton and Ferg in for one of Trimble/Bowe/Darce but not likely.

It is an issue...but I don't think that POM being in the team will weaken the team so much. I expect us to scrape a win against Scotland and England tbh.

Darsher wrote: »

I don't see why Declan Kidney or "Mr Conservative" as he is known up here in the North doesn't change around the captains role , i mean how many times does Sexton need to produce a man of the match performance before he gets to put on the captains armband?

Captain is not a thing that is generally rotated. Sexton isn't even captain for Leinster and is behind Heaslip for that role, so surely he'd be ahead of him?? POC is an inspirational player and great leader, I really don't think we're going to improve on him tbh.

chancer12 wrote: »

He'll never get the Captain's armband from POC - MUNSTER! For what it's worth, I'd love to have seen Best with it. Think he might bring more to the role than O'Connell, but its a case of 'dream on'.

Again I disagree. I'm sure Best would be a fine captain but O'Connell was the obvious candidate and deservedly so. How many times has he dragged Munster to victory, he leads by example, he's always involved, he's a fine pack leader, plus he knows to work the referee.

Richard Hillman

The only hope we have is that the selected team keep the game close and low scoring before Kidney makes his changes.

danthefan

Richard Hillman wrote: »

The only hope we have is that the selected team keep the game close and low scoring before Kidney makes his changes.

If the game is close he won't make the subs though.

JRant

irishbucsfan wrote: »

This Irish team is not going to be ripped to shreds ffs

youd swear this team was radically different from the one people wanted!!!

We'll just be poor in possession in the first half.

Well if we defend the same as the last 2 games they'll easily put 30 points on us. The question is can we score enough with a malfunctioning SH on for 55-60 mins to have any sort of chance?
The personell may not be to different but as a team we're miles away from where we should be.

Quint2010

CatFromHue wrote: »

France have played two games where they just did enough. When you add in how bad they were for most of the RWC, and Saint Andre's reputation I'm not so sure they're going to be as good as they've been made out.

I'm still not optimistic though.

So basically the French will be crap but we will still lose?..:)

madds

irishbucsfan wrote: »

This Irish team is not going to be ripped to shreds ffs

youd swear this team was radically different from the one people wanted!!!

We'll just be poor in possession in the first half.

Poor in possession = handing possession over to the French time and time again = more opportunities for them to run at us building phases = increases the chance of them breaking our defensive line and scoring.

Class dismissed.

mfceiling

Don't think kidney bothers picking a team any more....he just nips into the office 5 mins before the team announcement and presses print on the photocopier...

ray jay

Quint2010 wrote: »

So basically the French will be crap but we will still lose?..:)

It worked for them last year, and that was in Dublin.

dtpc191991

This really is getting ridiculous IMO the best team we have available is.

1.Healey
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. POC
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien (Evidence now suggests that he's adapting his game well in this area)
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. McFadden
13. O'Malley (He's the only true 13 not currently injured and I think in terms of building a squad should be getting his shot. That said Cave is the best future prospect for me atm unfortunately he's injured).
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16 Cronin
17 Court
18 Touhy
19 Henry
20 Marshall
21 ROG
22 Earls

So why the hell can't Kidney pick something like this!!!

fitz

dtpc191991 wrote: »

This really is getting ridiculous IMO the best team we have available is.

1.Healey
2. Best
3. Ross
4. Ryan
5. POC
6. Ferris
7. O'Brien (Evidence now suggests that he's adapting his game well in this area)
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Trimble
12. McFadden
13. O'Malley (He's the only true 13 not currently injured and I think in terms of building a squad should be getting his shot. That said Cave is the best future prospect for me atm unfortunately he's injured).
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

16 Cronin
17 Court
18 Touhy
19 Henry
20 Marshall
21 ROG
22 Earls

So why the hell can't Kidney pick something like this!!!

Great team selection.
However, I genuinely believe at this stage that Kidney's selections don't really matter. Whoever he picks, they're still going to be sent out to play his shambolic gameplan, which is only successful in making talented players look ordinary.

Since realising this, the team announcements don't bother me!

durkadurka

He did pick something like that.

profitius

I'm surprised theres not more debate about Earls. I think Keith might have quietened a few critics.

I'd like to see Ireland have a go off France. Cut out the stupid mistakes and concentrate on themselves playing well. The French are not as good as the Irish media make them out to be. They don't have an abundance of players for every position. They're short of 10's for example.

The players they have are good but they have weaknesses too. People say its the French mentality but I don't go along with that. If they're not scoring length of the field tries in every game some people will say they're being lazy. Another myth. They work hard especially since they know they'll be dropped if they do not.

