England vs Ireland buildup*read warning post 1*

rrpc

Ronan O'Gara has an other excellent article on the Examiner website. Mostly about Sexton and managing his game time, but some words on the Welsh match and the Welsh Racing Metro players too.

thomond2006

rrpc wrote: »

Ronan O'Gara has an other excellent article on the Examiner website. Mostly about Sexton and managing his game time, but some words on the Welsh match and the Welsh Racing Metro players too.

I hope Thornley reads this.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Thornley's pretty good. His analysis isn't great but he's the most in the know rugby reporter in Ireland

blackdog1

Buer wrote: »

Ross is pretty highly regarded by the English coaching staff. Rowntree reportedly was very much a fan and told Ross as much. He was all for him being in the Lions squad but didn't get his way with the Saracens influence appearing to having a say on the situation. As it stood, Ross was on stand by for the Lions as since reported. It was unusual that no tight head prop had to leave the tour.

I don't think Ross is much ahead (or even at all) than Moore but he was highly regarded during the last couple of years around Europe.

Moore is a great little player and a future star hopefully but in propping terms hes a baby. Most props have great first seasons then they get creamed the second because guys get analysed and figured out. Ross has had some bad days at the office and has to reinvent and change his techniques constantly. Moore will have the same problems so hopefully he has ross to advise him and he doesn't have to learn the hard way

thomond2006

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Thornley's pretty good. His analysis isn't great but he's the most in the know rugby reporter in Ireland

My point was that he continually flies the kite about Sexton being flogged. Racing wouldn't have played him if Hernandez didn't get injured.

sullivlo

.ak wrote: »

Being mobile doesn't equate to being good around the park IMO. He is more mobile, he is more skilled than Ross, and as such will end up being a better TH than Ross.

What I meant by around the park is the work Ross does at the breakdown. Moore doesn't hit rucks like Ross does.

I think there is still a gap between the two, with Ross shading it. But this time next year they will be on par, with Moore taking over then. It's a good situation to be in compared to a few years back.

From what I can tell, Moore is being "managed" in the same way that Madigan was "managed" - easing him into the game, increasing his responsibilities as gametime increases (Madigan didn't always take the kicks for example). So I'd say given that scrumming is the most important facet to a TH's game that that's where the work is being done with Moore, and as his match fitness, awareness etc improve, his mobility around the field will improve.

ssaye2

Is Healys ankle playing up again? Posted last night

Cant wait to sleep! back on my feet tomorrow! Careful now!

.ak

ssaye2 wrote: »

Is Healys ankle playing up again? Posted last night

Cant wait to sleep! back on my feet tomorrow! Careful now!

There was a bit of doubt around it last week, which is why we thought Bent might start against Dragons... But he didn't, so I assumed everything is ok.

Maybe it's not. He's been heavily strapped around the ankles since his injury so maybe its a case of injury management.

ssaye2

.ak wrote: »

There was a bit of doubt around it last week, which is why we thought Bent might start against Dragons... But he didn't, so I assumed everything is ok.

Maybe it's not. He's been heavily strapped around the ankles since his injury so maybe its a case of injury management.

That would be typical - Cole out and we "may" have to play McGrath V Wilson. Now its not a nightmare but I want every advantage we can get.

BoarHunter

munsterlegend wrote: »

Joubert a good ref for us alright however, a good point was made on Against the head last night that Lancaster will point out to Joubert about our maul i.e obstruction and probably as well o mahony at the breakdown. first lineout will be very interesting fro ireland in an attacking position. I think we're going to sneak this but not without plenty nervous moments.

I think the key is there. Ireland being always borderline on the ruck situation it will be up to see if it's a step to far on the day for Joubert. Start getting pinged at the beginning of the match and this could change the whole aspect of the game.

Reading a lot of confidence and enthousiasm on these pages. My heart goes for Ireland but my french head knows too much what a trip to twickenham means. It's not going to be easy. I myself usually avoid talking much before playing there too avoid bitter disappointment. I can't see why anyone would be over confident going there. England are going to play their first match of the tournament at home. They can't afford to lose another game in this tournament. They are just over a year from their world cup. Even though they have key players missing, it is still a very threatening unit. On the other hand nobody knows what Ireland away form is. First match away for Joe Schmidt. Expecting to show the same form than at home is very optimistic. England had a 2 week rest. I believe they couldn't go full on against Scotland after an Epic match in Paris ( 45 minutes of effective game time ). I expect this to be very physical.

Anyone can win it but I really don't now what side the coin is going to fall.

GWAN Ireland !

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Less Kiss made some interesting comments about the squad yesterday. Worth looking up

Buer

ssaye2 wrote: »

That would be typical - Cole out and we "may" have to play McGrath V Wilson. Now its not a nightmare but I want every advantage we can get.

Honestly, at this point, I'd have as much faith in McGrath beasting someone in the scrum as I would Healy....possibly even more.

ssaye2

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Less Kiss made some interesting comments about the squad yesterday. Worth looking up

Do tell...

.ak

Yeah, I think McGrath is the better scrummager, and I think he'll make a fine international quality LH. But Healy is still streets ahead of him, and is a game changer. Would feel much better with Healy starting.

rrpc

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Less Kiss made some interesting comments about the squad yesterday. Worth looking up

Where did he make them?

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

can't say! Google lads!

Buer

.ak wrote: »

Yeah, I think McGrath is the better scrummager, and I think he'll make a fine international quality LH. But Healy is still streets ahead of him, and is a game changer. Would feel much better with Healy starting.

Agreed. Healy is still a much tighter, tidier player around the field in terms of supporting, making tackles and clearing rucks.

McGrath's carrying has come on in leaps and he's very hard to put down but his overall game outside the scrum still isn't on the same level. If it continues to improve at the rate it has though, I can see him putting serious pressure on Healy in the next 18 months.

sullivlo

Buer wrote: »

Honestly, at this point, I'd have as much faith in McGrath beasting someone in the scrum as I would Healy....possibly even more.

A young LH with a point to prove!

ssaye2

Kiss speaking online interview
Happy with defensive unit - no tries conceded, plenty to improve on as they were home games.

Different defensive system implemented.
Key factors - when a line break is made by other team, the speed to get back and defend again and again etc

Leaders coming through after POC and BOD

Dont know if I can link to the interview or not - seems to go on for an hour

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

can't say! Google lads!

this should be a bannable offence!

sullivlo

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

can't say! Google lads!

Google only showing comments from January. If anyone finds the comments can they PM me (or post on the thread!)

ssaye2

http://ruggamatrix.com/ruggamatrix-international-185-ireland-v-england/

This is the video I found from yesterday, listening now

Sangre

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

Thornley's pretty good. His analysis isn't great but he's the most in the know rugby reporter in Ireland

He's in the know because never criticises the encumbants, constantly makes excuses and blames the referee for nearly everything and therefore the PR team love him and he gets exclusive access. He writes well and I used to be a fan but can't bear to read him anymore.

rrpc

Whiff of Cordite has a preview of the match on his website.

Amusingly prefixes each England player's name with "The Awesome Power of..."

For example: "The Awesome Power of Courtney Lawes has form when it comes to disappearing when the heat is on"

ssaye2

http://inpho.ie/assignment/Ireland-Rugby-Squad-Training-Tuesday/OKI6Xu1ePR_Gvd5T9zJm3g..a?ts=3zT_lQ4u-LZV_nzjc5e1Aw..a

http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1402185/

Healy looks fine doing sprints and pressure on his ankle

Big smiley head on Ryan haha

justsomebloke

got to love Darcy's sex face:D

ssaye2

ENGLAND: M Brown (Harlequins); J Nowell (Exeter), L Burrell (Northampton), B Twelvetrees (Gloucester), J May (Gloucester); O Farrell (Saracens), D Care (Harlequins); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton), D Wilson (Bath); J Launchbury (Wasps), C Lawes (Northampton); T Wood (Northampton), B Vunipola (Saracens), C Robshaw (Harlequins. capt).

REPLACEMENTS: T Youngs (Leicester), M Vunipola (Saracens), H Thomas (Sale), D Attwood (Bath), B Morgan (Gloucester), L Dickson (Northampton), G Ford (Bath), A Goode (Saracens).

Hearing this is the team

pc7

rrpc wrote: »

Whiff of Cordite has a preview of the match on his website.

Laughed when I read 'Well, while Stuart Lancaster is building towards 2015 and has embedded a sense of humility in the playing pool,' as Shaggy was on Second Captains yesterday saying if you have humility you don't keep going on about it. It is funny how it keeps coming up now.

MikeCork2009

ssaye2 wrote: »

http://inpho.ie/assignment/Ireland-Rugby-Squad-Training-Tuesday/OKI6Xu1ePR_Gvd5T9zJm3g..a?ts=3zT_lQ4u-LZV_nzjc5e1Aw..a

http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1402185/

Healy looks fine doing sprints and pressure on his ankle

Big smiley head on Ryan haha

Everytime I see D'arcy now all I can say is:

.ak

That's what you'd expect allright. You'd imagine our team will be completely unchanged also.