The new coach could turn out to be not much better than the last coach. They have an advantage in the scrums. If Ewan Murray was playing against France they wouldn't have beating Scotland if he could have held his own in the scrums.

Foxtrol

profitius wrote: »

I'm surprised theres not more debate about Earls. I think Keith might have quietened a few critics.

I'm not quite sure if that wink is sarcasm. I think that Murray and DOC being the more controversial selections has deflected a lot of attention away from Earls, as has him missing the Welsh match. He had an easy time last week but I can see the earlier question marks about him at 13 being raised again after the French backs get through with him.

fitz

profitius wrote: »

I'm surprised theres not more debate about Earls. I think Keith might have quietened a few critics.

I think it's more a case of accepting the fact that Kidney will persist with Earls, despite there being better options available, regardless of how much it makes a lot of us want to mash our faces into the keyboard. I'm expecting him to be shown up defensively again this weekend.

Spudmonkey

fitz wrote: »

I think it's more a case of accepting the fact that Kidney will persist with Earls, despite there being better options available, regardless of how much it makes a lot of us want to mash our faces into the keyboard. I'm expecting him to be shown up defensively again this weekend.

And the solution would be to put in a smaller guy for his first cap again the likes of Fofana and Rougerie?

WeeBushy

fitz wrote: »

I think it's more a case of accepting the fact that Kidney will persist with Earls, despite there being better options available, regardless of how much it makes a lot of us want to mash our faces into the keyboard. I'm expecting him to be shown up defensively again this weekend.

Yeah, tbh honest I'm the same. Barring injuries to Earls, Bowe and McFadden we're not going to see a natural 13 play. It's been thrashed out ad nauseum here so I've just accepted it's not going to change, so have given up talking about it. I think most people's position on the matter are clear.

I think it was because Earls didn't put a foot wrong, "did a job" etc.

From all the games I've ever seen him play at 13, the game las weekend was his most accomplished.

If he can repeat it this weekend he'll have finally earned a spot in a position that doesn't suit him, but that he'll be able to "do a job" in, for Ireland as well as Munster.

Quite similar situation to McFadden at 13 when it seems his strengths lie at 12 or wing. He can fill a gap at 13, or play as a second first centre as he has a Leinster a few times, but he's not a natural in the role.

WeeBushy

Spudmonkey wrote: »

And the solution would be to put in a smaller guy for his first cap again the likes of Fofana and Rougerie?

He's a better defender and he's only 2 pounds lighter according to their provincial profiles. They're essentially the same weight.

Agh no, not getting into this. No more!

fitz

Spudmonkey wrote: »

fitz wrote: »

I think it's more a case of accepting the fact that Kidney will persist with Earls, despite there being better options available, regardless of how much it makes a lot of us want to mash our faces into the keyboard. I'm expecting him to be shown up defensively again this weekend.

And the solution would be to put in a smaller guy for his first cap again the likes of Fofana and Rougerie?

You realise that same smaller player has already comprehensively handed Rougerie his ass?

Cave should have been starting 13 for this 6 Nations, but after his injury, EOM should have been our next choice. After Drico and Cave, he's the next best Irish qualified 13.

I'm not suggesting EOM get his first cap against France, I'm saying he should have got his first cap against Wales.

Not that it would have made much difference imo. As I've said, I don't think it matters who DK picks, he's still gonna send them out to play like drains.

Tox56

profitius wrote: »

I'm surprised theres not more debate about Earls. I think Keith might have quietened a few critics.

I did mention it on the Ireland thread, so I won't regurgitate what I said here, but it has been brought up.

CatFromHue

fitz wrote: »

You realise that same smaller player has already comprehensively handed Rougerie his ass?

Cave should have been starting 13 for this 6 Nations, but after his injury, EOM should have been our next choice. After Drico and Cave, he's the next best Irish qualified 13.

I'm not suggesting EOM get his first cap against France, I'm saying he should have got his first cap against Wales.

Not that it would have made much difference imo. As I've said, I don't think it matters who DK picks, he's still gonna send them out to play like drains.

He played well all right but to say he handed him his ass is a bit much. That game was also played in 2010 and it's 2012 now.

Tox56

CatFromHue wrote: »

He played well all right but to say he handed him his ass is a bit much. That game was also played in 2010 and it's 2012 now.

That was a bit over the top, but dismissing EOM based on size whilst advocating Earls instead is a little ridiculous, especially when we're talking about defence.