ScissorPaperRock

rrpc wrote: »

Whiff of Cordite has a preview of the match on his website.

Amusingly prefixes each England player's name with "The Awesome Power of..."

For example: "The Awesome Power of Courtney Lawes has form when it comes to disappearing when the heat is on"

I'm starting to find all the 'humorous' references in WoC a little tiresome tbh. It can be distracting from the actual content, and sometimes it's just self-referential and I'm left there wondering what they're talking about (which kind of defeats the point, if they're trying to be informative).

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2561957/SIX-NATIONS-2014-EXCLUSIVE-George-Ford-set-make-England-debut-against-Ireland.html

ssaye2

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2561957/SIX-NATIONS-2014-EXCLUSIVE-George-Ford-set-make-England-debut-against-Ireland.html

Yeah off the bench

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

ssaye2 wrote: »

Yeah off the bench

still interesting. Makes England stronger imo. Genuine option of Farrell gets rattled

rrpc

ScissorPaperRock wrote: »

I'm starting to find all the 'humorous' references in WoC a little tiresome tbh. It can be distracting from the actual content, and sometimes it's just self-referential and I'm left there wondering what they're talking about (which kind of defeats the point, if they're trying to be informative).

Well I always thought the intent was to be humorous and informative. A little bit tongue in cheek as it were.

TheGoldenAges

ssaye2 wrote: »

Yeah off the bench

The daily mail and rugby :shudder:

Stick to the round ball at least.

rrpc

TheGoldenAges wrote: »

The daily mail and rugby :shudder:

Stick to the round ball at least.

They seem to have scooped everyone else on that one, so they must be doing something right.

It's the right call for England. Farrell is good, but there's no real option if he gets injured or has a mare.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Sangre

How are the Welsh lineout stats so high?

ssaye2

Sangre wrote: »

How are the Welsh lineout stats so high?

Hibbard throws to the front often - stat somewhere on BBC

Hibbard stands directly in front of his line too. No crooked throws but nowhere near down the middle.

danthefan

Sangre wrote: »

How are the Welsh lineout stats so high?

I have no idea how to reply to that other than - they've won 90% of their lineouts. They only lost 2 of their own against us, 1 against Italy, both ourselves and Italy kicked a lot so they had quite a lot of lineouts.

Dr. Bre

in manila philippines. going to watch the game on sat prob an irish pub! cant wait

stephen_n

We have a phenomenal amount of turnovers. Us and England have been fairly evenly matched in the penalty stakes, would like to see the breakdown of how many were conceded in own half for both teams.

Red Pepper

Deleted User wrote: »

Hibbard stands directly in front of his line too. No crooked throws but nowhere near down the middle.

Noticed that alright. Very few refs call a crooked throw when the balls goes to the front.

rrpc

stephen_n wrote: »

We have a phenomenal amount of turnovers. Us and England have been fairly evenly matched in the penalty stakes, would like to see the breakdown of how many were conceded in own half for both teams.

I'm not sure about the penalty stats. I thought we had seven against Scotland and nine against Wales.

Volvic12

The stats look good from an Irish point of view but the amount of clean breaks is quite disappointing. Don't want to bring up again about who should be playing etc. but we definitely seem to be lacking a cutting edge in the backline.

molloyjh

Deleted User wrote: »

Hibbard stands directly in front of his line too. No crooked throws but nowhere near down the middle.

Indeed. You can see the touch judge and Barnes in line down the middle here. Look at Hibbard. It's easy to throw it straight to the front from where he is and secure the ball. Especially when Barnes is so hot on opposition keeping the gap.

Volvic12 wrote: »

The stats look good from an Irish point of view but the amount of clean breaks is quite disappointing. Don't want to bring up again about who should be playing etc. but we definitely seem to be lacking a cutting edge in the backline.

We haven't had many line breaks because we haven't been playing game plans that utilise them. Yet we're still 3rd on the list. I'm happy with that personally.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Volvic12 wrote: »

The stats look good from an Irish point of view but the amount of clean breaks is quite disappointing. Don't want to bring up again about who should be playing etc. but we definitely seem to be lacking a cutting edge in the backline.

We haven't even used our backline yet so it's not surprising we don't have many

We do however, have more than the much maligned Welsh backline

.ak

Great pic molloyjh, I remember that being highlighted on the lions tour also. Don't know how they get away with it so much. Suppose it's like rolling the ball into the 2nd row in scrums, just isn't policed.